Food & Drink

Des Moines Business Record

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Regents approve construction of new ISU student-run restaurant and learning laboratory

The Iowa Board of Regents has approved construction of a new student-run restaurant and learning laboratory that will expand opportunities across multiple programs in Iowa State University’s College of Health and Human Sciences. The project will renovate approximately 9,000 square feet on the first floor of the Human Nutritional Sciences Building and near the LeBaron Auditorium, creating a new home for Iowa State’s 100-year-old tearoom. “The Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom has a rich history of preparing students for careers in hospitality management, dietetics and culinary food science,” Laura Jolly, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, said in a prepared statement. “The new facility will continue that legacy in a state-of-the-art space.” Relocating the tearoom from the garden level of MacKay Hall increases space, capacity and function. Through integrated technology, camera systems and a demonstration island, the 90-seat dining room will be able to transition from an elevated guest experience to a fully equipped classroom, a news release said. The kitchen’s design mirrors what students will find in the industry and offers back-of-house instructional space for student learning. The project is funded through $10.8 million in private gifts and $2 million in university funding designated for deferred maintenance in the Human Nutritional Sciences Building. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and be complete in 2029.