Wednesday, October 24, 2018

It’s Official! “The Kitchens at Reynolds” Announced

The Reynolds Community College expansion into Richmond’s East End now has an official name: “The Kitchens at Reynolds.” This new facility will give Reynolds the ability to double its culinary enrollment and become a pipeline for talent desperately needed in the growing Richmond restaurant and hospitality industry. 

While the teaching and demonstration kitchens are the centerpiece of the new 25,000 square foot facility, the building will also serve as a gateway to many of the college’s academic and workforce programs and services. Space has been dedicated for career planning, financial aid workshops, enrollment assistance, and access to short-term courses and workforce certification and credential programs offered by the Community College Workforce Alliance.

The Kitchens at Reynolds speaks beyond traditional culinary education. It’s about the expertise and innovation to give individuals a foundation to explore their culinary potential,” said Paula Pando, Ed.D., president of Reynolds. “Community colleges are engines of economic mobility. Our goal at Reynolds is not only to provide a world-class culinary education in a state-of-the-art facility, but to also connect students with educational opportunities that impact their ability to have meaningful careers in the greater Richmond region.”

“The Kitchens at Reynolds” is part of a larger revitalization initiative along Nine Mile Road and 25th Street. Plans include “The Market at 25th” grocery store, a VCU health education and wellness center, and Bon Secours’ existing Sarah Garland Jones Center.

Even before The Kitchens at Reynolds is open, the college has been at work with other non-profits and organizations in the East End. Less than a mile from its new building site, Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation has funded an onsite career coach at Armstrong High School to help middle and high school students plan for an associate degree or a workforce credential after graduation.

“This is the power of collective impact,” said Elizabeth Littlefield, executive director of the Educational Foundation. “From dialogue with residents to investments from Richmond’s philanthropic community, so many people are coming together to make this happen.”

The building is expected to open for college programs and services in late 2019, with the first culinary classes offered in the spring 2020 semester.

To learn more, visit The Kitchens at Reynolds.