Culinard Opens New Restaurant In Richmond; Kitchen on Cary Grand Opening Celebration to Benefit Richmond SPCA

RICHMOND, Va., April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College in Richmond, announced today the grand opening celebration of its new restaurant, Kitchen on Cary, located at 1329 E. Cary St. on Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 6 to 8 p.m. The event, titled "Wag and Wine," will benefit the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Richmond SPCA).

Tickets will be $25 per person and will include an assortment of chef's selection tasting portions, assorted seasonal cheeses, and white and red wines to taste. Also, 100 percent of each ticket sold will be donated to Richmond SPCA, a non-profit organization working to provide shelter and medical attention to animals while promoting adoption, responsible pet ownership and community education.

"We are so grateful for this opportunity to partner with Kitchen on Cary to benefit the orphaned dogs and cats at our humane center," says Richmond SPCA Chief Executive Officer Robin Robertson Starr. "Wag and Wine provides a great occasion for Richmond residents to support the animals in our care while enjoying a night out at Kitchen on Cary."

Kitchen on Cary is situated in Richmond's Shockoe Slip, a historic neighborhood of cobblestone streets and alleyways beside the city's Financial District. With $650,000 spent on construction and renovations, Kitchen on Cary will be a considerable investment to the city of Richmond. The restaurant's menu will consist of a wide variety of fresh, contemporary American food, which guests can enjoy in small plates or bowls or as larger, traditional entrées. Locally-sourced ingredients will be used, where possible, to provide customers with fresh and vibrant flavors unique to the region. An extensive selection of fine wines will also be offered.

"I could not be more thrilled to partner with the Richmond SPCA for the grand opening of Culinard's new restaurant, Kitchen on Cary," says Ron Patak, vice president of student retail operations at Culinard. "With the success of our restaurant, Kitchen on George in Mobile, Alabama, we know Kitchen on Cary will bring affordable fine dining to Richmond. The restaurant will also serve our students by providing them with hands-on experience inside a professional restaurant."

Kitchen on Cary will have a complete professional staff and provide training and experience to students while providing a first-class dining experience for restaurant patrons. Students at Culinard spend part of each term gaining real-world restaurant experience, and in their final term must serve an externship either in a school-affiliated operation or in another restaurant in the community.

Since opening, Culinard has trained more than 1,000 chefs and has been consistently recognized as an exemplary program by the American Culinary Federation. For more information about Culinard or Kitchen on Cary, visit www.culinard.com or www.kitchenoncary.com.

About Virginia College and Education Corporation of America

Birmingham, Ala.-based Education Corporation of America is a leader in the post-secondary career school market with current enrollment of over 19,000 students. Holdings include Virginia College, founded in 1983, a private institution of higher education that offers non-degree and associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs in the areas of Health and Medical, Business, Information Technology, Interior Design, Computer Design, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts and more with locations in 25 different cities in the following states: Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Virginia College also offers classes online via www.vconline.edu and operates Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College. ECA also owns and operates the New England College of Business and Finance in Massachusetts, Golf Academy of America schools in California, Arizona, South Carolina, Texas and Florida as well as Ecotech Institute in Colorado, which is the first and only college focused on preparing students for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design.

ECA schools are accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) which is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For more information, contact Diane Worthington at [email protected] or (205) 329-7911.

SOURCE Virginia College