Whipping Up Treats: Beardsley Zoo Opens New Commissary To Feed The Animals

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo cut the ribbon Thursday at the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art food preparation facility for animals — replacing a decades-old commissary.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim joins the ribbon-cutting fun as the Beardsley Zoo opens its new animal commissary.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Daily Voice

05/26/2017 3:30 a.m.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim joined the zoo at the grand opening of the commissary.

To celebrate, the Beardsley Zoo hosted a Commissary Cook Off challenge by eight students from the Trumbull High School Culinary Arts program, under the direction of instructor Chef Craig Voytek.

Their challenge was to turn a selection of animal diet, restaurant-quality products into delicious dishes suitable for humans.

Each day, Animal caretakers at the zoo will prepare dozens of nutritionally balanced animal diets for the 300 animal residents, using fresh, human-grade foods, ranging from local fish and lamb shanks to grains, fruit, vegetables, and more.

The new commissary, funded in part with a grant from the City of Bridgeport, offers enhanced food preparation areas, a larger pantry, refrigerator, and freezer, and a large window so guests can watch food preparation and learn more about animal diets.

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