“Our collaboration with the CIA provides the culinary community with a unique opportunity to explore and experience the open-ended possibilities of fusing 3D food printing with traditional culinary arts,” said Avi Reichental, President and CEO, 3DS. “Together we plan to advance culinary arts through education, exploration, and experimentation by introducing 3D printing into the professional kitchen.”
This joint collaboration includes the development of a series of conferences and seminars for the CIA community supported by new state-of-the-art food 3D printing technologies located at CIA campuses. Additionally, 3DS plans to provide CIA students with fellowship and internship programs at The Sugar Lab, its Los Angeles based 3D printing culinary innovation center.
3DS has broken ground on its hybrid digital kitchen and event space, located in the heart of one of Los Angeles’ up-and-coming cuisine corridors, and plans to open it to the public in the spring of 2015. The company plans to outfit its culinary innovation center with its latest food printers and invite pastry chefs, mixologists, and molecular gastronomists to collaborate in creating new food experiences. 3DS will also host frequent events for leaders in the hospitality, event, and culinary communities, as well as symposiums and master-classes that explore and shape the wide-open landscape of 3D printed food. 3DS plans to expand the availability of 3D printed confections and edibles via its Cubify online platform with the opening of the culinary innovation center.
"Through our partnership with 3D Systems, The Culinary Institute of America will elevate 3D printing technology by integrating it into our curriculum so that current CIA students, alumni, and culinary professionals can have access to this new platform in the future," explained Dr. Tim Ryan, President of the CIA. "I am excited to see how this technology will open opportunities to chefs as they explore its creative, design, and functional capabilities using new techniques that will integrate 3D printing into the professional kitchen."
The CIA plans to commence an intensive beta testing program with 3DS’ ChefJet Pro, the world’s first professional-grade food 3D printer, which is designed to improve the design and printing experience for professional kitchens. The full-color ChefJet Pro will be food certified and produce edible 3D printed confections—from custom candies to ornate cake toppers. Built from 3DS’ ColorJet Printing (CJP) technology, the ChefJet Pro is equipped with intuitive, chef-friendly Digital Cookbook software and creates intricate candies and sweets with a variety of flavor options. The ChefJet Pro is expected to be available in the second half of 2015.