Red River College unveils fine-dining restaurant

Red River College has offered a preview of Jane's, the school's new fine-dining restaurant.

The Winnipeg-based college's culinary program, Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, showed off the 90-seat eatery to members of the media on Thursday.

Officials with the institute say they hope the new restaurant will help attract students from around the world to their culinary program.

Located on the college's downtown Winnipeg campus, inside the Union Bank Tower building, the new restaurant will open to the public on Feb. 26 with a menu of about 20 items.

The building sat empty for nearly 20 years before the college installed Jane's and some student housing on alternate floors. Both the Manitoba government and City of Winnipeg helped fund the spot.

The restaurant will be used to train students in the school's culinary arts, hotel and restaurant management and professional baking programs.

It's the first time in Canada that a college has combined culinary arts and hospitality programs.

"There are other schools around, but those tend to be focused more on culinary. They don't have the residence component at all," said Stephanie Forsyth, RRC's president.

"They don't have the state-of-the-art equipment that we have today, nor do they have the ability for the public to interact with students."

Before Jane's, students were working in the college's Notre Dame campus basement, far away from the public.

"Now we're front and centre. We have one of the most beautiful spaces in the city, and it's really exciting for the students to be a part of that," said head instructor Luc Jean.

Second-year student Jessie Cuthbert said more importantly, the school offers the opportunity to learn from some of Winnipeg's top chefs.

"All of the instructors are super-knowledgeable. It's really awesome to work with chefs who have so many years of experience in the industry," said Cuthbert.

About 300 students enroll in the programs each year, with about 140 of those graduating yearly.