Work is complete on the new Real Food on Campus cafeteria in the Umphrey Lee building, and the remodeled campus eatery is ready to open for the first day of classes.

Construction crews have been working around the clock for the last week, and the facility passed a health inspection at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the new construction on the building was inspected and the SMU Dining Services staff was given clearance to begin preparations for its first day of operation, according to Gilbert Heiselt, Director of Operations for SMU Dining Services.

The kitchen staff started food preparation Wednesday afternoon. Crews could not deliver food into the facility until it had passed all of its inspections, but by late Wednesday afternoon, the kitchen staff was already preparing food for Thursday.

The kitchen staff of more than 70 employees could not be trained on the new equipment until Wednesday afternoon because of delays in the construction schedule, but Heiselt said there are many returning employees who have experience working in the facility and they will be assigned to work with new employees to help get them trained.