Hedrick Hall opens Test Kitchen

The smell of spices filled Hedrick dining hall’s Test Kitchen Wednesday night as students dug into plates of mashed potatoes, grilled beef tenderloin and turkey-cranberry flatbread. But unlike many of the dishes served at other dining halls on the Hill, most of these entrees could fit in the palm of a hand.

Hedrick’s dining hall, which has been closed since September, reopened on Sunday night as a test kitchen. There, Hill residents get a chance to provide feedback on food that will be served in Sproul’s new dining hall when it opens next fall, said Alex Macias, the assistant director of dining services.

General manager of the test kitchen, Guadalupe Morales, said Sproul’s dining hall will focus on gluten-free, organic, low-calorie and “farm-to-table” food. For instance, the Test Kitchen will be serving free-range, hormone-free, organic chicken, Macias said.

Macias said that of the 125 guests that ate at the Test Kitchen on Sunday night, 75 provided feedback online, which allows the staff to practice making, and improve upon, the meals.

“Eat, critique and repeat, is our motto,” he said, laughing.

For its first week, the Test Kitchen is only open to Hedrick Court residents who present a ticket they can get at Hedrick’s main front desk. Next week, tickets will be placed at other residence building front desks so that a wider population can experience the food, Macias said.

After next week, the Test Kitchen will no longer use tickets, which Macias said allows anyone to participate in the review process. Though Feast, which opened in 2011, also used student feedback to help improve its meals before opening to the public, the feedback was limited to the number of tickets released.

In addition to the months of renovation that added a new carpet, a fresh coat of paint and new furniture to Hedrick’s dining space, Macias said the recipe development chef began creating menu ideas three years ago.

Sproul’s new dining hall, which has not yet been named, is expected to open in fall 2013, along with new dorm buildings, study rooms and a recreation center, according to Daily Bruin archives.

Jessica Carroll, a fifth-year English and gender studies student, got her first taste of the Test Kitchen’s food last night.

“I’m a little conflicted about it opening up as a test kitchen because a lot of people were disappointed it wasn’t opening full-time,” Carroll said. “But I’m loving the food here, especially because I’m on a healthy diet now, everything looks great.”

Andrew Strege, a second-year economics student, said he noticed how having a theme has affected the food.

“The food is a lot fresher,” Strege said. “Last year, it always seemed that Hedrick got the leftovers from the other dining halls since it didn’t have a theme.”

Kevin Aiello, executive chef of the Test Kitchen, said because of Sproul’s healthy theme, portions may be slightly smaller than students are used to.

“We want people to leave and feel like they’ve eaten, but aren’t stuffed,” Aiello said.

Though its current purpose is to provide feedback for Sproul’s menu, Macias said he believes the Test Kitchen may become a more permanent dining option for students, even after Sproul’s dining hall opens.

“We’re hopeful. Restaurant hours are always contingent on participation,” he said. “If we’re able to see interest maintained, then I think we can keep it open beyond this academic year.”

There are already plans being discussed for the future of the Test Kitchen, including the addition of a fresh fruit juice bar and greek yogurt, Macias said. If it does remain open, the Test Kitchen will not necessarily keep Sproul’s theme, but it may retain its function by helping other dining halls try out menu ideas.

Email Miller at amiller@media.ucla.edu.