The Joan Bice Underwood Tearoom – a hands-on teaching establishment for hotel, restaurant and institution management students – could experience changes with a new director.

John Kramer, lecturer of hotel, restaurant and institution management, is the new director of the Tearoom and lecturer for the accompanying HRI 380 class and lab.

Kramer took over in August after former director Freeman Moser left for a job at ConAgra Foods Inc.

Kramer said improving marketing is a main goal. He said more students and other residents of Ames should know about the restaurant, particularly now that the Tearoom will be open Mondays this semester.

Other slight changes are in the works, Kramer said, but recipes will remain the same until he becomes more familiar and gets his feet on the ground. He said he plans to start offering “fancier salads” because of increasing interest and the trend of other restaurants, including fast food restaurants.

“You want to stay current in what consumers want to buy from you,” he said.

Kramer said he first became interested in the position in 1994 when he was a graduate student at Iowa State taking a similar classes involving hands-on food preparation. He said he enjoyed it so much he imagined teaching it someday.

Kramer worked at ISU Dining for 11 years as assistant manager and manager before becoming director of the Tearoom.

“He has excellent management experience and a creative background,” said Mary Gregoire, chairwoman and professor of apparel educational studies and hospitality management.

Gregoire said Kramer is working to bring “real relevancy of what’s going on in the world to the lab.”

The Tearoom is funded by charging $5.50 per meal and is run by the HRI 380 class, which has 60 students in dietetics or hotel, restaurant and institutional management.

Students rotate through all the positions – preparing, cleaning and managing – to get a more hands-on learning experience.

Kramer said he finds this opportunity for students to work in a real restaurant setting exciting because it allows them to become familiar with all the different aspects of the business.

The tearoom is located in Room 23 on the ground floor of MacKay Hall, and does a single-seating at noon Monday through Friday. For reservations call 294-3330.