Miami Dade College Reopens MCI Café and Expands Hospitality Institute Programs and Innovative Training with New Hotel Simulation Suite and Servi Robot

Miami, Sept. 29, 2022 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Wolfson Campus, home of the College’s renowned Miami Culinary Institute and its Hospitality Institute has launched new scholarships, innovative programs and new state-of-the-art learning tools, as well as reopened its popular student-run The Café @ MCI in the heart of downtown Miami.

“It is a thrilling time for the Miami Culinary and Hospitality Institutes with the launch of several new programs, the reopening of our student-run café and cutting-edge tools we have acquired to continue providing our students with the best possible training and education,” said Shelly Smith Fano, Chairperson of the Miami Culinary and Hospitality Institutes at MDC.

New academic programs and curriculum include industry apprenticeships, on-site internships and industry externships, Updated American Regional and Contemporary Cuisine, Skill Enhancement Kitchen Labs and much more.  These complement programs such as Hospitality and Culinary Certification & Employment Training, Job Readiness Training, Food Safety and Customer Service Training and COVID-19 and the Workplace, to name a few. Classes are taught by experienced hospitality and chef instructors and provide industry-related workforce readiness training. Additional details can be found at

Among the new study tools introduced this semester is a new hotel simulation suite, a space located in Building 6, at MDC’s Wolfson Campus that resembles a hotel room equipped with a bath, a front desk training classroom, a dining and food service section and a maintenance skills area, where students can gain hands-on experience in customer service, reception, e-commerce, front desk procedures and executive housekeeping, in addition to a computer lab offering industry recognized software for practice.

Another addition is Servi, a 100% self-driving robot that uses LiDar sensors and cameras to perform tasks like food running, table bussing, hosting, patrolling and even fun party functions. Miami Culinary Institute is the first educational program to adopt this technology, which is being implemented in the student-run Cafe. Servi will become an integral component of the Center’s Culinary Management Internship course. Bear Robotics, a Silicon Valley restaurant automation innovator, created the robot.

Finally, The Cafe @MCI, a student-run essential learning center for culinary and hospitality students that opens Monday to Friday for breakfast and lunch, is once again available to provide hands-on training and the opportunity to master the fundamentals of culinary production and food service both in front and back of the house, in a real-world learning environment. This year, students will also receive guidance on how to operate Servi and its capability to support / service and bus or serve in the Café as a course skill, ensuring they have a solid foundation for entry into the modern-day and technology-driven service industry.

The Institutes also offer a myriad of scholarships including the Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau for African American culinary and hospitality students, which covers up to 100% of tuition, making it one of the most accessible culinary and hospitality study programs in South Florida. Students can explore scholarships and apply at

About the Miami Culinary and Hospitality Institutes

Headquartered at MDC’s Wolfson Campus, The Miami Culinary and Hospitality Institutes offer a wide range of study programs, from four-year and two-year degrees to college certificates and online Competency-Based Education (CBE) programs providing students with a pathway to global career opportunities in food service, hospitality, travel and tourism. The institutes deliver no-cost training and job placement assistance to low-income participants. Classes are available on several MDC campuses. For more information, please call 305-237-3267 or visit

For more information about the Miami Culinary and Hospitality Institutes at MDC, please contact Shelly Smith Fano at [email protected] or (305) 237-3370.