+ Project Details

About
Highland Campus Culinary Arts
Austin Community College District
Austin, TX
28,000 sf

Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Highland Culinary Arts Program provides a modern, hands-on education for aspiring chefs, pastry artists, and culinary professionals. Offering certificate and associate degree pathways, the program emphasizes real-world experience through practicum-based learning, small class sizes, and direct engagement with professional tools and techniques.

An upgrade from its previous, undersized location, the Highland facility features a significantly expanded and purpose-built space designed to support student success. Specialized areas include instructional kitchens, a demonstration kitchen, a conference room, and inclusive design elements to accommodate students with disabilities. Our team designed these dynamic spaces to support and house state-of-the-art equipment—such as induction stovetops for cooler pastry prep environments, marble workstations, professional ovens, steamers, fryers, and a temperature-sensing blast chiller with automated labeling—which prepare students for the expectations of the culinary industry.

A highlight of the program is Eatery 73, a student-run restaurant that offers a seasonal, farm-to-table menu to the public. This casual dining experience allows students to apply their skills in a real-world setting—planning, preparing, and serving fresh, locally sourced meals with attention to dietary needs. Eatery 73 not only enhances hands-on learning but also strengthens the program’s connection to the community. Designed in collaboration with Perkins&Will.