The Kitchen as a Reflection of Human Need & Meaning: A Roundtable Discussion

Join Central New Jersey for an evening of thought-provoking conversation, elegant food and drink, and professional development at the spacious, beautifully appointed showroom of Mrs. G Appliances!

The Kitchen as a Reflection of Human Need & Meaning: A Roundtable Discussion

About the Roundtable (1.5 HSW)

In all its forms, the kitchen is a physical expression of our most essential needs—offering nourishment, comfort, and a sense of place. Framed through the lens of the Vitruvian triad—firmitas (solidity), utilitas (usefulness), and venustas (beauty)—this discussion invites participants to consider the kitchen as a space where design and daily life meet in deeply meaningful ways.

We’ll explore how thoughtful choices in layout, materials, lighting, ventilation, and circulation can create environments that are not only functional and beautiful, but also support overall well-being and emotional connection.

Topics will include:

Air quality and environmental health
Inclusive and intuitive layouts
Spatial relationships and circulation
The role of beauty and emotional resonance

The Panel

Ben Walmer, AIA,
Roundtable Moderator
Treasurer, AIA CNJ, Founder, Broadloom, Founder, Highlands Dinner Club

Originally from Gettysburg PA, architect and chef, Ben Walmer, comes from a family of five generations of fruit growers. It is from this agrarian background that he traces his connections to food and design and the motivation to launch Highlands Dinner Club (HDC) in New York City in 2009. Ben currently lives in central New Jersey and is founding architect and creative director of the NJ/NYC-based interdisciplinary design practice, Broadloom, whose diverse capabilities include design strategy, hospitality design, regenerative food systems design and agricultural master planning. HDC is a mobile social and culinary laboratory produced by Broadloom and collaboratively executed by a rotating cast of chefs, farmers, designers and artists. Wielding spontaneous spirit and exceptional local ingredients, HDC has created farm-to-table experiences across three continents and seen time and again the connections and joy that come when people gather at the table to share a meal. FOOD MAKES FRIENDS.

Courtney Rombough, AIA
Panelist
Owner, Rombough Architecture
Licensed Architect specializing in Remodels and Additions of old homes

Courtney Rombough is a licensed architect in New Jersey with a deep connection to her hometown of Montclair. With over 16 years of professional experience, she has worked on an extensive range of projects across Northern New Jersey, from intimate space designs to complete home renovations and additions.

Her career spans roles at prestigious, award-winning firms such as Ike Kligerman Barkley in New York City and Ryan Group Architects in Lake Tahoe, CA. Courtney earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech, a foundation that has supported her dynamic journey through diverse architectural styles and practices.

Courtney’s passion for design is complemented by her time in San Francisco, where she honed her expertise in user experience and web design at a tech startup. This unique perspective allows her to present innovative, easy-to-understand solutions to her clients while ensuring the design process remains engaging and enjoyable.

Ricardo (Ric) Soares, AIA, CPHD, LEED AP
Panelist
Founder, Holistic Homes Architecture

Ric is the founder of Holistic Homes Architecture, a practice focused on creating high-performance homes that prioritize comfort, durability, and healthy indoor environments. A Certified Passive House Designer and former builder, Ric brings a systems-based approach to residential design—integrating HVAC, envelope, lighting, and spatial planning from concept through construction.

His firm is grounded in core principles: honest guidance, sound building science, efficient planning, resilient assemblies, and healthy indoor air quality. Unlike firms that stop at permit sets, Ric remains deeply involved in every detail to ensure design aligns with performance, budget, and execution.

With past experience managing complex government and commercial projects, Ric now channels that technical rigor into custom homes built for real-world resilience.

Courtney L. Lowry, AIA, NCARB
Panelist
Secretary, AIA CNJ, Founder, Courtney Lowry Architect

Courtney L. Lowry, AIA, NCARB is the founder of Courtney Lowry Architect, a full-service residential architecture firm based in Sayreville, NJ. Since launching the firm in 2017, Courtney has built a reputation for thoughtful, space-efficient, and budget-conscious designs that reflect both technical expertise and creative vision.

A long-standing member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Courtney currently serves as Secretary of the AIA Central New Jersey Board. She is also deeply involved in community preservation as Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer of the Woodbridge Township Historic Preservation Commission, where she has volunteered since 2009. In addition, she leads the commission’s Education Committee, organizing an annual essay contest on local history for seventh-grade students across the township’s middle schools.

Courtney is a dedicated solo practitioner, as well as a proud wife and mother to a spirited four-year-old daughter. Outside of work, she enjoys running, gardening, spending time outdoors, and taking family vacations whenever possible.

Alec Gioseffi, arm Director & Executive Chef at Ironbound Farm

Alec Gioseffi is the visionary Farm Director & Executive Chef at Ironbound Farm, a 108-acre Regenerative Farm and Cider House located in the New Jersey Highlands. Alec’s passion for the culinary arts was sparked by his upbringing in a large Italian family where the kitchen was the heart of the home. Through travel, Alec realized the power of food to bring people together across all cultures and backgrounds. It became clear that eating is a cultural and agricultural act which informs people’s relationship to the land. After working in kitchens in his early career, Alec shifted his focus to agriculture. He co-found Cooperative 518 and Cherry Valley Cooperative in the Princeton, NJ, with a focus on using Regenerative Agriculture as a means of caring for land & community. Both farms boasted a large CSA and supplied local restaurants while hosting community events.
In 2019, Alec joined Ironbound Farm to design an agroforestry & Silvopasture system, integrating produce and livestock into the farm’s apple orchard. Eventually, Alec’s role evolved into overseeing the culinary program at Ironbound as Executive Chef. In the kitchen, Alec designs his menus around the seasons, with all of the ingredients sourced from the farm and direct from local partners. Food is cooked over the Motherfire, a 30-foot tall Argentinian-inspired open fire cooking hearth that stands at the heart of Ironbound Farm.

Thank you to Platinum Sponsor Mrs. G Appliances for hosting this event!