Proposed Building 7 addition honors former chef

ici dayBy: Alex Payne

Plans are in the works to make an addition to Building 7 and renovate parts of the existing building.

A fundraising campaign was announced Thursday, January 30.

The project memorializes the Iowa Culinary Institute’s (ICI) long-time chef, Lori Dowie-Reeser, who died June 3, 2013 after a long battle with ici eveningcancer. She was 53.

Lori’s husband Jeff Reeser is working with DMACC to fund the project.

“[Jeff] is leading the fundraising campaign. It’s going to be a $3 million project to add an addition on to Building 7’ Denson said.

The addition also calls for an exterior pavilion and garden, honoring Lori’s love of gardening.

floor plan bldg 7The addition will update the aging Building 7, fitting in with its recently remodeled neighbor to the south, Building 1.

“It is a pretty square ugly building, so this [addition] is going to be beautiful,” Denson said.

The large new reception area will be handicap accessible and have two floors. Preliminary ideas call for the area to be called Lori’s Garden. The room will be adorned with decorative artwork and a memorial wall.

Lori graduated from West Des Moines Valley High School in 1978. She continued her education at DMACC, earning her Culinary Arts degree in 1984.

In 1986, she returned to DMACC as chef and instructor. Lori spent 28 years mentoring and training hundreds of students at DMACC’s ICI.

“She was so involved with DMACC for 28 years,” Jeff Reeser told the DMACC Alumni Association. “She left such a mark on the place and she was teaching a long time. We want to leave an even bigger mark.”

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