SAIT has unveiled a new National Centre for Culinary Arts, completing nearly a decade of renovations aimed at modernizing the school’s culinary and hospitality programs and preparing students for careers in a growing industry. The centre, housed in the John Ware building on SAIT’s main campus, features updated teaching kitchens, baking facilities and technology, along with a competition kitchen and a redesigned student-run restaurant. The project follows a $41-million investment from the Alberta government announced in 2022 to revitalize the building and create a modern learning environment for students. SAIT says the centre builds on more than 75 years of culinary and hospitality education at the Calgary institution, which is home to Canada’s oldest publicly funded culinary school. David Ross, SAIT’s president and CEO, said the updated facilities will give students access to modern equipment and learning spaces as they develop the skills needed to enter the workforce. “It means our students will get the best faculty attracted to teach the programs, deliver the programs, and some of the best facilities globally,” said Ross. “We can have no excuse but to make sure that when our graduates leave, they’re ready for whatever opportunity comes their way, which has long been SAIT’s mandate.” Modern kitchens, real-world experience The centre’s renovations include upgraded teaching spaces and equipment intended to reflect the environments students will encounter in professional kitchens. Two of the main features are a state-of-the-art competition kitchen and The Highwood Kitchen and Bar, a student-operated restaurant that gives learners an opportunity to practise their skills in a working hospitality setting. The Highwood is scheduled to open to the public on Nov. 20. Ross said the modernized facilities will allow students to experiment with new techniques, develop their creativity and gain experience with equipment used in contemporary commercial kitchens. He added that entrepreneurship is another important part of the training, noting that some graduates go on to operate their own businesses. “We try to bring in the latest equipment that the most modern kitchens will take advantage of,” Ross said. The investment also includes improvements to other learning and service spaces within the building, including campus eateries, a butchery and the Destinations travel centre. For Saxon Daniels, a second-year culinary arts student, the changes offer a chance to learn in facilities that more closely resemble the workplaces she hopes to join after graduation. Daniels said she recently attended her first class in The Highwood, where she had the opportunity to be the first student to use the restaurant’s new grill. “I never thought that would be an experience I would get to have as a student here, in a brand-new building,” she said. Daniels had not worked in a professional kitchen before enrolling at SAIT, despite already having an interest in cooking. She said the experience of working with the equipment and learning how a kitchen operates has helped her better understand what to expect when she enters the industry. “It really just helps give us a real-world look into the kitchens and helps us really see the behind-the-scenes moments of everything that we’re doing here,” she said. After completing her studies, Daniels hopes to gain experience in restaurants before travelling internationally and pursuing opportunities as a chef. She believes the updated facilities could also encourage more people to consider culinary arts as a career. “There are so many opportunities here now,” she said. Investment aimed at growing industry The Alberta government committed $41 million to the John Ware building revitalization as part of its 2022 budget. Myles McDougall, Alberta’s minister of advanced education, said the investment is intended to strengthen culinary education while supporting the province’s hospitality and tourism workforce. The centre will bring together updated facilities, practical training and industry connections, with the goal of preparing graduates for the demands of the workplace. “This work comes at an important time with demand for skilled culinary talent continuing to grow across Alberta’s tourism and hospitality sectors,” McDougall said. “By bringing together modern facilities, industry partnerships, and experiential learning, the centre will prepare graduates for success and contribute to Alberta’s economic growth, competitiveness and diversification.” The province’s tourism strategy aims to grow annual visitor spending to $25 billion and generate 190,000 full-time jobs by 2035. According to Travel Alberta, visitors spent $15.2 billion in the province in 2025, a six per cent increase from the previous year. That was the highest tourism spending recorded in Alberta and exceeded the national growth rate. Darren Reeder, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Alberta, said the centre could help strengthen the province’s reputation as a destination for food and hospitality experiences. He said food is increasingly a factor in how people choose travel destinations, creating opportunities for Alberta to attract visitors through its dining experiences. “Culinary is destination for a lot of people,” Reeder said. “They make their choices about where to go based on the food they’re going to curate on that trip.” He said the restaurant environment will give students experience in a high-end setting while helping develop the talent needed to support Alberta’s tourism sector. “This is nothing short of amazing,” he said. Building on SAIT’s reputation SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism has received international recognition for its programs. In 2026, the school ranked first in Canada and 25th globally in hospitality and leisure management in the QS World University Rankings, its highest position to date. SAIT was the only Canadian post-secondary institution in the top 50, according to the school. CEOWORLD magazine also ranked the school first in Canada and 15th worldwide on its 2026 list of hospitality and hotel management schools. Ross said the new centre is intended to build on that reputation by giving students the facilities and instruction needed to compete for opportunities in Canada and abroad. He said the school’s graduates should be able to carry that training with them as they move between jobs and advance through their careers. “I think we’ve got all the right pieces in place for these students to be successful,” he said. This announcement comes as SAIT is also establishing a new Banff campus—the Wim Pauw Centre for Hospitality and Tourism—through a $30-million partnership with YWCA Banff and the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation. Located inside the redeveloped YWCA building on Spray Avenue, the facility will feature student housing and immersive hospitality set to open to new students in 2028.
