New Cumberland Culinary Center Set for Summer '08 Grand Opening

Feb. 8, 2008 - PRLog -- Lebanon, Tenn. – Recently awarded a $150,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture through the state’s Agricultural Enhancement Program, the Cumberland Culinary Center is on target to open in Lebanon this summer, according to Dr. Paul C. Stumb, dean of the Cumberland University Labry School of Business & Economics.

In all, the Cumberland Culinary Center has received a total of $200,000 in state and federal grant monies. To be located on Tennessee Boulevard, adjacent to the vocational learning center at Lebanon High School, the 2,400-square-foot facility will house a commercial kitchen and storage facility intended to help area entrepreneurs prep their products for market.

The new facility, Stumb noted, will also benefit farmers and students in Wilson County and surrounding areas.

“Through the Cumberland Culinary Center, local entrepreneurs will gain invaluable experience about how to produce, promote and package their products,” Stumb said. “Local farmers will also find the center to be a terrific outlet for promoting locally grown produce, and students will be able to learn about inventory control, purchasing and procurement, production scheduling and marketing. These are already topics we teach in the Labry School of Business & Economics, but the Cumberland Culinary Center will provide a first-rate opportunity for putting those lessons into practice through experiential learning.”

Through the state’s Pick Tennessee Products (www.picktnproducts.org) initiative, Stumb continued, the Cumberland Culinary Center will help increase Tennessee’s farm and agribusiness development income, create markets for Tennessee farm products and increase public understanding and appreciation for the state’s agriculture industry.

In addition to federal and state grant monies, the project has already enjoyed strong local support – garnering cash and in-kind donations from Lebanon-based Lochinvar Corporation, among others.

Stumb expressed his gratitude to those local businesses as well as to those who have worked diligently to promote the Cumberland Culinary Center.

“We have so many people to thank. This project has truly been a community-wide, team effort,” Stumb explained. “Sue Sykes, the proprietor of Tennessee Gourmet, is a local entrepreneur who has been an invaluable help in securing funding. She has worked tirelessly and has literally gone above and beyond the call of duty. We should also express our sincere gratitude to State Rep. Stratton Bone, who played a crucial role in helping to identify and secure grant monies for the Cumberland Culinary Center.”

State agriculture officials, including Bone, have said the Cumberland Culinary Center will serve small business owners well, noting they might not otherwise have access to a commercial kitchen.

“Aspiring entrepreneurs in the region – or existing entrepreneurs – should know that this will soon be available to them. It will be available at a very favorable rate compared to other for-profit commercial kitchens,” Stumb added.

A conceptual design for the facility is already in place, and engineers are in the process of finalizing the site plan. The facility will be managed by Cumberland Culinary Center Kitchen Manager John Cook, who brings several years of experience in product development, operation support and marketing support to the culinary center initiative.

“John is a perfect fit for this project. He’s done everything from developing packaging and marketing materials to identifying product pricing strategies and formulating recipes and nutritional information,” Stumb concluded. “He is focused on running a commercial kitchen that will provide small specialty food manufacturers and farmers the facilities, equipment and educational opportunities to improve their profitability and product distribution capabilities. Those are among the top goals of the Cumberland Culinary Center.”

Website: www.cumberland.edu