WSU Tech to open downtown culinary school to students
WSU Tech’s culinary program will begin classes at NICHE starting the Spring 2023 semester with plans to open to the public later in the year.
After nearly a year and a half since the announcement that the National Institute for Culinary and Hospitality Education (NICHE) will be in downtown Wichita, WSU Tech is ready to offer their first classes for the culinary arts program at the new facility. Starting in January 2023, WSU Tech culinary students will be sharpening their skills in the state-of-the-art culinary school level of NICHE that features five culinary lab kitchens, including one pastry kitchen, a banquet kitchen, a chocolate room, two classrooms, a student lounge, and a conference room. Students will also have access to a student library and private study rooms on the lower level of the building.
“We are so excited to welcome students to the National Institute for Culinary and Hospitality Education,” said Dr. Sheree Utash, President of WSU Tech. “Our hope is with the addition of this state-of-the-art facility in downtown Wichita that it will bring new life to our city’s core, expand the career pathway options for individuals in our region and promote Wichita as a destination for culinary and hospitality education.”
Launched in August 2021,The Culinary Arts program provides an in-depth and hands-on education in the art of cuisine. Graduates will be experts in the kitchen able to assist with menu development, product innovation and more. WSU Tech will hold an information session for students interested in enrolling in the Culinary Arts program on Tuesday, December 6 at 10:00 am and Thursday, December 8 at 3:00 pm at NICHE located at 124 S. Broadway. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to hear from the chefs who lead the program, speak with a program enrollment advisor and get an exclusive first look at the new training facilities, kitchens and classrooms. An RSVP is required to attend, please register at wsutech.edu/events.
Outside of the educational programming offered by WSU Tech, NICHE will also feature a roof-top event venue, the Cargill Culinary Theatre on the mezzanine level, and an open-to-the-public food hall, the Envision Bistro and an authentic ramen restaurant on the ground-level. These spaces are planned to open later in 2023. At this time, NICHE plans to open to the public following the grand-opening scheduled to take place in late spring or early summer of 2023.
“This is an extremely significant first step toward the opening of NICHE,” said John Michael, Director of NICHE. “The upcoming year promises to be dynamic as we introduce more opportunities for collaboration with community partners, increase opportunities for culinary students to learn through applied learning, and introduce new inclusive educational opportunities to the Wichita community.”
If you want to stay up to date on the latest developments surrounding NICHE, follow @NICHEKANSAS on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. For more information about WSU Tech’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality programs visit www.wsutech.edu/culinaryhospitality.
Visit the NICHE website here: NICHEks.com.
###
WSU Tech is the state’s leader in modern technical education offering over 100 degree and certificate options in aviation, health care, manufacturing, design, information technology, police science and business. In 2018, WSU Tech was named the 2nd fastest growing college among two-year colleges by The Chronicle of Higher Education. WSU Tech serves as managing partner of the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) in Wichita, KS and is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a Kansas Board of Regents institution. For more information, visit www.WSUTECH.edu.
