A social atmosphere, job experience and a healthy menu are a few of the many features the new B. Robert Burdo Culinary Arts Center will offer. The center, originally scheduled to be open this December, is now set to open in January 2012.
The need for the new center is fueled by the growth of culinary programs at SRJC and the fact that food and wine are two of the largest industries in Sonoma County.
The goal of the culinary arts building is to support students in achieving their goal of becoming successful in the culinary arts field. It is set up as a learning center.
With the new building, the culinary arts department will be able  to offer more classes for Le Cordon Bleu and more certificate programs.
“We are all tremendously excited to make the move into the beautiful new facility and look forward to being back on campus serving as many students as possible,” said Michael Salinger culinary arts department chair.
The building is named after B. Robert Burdo, a member of SRJC’s Board of Trustees. Burdo has served on the board for more than 25 years, holding positions such as the board clerk, vice president and board president on four different occasions.
The new building offers a multitude of benefits to JC students: more space for incoming culinary art students, four state-of-the-art teaching kitchens, a demonstration kitchen with full multimedia capabilities, more storage space and easier access to the rest of the campus.
“It looks beautiful and it seems like it will be used well,” said Elizabeth Macdonald, SRJC student.
The center, located across from  the Santa Rosa campus at 1670 N. Mendocino Ave., is a 22,000 square- foot, two-story building. The first floor will include classrooms, a teaching kitchens, a student lobby and receiving area, a bakery and café and a café kitchen.
The second floor adds an additional classroom, a teaching kitchen, faculty offices, building mechanicals and a deck. The grounds will include a parking lot for public café customers and an outdoor barbecue and patio area.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer our students a brand new state-of-the-art facility that will prepare them for their careers in the culinary and hospitality world,” said Betsy Fischer, SRJC faculty member.