UMD Staff Provide Update On Main Production Kitchen Remodel

DULUTH, Minn. — The 2024-2025 school year for UMD will look a little different food-wise.

A remodeling of its 1971 main production kitchen is currently in the works. That is where most of their food comes from on campus. Staff says the remodel is going smoothly and will not affect students. To help keep things efficient UMD brought in professional food trailers to work out of. That includes a walk-in fridge, walk-in freezer, dishwashing space, and production area.

“For us we have sort of a new work areas, and displaced workers. They’re in remote areas making salads and sandwiches that were areas maybe that we didn’t do production for quite a few years. Or we’ve moved food production in different spaces, but it should be a great exciting year with nutritious food, authentically ethic items, really fun events and we’re really excited to have students back here,” said Betsy Helgesen, Director of Dining Services at UMD.

Students will have access to Superior Dining, the food court, and a mobile kitchen. Staff say research was done to edit some recipes in the meantime.

“We had to change some recipes, we had to change some providers and some sourcing of ingredients. We are very much a cooking from scratch organization and have been. We are proud of that tradition. We cook our breads and our soups all from scratch here. And we’ve had to change that just a bit during this 10-month journey that we’re on because we don’t quite have the cooking space,” said Helgesen.

The hope is to have the main production kitchen completed by early 2025.