Diners who enjoy meals at the student-managed Café Burrier on the Eastern Kentucky University campus will soon be tasting produce grown in the University’s Red Barn Garden by EKU agriculture students.
The new menu feature stems from a recently established partnership between the Café, housed in EKU’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and the Department of Agriculture’s fruit and vegetable production program.
The Red Barn Garden opened this summer to promote hands-on learning for the EKU students, who sell their produce weekly. Café Burrier is operated and managed by baccalaureate dietetic students as part of the Quantity Foods class taught by Dr. Nathan Stokes.
“Café Burrier is excited about the partnership with the Red Barn Garden on campus,” Stokes said. “We look forward to using some of their freshly grown and harvested produce in our meals. This will provide not only a fresh local product to consumers, but also an opportunity for students to learn more about the use of locally grown produce in foodservice.”
The idea originated from a meeting organized by Department of Agriculture Chair Dr. John Settimi in June. Officials discussed the produce that might be available by the fall semester that could be included in the Café’s menus.
The Café’s first purchase from the Red Barn Garden was six pounds of green beans, which were used for its lunch on Sept. 8.
“The plan is for us to work more closely together in the future,” said Dr. Cody Domenghini, assistant professor in the Department of Agriculture. “Prior to our seed order this winter, Dr. Stokes is going to offer suggestions of what we should grow to support their menu next year. We are hoping to grow most of their produce needs in the future.”
Also, Dr. Ed Fredrickson, associate professor in the Department of Agriculture, is working with Stokes to potentially supply meat products from the University’s Meadowbrook Farm.
Café Burrier is located in the Burrier Building at the intersection of University Drive and Crabbe Street on campus. It serves three-course noon luncheons each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the fall semester for $10. Reservations must be made in advance at fcs.eku.edu/cafe-burrier.
For more information about Red Barn Garden, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/EKU-Red-Barn-Garden /1433137683680334 or contact Domenghini at jacob.domenghini@eku.edu or 859-622-2234.