New Restaurant Coming To Richmond

RICHMOND, Va., April 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College in Richmond, is pleased to announce that its new restaurant, Kitchen on Cary, is scheduled to open May 20, 2013. Located in Shockoe Slip at 1329 E. Cary St., the restaurant will serve dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Lunch hours will begin later in May.

Kitchen on Cary will be modeled after the Culinard restaurant in Mobile, Ala., Kitchen on George, which was recently voted "Best New Restaurant" in the fine dining category of Lagniappe magazine's 2012 Nappie Awards. Kitchen on Cary will follow Kitchen on George's successful example in fashioning its menu and decor.

"I could not be more thrilled about the grand opening of Culinard's new restaurant, Kitchen on Cary," says Ron Patak, vice president of student retail operations at Culinard. "After the success of Kitchen on George in Mobile, 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."

Located in Richmond's historic Shockoe Slip, a historic neighborhood of cobblestone streets and alleyways beside the city's Financial District, the new restaurant will be a substantial investment to the city of Richmond as Virginia College has spent approximately $650,000 on its construction and renovations. 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 entrees. Whenever possible, locally sourced ingredients will be used to provide patrons with the fresh, bright flavors of the region. An extensive selection of fine wines will also be offered.

Kitchen on Cary will have a complete professional staff and provide training and experience to students while offering a first-class dining experience to 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. "Our students learn not only the nuts and bolts of the restaurant business, but are exposed to the culture of the restaurant world throughout their training," says Patak.

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 on Kitchen on Cary or Culinard, visit www.kitchenoncary.com or www.culinard.com. To reach Ron Patak, please contact Audrey Pannell at 205.503.5955 or [email protected].

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