Food on the Move Introductory Packet 

 
From:   The Public Humanities Student Working Group at the 
JNBC, Brown University 
 
To:  Richard Gutman, Director, Culinary Arts Museum, 
Johnson and Wales University 
 
Re:    Preliminary Ideas and Questions on Collaborating 
 
Date:   9 November 2009 
Food On The Move: Culinary Tradition of Travel
A collaboration with the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales University

Project Description
From stagecoaches to jetliners, modes of transportation and methods of travel have unique and
varied culinary traditions. “Food on the Move,” a multifaceted project composed of exhibits at
the Culinary Arts Museum and public programs, seeks to explore the history and relationship
between cuisine and travel. Employing both a traditional museum exhibit and programs and
displays dispersed throughout the community, “Food on the Move” will examine social and
cultural trends through the lens of food and the process of getting from one place to another.

The project will begin within the Culinary Arts Museum and Archives at Johnson and Wales
University, in the form of new interpretive panels and exhibit floor space adjacent to and
including the Art Deco-style bar and the 1833 Stoddard Tavern Tap Room. The research and
objects for these displays will draw heavily from the museum’s collections, and food-based
programs hosted here will use the skills and expertise of the Johnson & Wales community.
However, this is just one of the project’s curatorial and programmatic elements.

“Food on the Move” will break with traditional museum models by bringing interpretation from
the museum to the actual types of sites being examined. Visitors / participants will be provided
with navigational tools (a travel kit) and encouraged to make their own private explorations of
the various intersections of food and travel in the Providence area, perhaps via online games such
as Scvngr (scavenger hunts). We are working to identify partners in the travel venues around
Providence. For example, we hope to display an interpretive panel on food in the age of jet travel
in the lobby of the TF Green airport, information on trains at the train station, a panel on car food
at a roadside diner, and so forth.

Target Audiences
• The southern New England general public
• Johnson and Wales University students
• Brown University students

Project Goals
• To demonstrate a collaborative model of programming wherein an exhibition and its
constellation of related programs are mutually dependent and constitutive.
• To work with the Culinary Arts Museum and Archives at Johnson and Wales University
in researching and interpreting "Food on the Move" via exhibits in the museum and
programs around the Providence metro-area.
• To gain experience in collaboration, exhibit development, public engagement, and public
programming.
 Public Humanities Student Collaboration  
With the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales  
2009­2010 
Food on the Move 
Questions for Richard Gutman / Culinary Arts Museum 
1 November 2009 
 
In the course of our brainstorming sessions, these are questions the public 
humanities students working on the project came up with. 
 
Regarding the exhibition / working with the Museum: 
 
• Does the date we chose for the exhibition’s opening work? (More generally, does 
the timeline work?)  
• How would installation work at the Museum? What days and times would we be 
able to install (or does the Museum need to do that?)? Does April 8‐15 work? 
• Does the Museum’s staff do actual preparatorial work on objects and hanging of 
objects and panels or do we? 
• Where is the preparatorial space? What kind of access could we have to the 
space? When may we begin so as to not interfere with other preparatorial work 
at the Museum? 
• Do you have a designer that you work with? Should we use yours or one of our 
choice? Is the Museum able to pay for exhibit design? 
• Does the Museum have a review policy for text? We would like to maintain 
editorial control.  
• How may we be recognized within the Museum for our work? We’d like to avoid 
implying that our views are those of the Museum as well as claim the work we 
do on the exhibition. 
• How does fabrication of panels, labels, and other printed matter take place? 
What fabrication is done in‐house? Printing? Exhibit construction? Which of 
these elements of this project can the Museum support financially? 
 
Regarding the programming / working with the students: 
 
• What is the Johnson & Wales University calendar? When should the 
programming committee approach them? How has Richard worked with them in 
the past? Are specific suggestions/requests needed? Would a collaboration with 
the students likely be a week‐long project/lab? How do collaborations with 
students come about? 
• Define a J&W student liaison, who shall we contact to work with their student 
body? Program committee needs to set up meeting. 
 
 
 
 
 Public Humanities Student Collaboration  
With the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales  
2009­2010 
Food on the Move 
Comprehensive Timeline 
1 November 2009 
 
EXHIBITION TIMELINE: 
• Week of November 9­13: Meeting with Richard Gutman at J&W 
Go over timeline, budget, questions and clarifications regarding the roles of the Museum 
and the students. 
• November 19: Public Humanities student group meeting 
Define narrative arc, research objectives, and tone of the exhibition. 
• December 7: Initial Conceptual Design Meeting with exhibit designer 
• December 7­14: Programming & Exhibit Groups Meet. 
Coordinate plans prior to main phase of research. 
• December 15­January 27: Winter Break, Research/Writing Period 
Choose objects for the wish list. 
Write & select images. 
Acquire permissions for images if necessary. 
Programming and exhibition groups remain in contact electronically. 
• January 28: Public Humanities student group meeting 
Finalize wish list of objects to submit to the Museum. 
• February 1?: Submit wish list of objects to the Museum. 
• February 5?: Students and Museum agree on final checklist of objects. 
• February 11­18: Public Humanities students edit all texts. 
• February 25: Preliminary Design Phase 
Full draft of all content due to designer. 
• March 11­18: Final editing and review of design with designer 
Final typesetting 
• March 25­April 8: Fabrication of panels and labels 
• April 8­15: Installation at the Museum 
• April 15: Thursday, Opening Reception  
Does the museum participate in Gallery night on the third Thursday? This date is the 
second Thursday of the month. 
Begin public programming. 
• May 15: Conclude any events relating to public programming.  
The passport / map program, cell phone tours, scvngr hunts, or other programs that 
don’t require significant administration could continue over the summer. 
 
 
PROGRAMMING TIMELINE: 
• December 7: Programming committee meets to sketch out program, identify 
transportation partners and individuals; Send program description/project goals in 
advance; prepare pitch, specific request, be prepared to present an example 
• December 7­14: Pitch project to possible partners.  
• December 7­14: Programming & Exhibit Groups Meet 
• Spring: Meeting with J&W student liaison, go with special ideas that come out of 
research. 
 
 
 
 

  2 
 Public Humanities Student Collaboration  
With the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson and Wales  
2009­2010 
Food on the Move 
Preliminary Budgeting Categories 
1 November 2009 
 
J&W/Exhibit  Shared  Public/Non­Museum 
Cost 
Graphics/Design (website?)  $6000  Graphics/design (incl. website) 
Fabrication (printing & exhibit  ?  Fabrication (Print) 
construction) 
Opening: $1000‐2000    Printing $1500 

Conservation    Purchasing Space if needed (ex: airport, RIPTA , 
electronic billboards, train station cafe) 
Acquisition    Cell tour/iPhone tours 

Image Permissions    J&W student costs 

Supplies    Supplies 

    Honorarium 

    Travel/lodging/per diem 

    Media services