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Why Guelph?

The University of Guelph is the perfect place for Canada's leading culinary collection.

Throughout its history, the University of Guelph has been at the forefront of foodways education and research.

Since its earliest days, the University has fostered excellence in the study of products and processes which take food from the farm to the kitchen table. Originating in 1874 as the Ontario School of Agriculture, the later renamed Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) went on to contribute much to the body of knowledge about food and agriculture, rural communities and the environment. The OAC's strength in these areas was fortified further yet when the Macdonald Institute, whose programs in nature study, manual training, domestic science and domestic art were intended to address the specific needs of rural women, joined it in 1903. These two colleges, together with the Ontario Veterinary College (which joined the campus in 1922), merged as a single institution in 1964, giving birth to the University of Guelph as it is known today.

Since 1964 much has changed at the University of Guelph, but new and adapted programs over the years have reinforced the University's reputation as a leader in agriculture and food scholarship, from food science, applied nutrition and nutritional sciences, to rural planning and hospitality and tourism, among others. These myriad programs have enabled the University of Guelph to contribute to Canadian cuisine for more than 140 years, making it the ideal complementary home for an exceptional Culinary Collection.