Coltivare closes, but no other impact on TC3 culinary arts 

Coltivare, a farm-to-table restaurant with a culinary education center, officially closed its doors in late January.

The restaurant, which was located at 235 S. Cayuga St. in Ithaca, had been in a partnership with Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) in Dryden. 

The TC3 Foundation Board of Directors voted to close the restaurant last month.

“Despite the best efforts of many, Coltivare was not performing at a level that was sustainable,” said Peter Voorhees, TC3’s public information officer. “Coltivare started the reopening process in January 2024 with private events, beginning in the spring and the restaurant opening for public happy hours over the summer. Dinner service returned in the fall.”

Coltivare first opened in 2014. The restaurant endured some hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it transitioned to a takeout-only model for a couple of years. The restaurant closed in 2023 but reopened last year.

Scott Risenberger was hired as executive chef of Coltivare in early 2024. TC3’s statement noted that Risenberger is no longer employed with the college.

Coltivare provided a statement on its Facebook page regarding the restaurant’s closure:

“We regret to share that Coltivare restaurant is permanently closed. TC3 is committed to its educational mission and students in the college’s academic programs continue their studies in our teaching labs. Thank you to everyone who has patronized the restaurant and supported us over the years.”

Although TC3 and the foundation came to the difficult decision to close Coltivare, the culinary center — including the teaching labs — will “continue to provide a state-of-the-art learning space for our culinary arts students” and operate as normal, as noted in TC3’s statement.

TC3 stated: “[Coltivare] was a professionally operated restaurant and event space, adjacent to the teaching labs and academic space for TC3’s hospitality programs, particularly culinary arts. The academic programs have thrived through the years, and will continue to call the culinary center their home as the college remains committed to its educational mission and to providing our students the best possible experience.”

Since Coltivare closed, Voorhees said students have not dropped out of the culinary arts program. Voorhees noted that 19 people were employed at the restaurant, with a majority of them part-time staff members.

TC3 detailed possible future plans for the space that was used for Coltivare.

“Working in collaboration with the college, the TC3 Foundation is assessing sustainable and impactful ways to continue to steward the college’s farm-to-bistro initiative, including authorizing the pursuit of a subleasing agreement for space in the building occupied by the restaurant,” Voorhees said. “A requirement for any agreement to sublease the restaurant space will be that it has no negative impact on the academic operations in the culinary center.”

Coltivare mentioned on its Facebook page that anyone with a gift card to the restaurant can email a refund request to rh052@tompkinscortland.edu.

Dryden Dispatch appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Silent book club at the library on Feb. 24

Southworth Library in the village of Dryden will hold a silent book club gathering at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24.

“We’ll spend some time chatting and getting snacks, and give a preview of the give away book and then you will be free to grab a cozy seat and read in a room with other readers, no conversation required,” according to a description on the library’s website.

The club allows people to choose a free book from the library’s pile to read and take home. Participants can also bring a book to the gathering.

The club is for ages 16 and older. To register, go to southworthlibrary.org.

Book club to meet on Feb. 20

The Books & Brew club is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Hopshire Farm and Brewery at 1771 Dryden Rd. in the village of Freeville.

February’s theme celebrates Library Lovers Month. The club encourages reading something that includes a book, a library or a bookstore in some way.

Some suggested books are on display at the Southworth Library at 24 W. Main St. in Dryden. To register for the club, go to southworthlibrary.org.

Jennie’s Book Club meets on Feb. 18

The monthly meeting for Jennie’s Book Club is on Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. at the Southworth Library.

The club will discuss “The Echo of Old Books” by Barbara Davis. Copies of the book are available at the library.

Story time at the library every Friday this month

The Southworth Library will hold story times this month on Fridays at 10 a.m.

The books for story time this month are as follows:

• Feb. 7: “Open Upon a Book,” to kick off Library Lovers Month
• Feb. 14: “The Very Best Hug!” for Valentine’s Day
• Feb. 21: “Pete the Cat Saves Up” to align with a “Money Games” show in the Piggy Bank Theater
• Feb. 28: “You Are Going to Love This Book!” will round out the month

For more information, go to southworthlibrary.org or call 607-844-4782.