Food for Thought Discovering the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery Story by Kimberly Barclay
November Febuary 2011
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Photo from www.steenbocksonorchard.com
he Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery first came into the spotlight in 2004, when Governor Jim Doyle proposed the idea in an effort to bring Wisconsin into the forefront of research and development. Shortly after the proposition to build the institute was approved, UW alumni John and Tashia Morgridge donated a generous $50 million, and in 2010 the grandopening of this building took place. A place emitting such a sense of discovery and intrigue should not be hard to stumble upon, but I have sadly passed the building countless times before I realized what I would find inside. The Institutes for Discovery not only offers an escape from the harsh Wisconsin winters, with its variety of plants and water structures, but it is also home to three different dining venues. The first of these (and my personal favorite) is Aldo’s Café. Aldo’s is just footsteps away from the beautiful water fountains and greenery that make the Discovery Center an oasis in the midst of campus life. The voice of John Faust, Aldo’s manager, can be heard during the lunch rush; announcing names while offering a generous smile. He truly cares about the people he serves and as he
exclaimed in a brief conversation, “I love to see the bright faces on all of the customers.” He also really feels as though he is doing more than just serving coffee. “What the researchers are doing in this building is amazing, yeah, I’m just serving coffee, but I feel like I am doing my part,” Faust said. The second eatery inside the Institutes for Discovery is Steenbock’s, named after UWMadison biochemistry professor, Harry Steenbock. Steenbock was famous for his discovery of increasing vitamin D in certain foods. His legacy lingers on with Steenbock’s— the menu includes seasonally fresh ingredients, healthy, and “sophisticated foods,” says Chef Nick Szomatfalvy. According to Szomatfalvy, “This is one of the best venues I have worked in. I have the ability to create dishes like never before.” Steenbock’s is not somewhere you could stop off between classes, but for any special occasion it would an ideal place to go. Last but not least is the dairy bar, otherwise known as Rennie’s. Rennie’s is filled with organic ice creams and frozen yogurts from the University farm.
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