Kent State introduces first gluten-free dining hall

At the start of the 2016 academic year, Kent State University became the first university in the country to feature an entirely gluten-free dining hall on campus.

Kent State restructured Prentice Cafe after college administrators noticed that the number of students arriving on campus with gluten intolerance was rising each year.

An estimated 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive process. When a person who has celiac disease consumes gluten, the individual's immune system attacks the small intestine and inhibits the body's ability to absorb important nutrients. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

Kent State aims to make college life easier for student who need gluten-free foods. At Prentice Cafe, all menu items are gluten-free. Although many campuses offer gluten-free products and some even offer gluten-free stations in their dining halls, Kent State is the first campus to offer an entire dining hall that is certified gluten-free.

"Students' needs have always been our top priority," Rich Roldan, director of university dining services at Kent State said. "Students have enough to worry about. They should not have to worry about their food being safe to eat. It is important they can eat in a safe environment, which is why we decided to make Prentice Cafe a gluten-free dining location."

Prentice Cafe earned certification from the Gluten-Free Food Services Certification Program, a food safety program offered through the Gluten Intolerance Group. The Gluten Intolerance Group is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the gluten-free community through consumer support, advocacy and education.

Anyone is welcome to dine at Prentice Cafe, which is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to every item being gluten-free, the menu also features a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes, as well as foods that support a healthy lifestyle. The cafe accepts meal plans, cash and credit cards.

Prentice Cafe opened on Aug. 29, the first day of the fall semester, A grand opening  celebration will be held on Sept. 7. The event will include opportunities to sample items, as well as educational displays and prizes. Visit www.kent.edu/dining for more information.

Kent State introduces first gluten-free dining hall

At the start of the 2016 academic year, Kent State University became the first university in the country to feature an entirely gluten-free dining hall on campus.

Kent State restructured Prentice Cafe after college administrators noticed that the number of students arriving on campus with gluten intolerance was rising each year.

An estimated 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive process. When a person who has celiac disease consumes gluten, the individual's immune system attacks the small intestine and inhibits the body's ability to absorb important nutrients. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

Kent State aims to make college life easier for student who need gluten-free foods. At Prentice Cafe, all menu items are gluten-free. Although many campuses offer gluten-free products and some even offer gluten-free stations in their dining halls, Kent State is the first campus to offer an entire dining hall that is certified gluten-free.

"Students' needs have always been our top priority," Rich Roldan, director of university dining services at Kent State said. "Students have enough to worry about. They should not have to worry about their food being safe to eat. It is important they can eat in a safe environment, which is why we decided to make Prentice Cafe a gluten-free dining location."

Prentice Cafe earned certification from the Gluten-Free Food Services Certification Program, a food safety program offered through the Gluten Intolerance Group. The Gluten Intolerance Group is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the gluten-free community through consumer support, advocacy and education.

Anyone is welcome to dine at Prentice Cafe, which is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to every item being gluten-free, the menu also features a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes, as well as foods that support a healthy lifestyle. The cafe accepts meal plans, cash and credit cards.

Prentice Cafe opened on Aug. 29, the first day of the fall semester, A grand opening  celebration will be held on Sept. 7. The event will include opportunities to sample items, as well as educational displays and prizes. Visit www.kent.edu/dining for more information.

"REAP the Benefit" takes place at the Ohio City Farm

"REAP the Benefit 2016: A Night on the Farm," a benefit event for The Refugee Response, takes place on Aug. 27, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ohio City Farm.

This special evening is an opportunity to experience a summer night at the nation's largest contiguous urban farm set against the backdrop of our beautiful city skyline. Cleveland's top chefs will create unique dishes utilizing produce cultivated by farm trainees. Guests will also enjoy live music and entertainment by members of the Cleveland refugee community.

While the event highlights local businesses and increases community awareness about refugees, funds raised through "REAP the Benefit" are an investment in a path to self-sufficiency for local refugees. Donations directly benefit students in the Refugee Response home-tutoring program that need academic support to thrive in an environment with a new language. Farm trainees will be empowered to secure employment using their agrarian skills through the Refugee Empowerment Agricultural Program.

As an added attraction, this year's event features a Dinner for a Year raffle package, where one lucky winner will receive a $100 gift certificate each month for 12 months of dining. Restaurant participants include Dante, Crop, Flying Fig, Nano Brew, Spice Kitchen and The Plum Cafe. Enter the raffle at www.refugeeresponse.org.
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Nature's Bin is celebrating locally produced food and beer

"We Love Local" is the August theme at Nature's Bin in Lakewood.

They will be celebrating locally grown and produced foods and beer at $5 Friday on Aug. 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door and reservations are not required.

All food pairings will be vegan and will feature local products from Cleveland Tofu, Locust Lane Jams, Rust Belt Co., Walnut Creek, Stino da Napoli and Cleveland Crops.

The five featured beers are: Jackie O's Razz Wheat Ale from Athens, OH; Market Garden Brewery Hella Mango IPA from Cleveland; Great Lakes Brewing Edmund Fitzgerald Porter from Cleveland; Platform Brewery New Cleveland Palesner from Cleveland; and Fat Head's Sunshine Daydream IPA from Cleveland.

Nature's Bin is at 18120 Sloane Ave. in Lakewood. Phone 216-521-4600.

Culinary Vegetable Institute hosts Atera chef at pop-up event

The Culinary Vegetable Institute (CVI) is hosting Chef Ronny Emborg, a two-star Michelin chef from New York City's Atera restaurant, on Aug. 13 for a 1:30 p.m. luncheon and a 7:30 p.m. dinner.

Atera is known as one of the most immersive sensory-dining restaurants featuring modernist cuisine, and Chef Emborg is venturing out from his landmark restaurant to create an unforgettable experience for diners at CVI.

"This is a very special day," Lee Jones of The Chef's Garden said. "I've been to Atera and I was absolutely blown away by their menu and ambiance. Now Chef Emborg and his team are coming to see the farm and then present a meal at the Culinary Vegetable Institute. CVI was built for the most forward-thinking chefs in the world, both for rest and relaxation and for research and development, and I include Chef Emborg in our list of today's most forward-thinking chefs."

Chef Emborg was trained at Molskroen in Denmark in 2000 and, in 2002, was named the Culinary Star of Europe. In 2004, he was chef to Her Majesty, the Queen, on the royal yacht Dannebrog. His impressive resume continues to build until, in 2015, he came to the United States to work at Atera.

Visit www.culinaryvegetableinstitute.com for reservations. The CVI is located at 12304 Mudbrook Rd. in Milan, OH.