A Hands‑On Lab for the Art and Science of Nutrition
Located in Decary Hall on the Biddeford Campus, the Teaching Kitchen is a dynamic, interdisciplinary educational space where students across ±«±··¡â€™s colleges explore the science, culture, and creativity of cooking and food. The kitchen is a versatile, hands-on learning laboratory that features 12 cooking stations, six ovens, and two refrigerators.
Tour Our Nutrition Teaching Kitchen
A Campus-wide Learning Space
Run by ±«±··¡â€™s Nutrition program, the Teaching Kitchen is open to the entire University community, including students, faculty, and professional staff. A home for academic coursework, grant-funded course development, undergraduate clubs, and campus-wide cooking demos and classes, this experiential learning space and unique teaching environment is a vital component of numerous programs on campus.
Cooking Across Disciplines
- Nutrition courses open to all students teach foundational cooking techniques, proper food safety practices, how to prepare healthful meals using every food group, food culture from around the world, and how to prepare medically-prescribed recipes.
- ±«±··¡â€™s Occupational Studies program includes lessons on how to prepare easy and nourishing meals for stressful days.
- The College of Osteopathic Medicine integrates food as medicine, including culinary medicine concepts that are applied in the kitchen setting.
Cooking Beyond the Classroom
- The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s Taste of Storytelling events allow students, professional staff, faculty, and community members to share meals, stories, and culture.
- 51°µÍø Shaw Fellows develop, test, and refine the SeaMade bar recipe in the Teaching Kitchen as a part of the production team.
- Members of the Food Allergy Club learn how to cook allergen-free recipes together
- Pre-Occupational Therapy Club members explore adaptations to baking processes and assistive technology in the kitchen for people with disabilities
Healthy Cooking in Action
Watch Student‑Led Demos in the Teaching Kitchen
The 51°µÍø Nutrition program also uses the kitchen to promote nutrition education for the entire 51°µÍø community. Graduate and undergraduate Nutrition students provide educational cooking demonstrations and classes open to all 51°µÍø students, faculty, and professional staff. Past recipe demonstrations have included:
- Heart Health and the Mediterranean Diet
- Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Periodontal Disease
- Fueling Your Body With Iron
51°µÍø Nutrition Easy Fish Tacos
51°µÍø Nutrition Tofu Stir Fry
Experiential Learning Opportunities for Graduate Students
Graduate students in may complete their Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL) in Food Service Management through ±«±··¡â€™s Teaching Kitchen. This experience provides hands-on opportunities to develop essential skills for supervising food service operations and events, including food safety and sanitation, culinary techniques, staff training, and effective communication. Graduate students interested in completing their Food Service Management SEL in ±«±··¡â€™s Teaching Kitchen should notify their Dietetics Field Coordinator.
Stories From the 51°µÍø Teaching Kitchen
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