CulinArt’s Ready. Set. Serve! Showcase is sending managers and chefs back to campus with new culinary concepts, engagement programs, retail ideas and hospitality inspiration.
RYE BROOK, N.Y., August 19, 2026—For CulinArt Group, going back to school starts well before students arrive on campus. As independent schools prepare to reopen for the fall semester, CulinArt is sending its directors, managers and chefs back to campus with a fresh collection of culinary concepts, emerging food trends, student engagement programs, wellness initiatives, retail innovations and service solutions designed to spark new thinking for the year ahead.
The ideas came together at Ready. Set. Serve!, CulinArt’s School Year Kickoff Excellence Showcase, held at The Hotchkiss School, in Lakeville, Conn. More than a display of programs and products, the event was designed as an opportunity for school dining leaders to collaborate, exchange ideas and experience practical, scalable innovations they can adapt for their own campus communities.
“Ready. Set. Serve! is about giving our managers and chefs the inspiration and tools to keep evolving the student dining experience,” said Ali Bernardi, vice president of marketing and corporate strategy. “We want our teams to return to their schools energized by what they have seen and tasted, but also thinking creatively about how they can make those ideas their own. That is how we continue creating dining experiences that nourish students, build community, support wellness and make our cafés and dining halls destinations students look forward to visiting every day.”
The event created opportunities for CulinArt teams to learn from one another, share successes and consider how ideas can be adapted to schools of different sizes and styles.
“Today’s independent school students expect more than just an ordinary meal plan,” stated Jeff Powell, senior vice president of education. “Through fresh station ideas, emerging flavor trends, creative merchandising and customizable programs, we’re giving our managers and chefs new ways to surprise students and make dining an important part of campus life. When our teams go back to school inspired, that energy carries directly into the student experience.”
With students returning to campus this fall, CulinArt teams are taking that inspiration back to schools across the country—ready to cook, connect, experiment and continue raising the standard for independent school dining.
Click here for full coverage of the Ready. Set. Serve! Showcase.