GUELPH, Ont. — The University of Guelph opened a new high-end food lab earlier this month to honour Anita Stewart, Canadian cuisine champion, U of G’s former food laureate and founder of Food Day Canada.
The Anita Stewart Memorial Food Laboratory project was permitted through a $1.33-million donation in 2019 from Michel Eric Fournelle, a 1992 graduate of the Hotel and Food Administration program (now Hospitality and Tourism Management). The renovations to the existing food lab in the Macdonald Institute were completed in early September.
Up to 20 students can use the facility at a time to learn about food preparation, production and safety as well as food systems and science. The lab’s equipment was donated by the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance, Taste Canada, Food Day Canada and Whirlpool Canada.
In addition, the lab is equipped with three large AV screens to broadcast lectures and demonstrate recipes to accommodate physical distancing.
“Anita was a huge champion of Canadian food as an author, food historian and culinary activist,” says Rebecca Gordon, master’s student in the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management and part-time coordinator of the lab. “The new food lab will help carry on her legacy and contributions and continue to celebrate all things to do with food in Canada.”
