Francis Tuttle Culinary School
YEAR: 2024
SIZE: 127,300 sq.ft.
LOCATION: Oklahoma City
A cutting-edge educational environment for 21st-century students, nurturing innovation and creativity
Design Brief
The Francis Tuttle Culinary School at the Rockwell campus, completed in 2012, redefines culinary education with a focus on student experience and growth. This 127,300 square-foot facility, part of a four-phase project from a 2010 master plan, includes over 37,900 square feet of instructional space and 32,000 square feet for mechanical rooms. The $18.5 million Culinary School and IT building features nine fully functional instructional kitchens, including specialized spaces such as a Meat and Fish Kitchen with a curing room as well as a Pastry Kitchen with a climate-controlled chocolate room. The building also houses classrooms, a video-capable demonstration kitchen, a shipping and receiving area, an instructional restaurant with adaptable space for larger groups, and an outdoor instructional kitchen. Designed for flexibility and expansion, the facility includes room for two additional kitchens to meet future educational needs. The emphasis on the student experience is reflected in eco-friendly features, ample natural light, and dining areas, including a central server that opens into a large student dining rotunda. With commercial-grade finishes built to endure heavy use, the Culinary School is a state-of-the-art hub for culinary education in Oklahoma.
