Culinaire Reopens

Culinaire Restaurant has just re-opened its
doors to the public. Billed as a one-ofa-
kind eatery and a part of the culinary
curriculum of the International Culinary School
at the Art Institute of Washington, the student
run restaurant aims to provide delicious food
and an all-around positive dining experience to
its patrons while acting as a unique instructional
environment for students of the Art Institute’s
culinary program.

Culinaire first opened its doors to the public
in 2008. The restaurant is open for eight weeks
each academic quarter and serves both lunch and
dinner. The menu changes quarterly, and this
term entrées include seared trout, carrot pasta,
Cornish hen, seared pork loin and grilled beef.

“The idea behind having a full service restaurant
at the Art Institute of Washington is to
provide our students with the opportunity to
work in a kitchen that simulates the environment
of a real working kitchen,” said Chef
Andrew Policelli, a culinary instructor at the
International Culinary School at the Art Institute
of Washington.

At Culinaire, students are on the forefront
of both the kitchen and the restaurant fronts.
Though they work under the supervision of
Chef Michael Roll and a team of credentialed
faculty chef instructors, students are involved
directly in all aspects of the restaurant, including
food preparation, serving guests, preparing their
kitchen station and breaking down their stations
at the end of the day.

Policelli further explained the idea behind a
student-run eatery and the benefits of having a
working restaurant to serve as a lab for students.

“[It] allows the students to experience both
sides of working in a restaurant: preparing the
guests’ food and serving them from beginning
to end,” Policelli said, “[It’s] a complete instructional
environment for students that offers a
quality dining experience to its patrons.”

Every Art Institute with a culinary program
has a working restaurant, according to Policelli.
This hands-on experience allows students to
experience a working restaurant firsthand and
is very beneficial in preparing them for careers
in this field.

In the end, Culinaire benefits the surrounding
community as well as students at the Art
Institute.

“Why settle for lukewarm mystery meat, last
night’s leftovers or a microwave dinner, when
you can enjoy a delicious, freshly prepared
bistro-style meal?” ask those of the restaurant in
a press release.

Anywhere from 50 to 150 patrons a week do
just that, visiting Culinaire and seeing the students
in action weekly while enjoying a freshly
created lunch or dinner.

Culinaire’s menu includes their four main
entrées for the quarter and a wide selection of
drinks, appetizers, sides and deserts. Prices
range from $2 to $12.?

Culinaire is located at 1820 North Fort
Myer Drive, Arlington, Va., near the Rosslyn
Metro, and is open on Mondays, Tuesdays
and Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
for lunch and 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. for dinner.
Reservations are recommended and can be
made by calling the restaurant at 703-247-3841.