Cornell student-run restaurant begins second semester in business

ITHACA — A student-run restaurant at Cornell University, called Establishment at Statler, will start its second semester of operation next week.

Establishment at Statler first launched as a class project last fall semester by 120 Cornell students who were taking a restaurant-management course at the Ivy League school. After closing during the winter break, the restaurant will reopen to the public on Feb. 18, at 5:45 p.m., on the ground floor of the Statler Hotel at 130 Statler Drive, Ithaca.

Again, this semester, 120 students will participate in running the restaurant. As part of the effort, students need to research and develop a restaurant concept to appeal to the greater Cornell community.

“It is really a great learning experience for the students. They get a chance to manage a live business. They have to do all the planning, all the execution, and all the analysis,” Alex M. Susskind, associate professor at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and teacher of the restaurant-management course, says in an interview. “It is a huge asset for the education environment.”

Establishment at Statler now has 24 tables, 60 seats, and opens from Monday through Thursday, from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m., while classes are in session. It will add a new lounge that can hold an extra 20 guests in two to three weeks, says Susskind. 

Last fall semester, the average customer check at the restaurant reached $22.50, and the eatery served an average of about 80 customers a night. 

Establishment at Statler encompasses Italian, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. The student-management team will also introduce a special menu with a certain theme in addition to the full restaurant menu every night. Last semester, one team designed a theme that offers breakfast food at dinner. Another team created an upscale menu that includes rack of lamb and grilled spare ribs, according to Susskind. 

Customers now can make reservations on the School of Hotel Administration’s website or at http://www.opentable.com/esttablishment .

The Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, founded in 1922, provided the nation’s first collegiate course of study in hospitality management, according to the school’s website.

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