CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Brothers Danny and Kevin Murphy were honoured by Holland College recently with the naming of the Danny and Kevin Murphy Café and Commons at the Tourism and Culinary Centre.
The well-known businessmen joined together to make a $200,000 gift to the Holland College Foundation for Nourish, a capital campaign to revitalize The Culinary Institute of Canada, which concluded earlier this year.
Danny Murphy founded D.P. Murphy Inc. in 1980 with the opening of two Tim Hortons restaurants on P.E.I.
That same year, Murphy Hospitality Group was started by his brother, Kevin, with one restaurant. Today, the Murphy brothers have, with their families, grown empires that encompass restaurants, franchises and hotels.
Located on the lower level of the Tourism and Culinary Centre, the café is a high-traffic gathering space for students and staff, and a busy venue for internal and external events.
Sandy MacDonald, president of Holland College, sees the commitment made by the Murphy brothers as a strong endorsement from industry.
“Danny and Kevin have been long-time supporters of Holland College and the Holland College Foundation,” said MacDonald. “Their generosity and support has been outstanding and speaks volumes about the strength of the college’s programs.”
Nourish, a $7.5 million initiative to revitalize The Culinary Institute of Canada, was made possible through private donors, and the provincial and federal governments.
Renovations to about 8,500 square feet have been completed, including an expansion to incorporate a state-of-the-art butchery, a cold cuisine production kitchen, and more than $1.8 million in the latest technology and equipment. The dining room has also been expanded, and the cafeteria has been redesigned to better replicate the modern food service environment.
