The 8500 sq. ft. facility is the state’s first culinary “theatre” designed to provide students with a clear view of live cooking demonstrations with multi-media technology. Due to the large, open demonstration area, venting cooking heat could not be accomplished with a traditional commercial hood. The facility is a hybrid between a commercial kitchen and a training area requiring specialized pipe and ductwork design woven through and around ceiling joists.

We selected the Halton Ventilated Ceiling System; the first of its kind installed anywhere in Wisconsin. This stainless steel system provided a structural grid with hangar brackets and removable high-efficiency centrifugal extractor cassettes. Plenum boxes with balancing dampers were welded liquid tight to capture and contain vapor exhaust.

Throughout the project, we used Building Informational Modeling (BIM) to ensure measurements and pre-fabricated ductwork matched up seamlessly. The large ceiling was field assembled due to size; on-site welding was done overhead; clash detection using BIM allowed us to work out problems before installation.

Now culinary students can boil a pot of water in 70-seconds thanks to the power behind the scenes.