NICularts Deli opens with new addition

NICularts Deli enjoyed a grand opening today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its location on the second floor of the Hedlund building.

With campus restrictions due to COVID-19, the restaurant side, Emery’s, remains closed until further notice, but the deli opened with a new addition, Take-n-Reheat dinners for two. The deli also serves breakfast and lunch items for grab-n-go.

Jaydon Ninefeldt, a first-year culinary student, helps run the deli on Wednesday, the first day back in business since the closure of campus in spring due to COVID-19. “For the longest time I had no idea what I liked to do, and then sophomore year I decided to take a cooking class,” Ninefeldt said. “I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would and then I took the next class the next two years because I just like cooking.”

“If you want to get all the breakfast items in the morning, I’d say come down as soon as you can at 9 o’clock to 9:30 so that you can get every single breakfast item,” said Vincent H. Keck, a second-year culinary student.

For lunch items, Keck recommended coming between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.

“The best time for anyone to get everything that’s possibly out here would probably have to be 10:30 to 11,” Keck said.

Menu items today included roasted tomato soup, tropical Cobb salad with shrimp, pesto grilled cheese sandwiches, chickpea salad and more. Take-n-Reheat dinners included cauliflower “mac” n cheese, brisket meatloaf, and Mayen Pepito chicken stew with rice and slaw.

Pesto grilled cheese sandwiches

 “I think it’s really interesting that culinary has found some creative ways to continue to have hands-on lab time and creating meals and offering meals to the public through their deli,” said Kelly Nolan, an adviser for the business and professional division, including the culinary department.

Keck said Nolan is one of the deli’s regular customers.

Second year student Vincent H. Keck works the espresso machine on Wednesday in the NICularts deli.

“When she comes up here to see how we’re doing and to get one of our items or just to get a coffee, it makes us happy that all our hard work is being put to something good,” Keck said. “Not just for our education, but also for everyone else around here.”

Normally, two students, a second-year and a first-year student, run the deli while the other students work in the kitchen preparing food.

NICularts serves a variety of caffeinated drinks. “We serve a lot of coffee,” said Vincent H. Keck, a second-year student. “Americanos and cappuccinos are probably some of our more popular ones.”

Nolan praised culinary arts instructor Hillary Faeta-Ginepra for her achievements within the department.

“She really stretches their skills and imagination to be really creative,” Nolan said. “I do like to try the new things that they have.”

At closing time, Keck said they ended up with more customers than he expected for their first day, especially with the lower amount of activity on campus. Keck said he expects business to pick up more later in the semester. Being able to ask customers how their day is going and see their smiles when they receive their food are his favorite parts about working at the deli, Keck said.

Customers gather around NICularts Deli on opening day.

“It’s heartwarming because it makes me feel like all my hard work isn’t for nothing because at the end of the day, it’s the customer who matters most to everyone, not me,” Keck said.

To order Take-n-Reheat dinners for two, go to the North Idaho College Culinary Arts Facebook page. Orders must be placed by the end of the day on Tuesday for pick up on Thursday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Information on the weekly menu for NICularts Deli and updates can be found on their Facebook page or Instagram.