Imagine the entire state of Vermont as a food experiment or as its own laboratory, where food products are grown and created for this particular climate; seasonally, organically, and sustainably. Now imagine restaurants as teaching laboratories, this restaurant for instance.
NECI on Main is a production lab for New England Culinary Institute. For 30 years we have been teaching students to make connections with farmers, between the landscape and our food, and between seasons and culinary traditions. Sometimes we include food items that express a particular sense of place from outside of Vermont, or culinary traditions from other cultures, and use those items or experiences to enhance the foods grown here in Vermont.
Our menu is no exception in this teaching philosophy, and reflects the best that Vermont’s farmers, and America’s next generation of young chefs offer.
Welcome to La Brioche Bakery and Café,
your Community Center in the heart of Montpelier.
Arrive early to this European-style bakery and café for a feast of freshly-baked pastries from our culinary arts and baking and pastry students.
Our students’ days begin at 4 a.m. to prepare these handmade delights. Artisan breads emerge out of the oven around 11 a.m., and our weekday lunch features fresh sandwiches, soup and salad.
View our daily display of spectacular cakes and desserts, or realize your own creative vision with cakes made to order.
NECI's private dining room, the Chef's Table, is available to you for business meetings, corporate retreats, holiday parties, rehearsal dinners, banquets, private dining and so much more.
The use of regional ingredients, innovative cuisine and gracious service in an intimate setting continues on. For a one of a kind culinary experience, no matter the occasion, a fine dining experience awaits you and your guests.
National Life
An open servery operation meeting the breakfast and lunch needs of employees of the financial services company and the State of Vermont.
Serving 500 to 700 customers a day between breakfast and lunch, this kitchen and servery is equipped with walk-in and reach-in refrigeration, steam jacketed kettles, tilting skillet, combi-steamers, convection ovens, deck ovens, ranges, fryolators, broiler, mixers, slicers, hot line and salad bar.
Vermont College
Classic college dining hall service offered to Vermont College students, NECI students, and the public. This large kitchen is designed to handle two production classes and is equipped with ranges, a clamshell broiler, deep fryers, a salamander, griddle, a combi-oven steamer, food warmer, bain marie wells, work counters, steam kettle, tilt skillet, reach-in refrigerators, meat slicer, convection ovens, pot wash area, refrigeration prep counter, and other production and instructional equipment.
NECI's meat fabrication kitchen is also located at Vermont College. This Vermont State Inspected production facility is equipped with grinding, mixing and sausage-stuffing machines, a cryovac machine, a digital label-printing scale, hot and cold smoke cabinets and a cook and hold oven.
