How to Build a Long, Fulfilling Career in Foodservice Design
As I prepare to enter my 50th year as a Food Service Design professional I can’t help but look back and remember the people who were kind enough to mentor me and provide great advice and direction on how to conduct myself as I continued growing in my career. Every aspect of a career is a learning experience.
Welcome to Culinary Spaces
Culinary Spaces explores the people, ideas, and projects shaping foodservice design. Featuring insights from Orlando Espinosa and industry professionals, the blog shares practical strategies, lessons learned, and creative breakthroughs to help navigate complex projects with confidence.
Taco Maya: Where Fresh Flavors and Festive Design Meet in West Chester
Taco Maya Mexican Grill, West Chester, PA, feature authentic Mexican cuisine in a fun and friendly Mexican Cantina environment.
Designing Opportunity: A New Home for Philabundance Community Kitchen
Philabundance Community Kitchen’s new home in North Philadelphia doubles student capacity, expands training, and multiplies meal production. OEA’s design and project management created a state-of-the-art kitchen and community hub, supporting culinary education, workforce development, and vital meals for vulnerable residents.
How Smart Foodservice Design Revitalized Bruce Dining Hall for University of North Texas Students
Bruce Dining Hall’s renovation replaced outdated serving lines with modern action stations, fresh finishes, and a retail-inspired design. OEA’s foodservice design boosted efficiency, maximized investment, and significantly improved student satisfaction and dining utilization.
A Modern Kitchen to Serve Patients, Staff, and Seniors
OEA designed a new 2,820 sq. ft. kitchen at St. Francis Medical Center, supporting room service, a coffee shop, doctors’ break room, and senior day care foodservice, enhancing dining for all users.
Transforming Tradition: Foodservice Renovation at St. Dominic/Jackson Memorial Hospital
Renovating a 1960s hospital kitchen while serving 360 patients and 1,400 cafeteria meals daily, OEA guided St. Dominic/Jackson Memorial Hospital through a seamless upgrade, delivering modern cooking, prep, tray service, warewashing, and storage for a future-ready foodservice operation.
Feeding Champions: Behind the Foodservice Design of the London 2012 Olympics
Feeding Champions: Behind the Foodservice Design of the London 2012 Olympics, OEA designed and delivered foodservice operations that efficiently fueled over 20,000 athletes, guests, and officials, managing complex logistics, diverse menus, and high-volume service in a world-class setting.
Future-Ready Dining: How a Phased Food Hall Plan Supports Expansion
OEA worked with Gould Evans Architects and Cerner Corporation to design a scalable foodservice operation for the Three Trails Innovations Campus, phasing 12 Points of Service and a 19,476 sq. ft. food hall to support a growing population.
Behind-The-Scenes Stories
In this episode of On Tap, Orlando Espinosa joins host Wade Koehler to share behind-the-scenes stories from foodservice design, including insider insights and the epic journey of designing the Olympic Village kitchen—an engaging listen for industry enthusiasts.