2019 VOLUME 3 | FALL
BRAVO IS THE ALMOST QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF
BON APPÉTIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY | A MEMBER OF THE COMPASS GROUP 100 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 400 Palo Alto, California 94301 650-798-8000 www.bamco.com LEARN HOW FOOD CHOICES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY, AND YOUR WELL-BEING AT
www.eatlowcarbon.org
19-7963
CELEBRATING 1 0 YE ARS OF THE FELLOWS PROGRAM | PAG E 6
INDEX
Adobe 72-73
Musical Instrument Museum 28-29
Azusa Pacific University 41
Nordstrom 20
BD Biosciences 21
Oberlin College 59, 61
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 60-61
Oracle Park 5, 76-77
Butler University 15
Pacific University 30
Carleton College 4
Pitzer College 47
Case Western Reserve University 63
Presidio Foods 24
Chase Center 8-13
Recursion Pharmaceuticals 81
Citrix 35
Reinsurance Group of America 4
Cleveland Botanical Garden 38
Rhodes College 39
Cleveland Museum of Art 40
Roger Williams University 36-37
Conga 25, 80
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 22-23
Denison University 51, 46, 79
SAS 56, 67
Electronic Arts 64-65
Snap 62
Emerson College 29, 44-45
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC 21
Emory University 54-55
St. Olaf College 4, 79
Franklin Templeton 21
Starbucks 80
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 43
State Auto Insurance 33
Genentech 79
Target 59
Hillsdale College 74
Transylvania University 70
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens 14
Trine University 34-35
Illumina 32, 71
Turtle Creek Offices 42 University of Chicago 18-19
Johns Hopkins University 68
Vassar College 75
Kaiser Permanente 50
Vivint Smart Home 17, 57
Knox College 69
Wabash College 79
LinkedIn 81
Washington University in St. Louis 5, 66
Macalester College 16 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 52-53, 81
Whittier College 78 Young Living 5
Medtronic 31, 58
BRAVO WAS PRINTED ON PAPER MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED FIBER INCLUDING 75% POSTCONSUMER WASTE. THIS SAVED... 48 fully grown trees 22,561 gallons water 21 million BTUs energy 1,510 pounds solid waste 4,160 pounds greenhouse gases
IN THIS ISSUE
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FROM FEDELE
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BITS & BITES
FROM THE FELLOWS
The Old World still has much to teach us | FEDELE BAUCCIO
Sharing dinner with a town — and a hockey victory and more with our guests
TALKING ABOUT FOOD An army of storytellers | MAISIE GANZLER
OPENINGS
08 15 25 30 39 41 50 70
Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, opens with a slam dunk Butler University shoots and scores with Bon Appétit Brand-new Conga campus counts Bon Appétit among its perks Bon Appétit and Pacific University execute a common vision Bon Appétit fuels students on the go at Rhodes College Azusa Pacific University selects Bon Appétit as its first food service partner New Bon Appétit café for Kaiser Permanente is thriving Bon Appétit expands to Kentucky with Transylvania University
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BON APPÉTIT RELEASES NEW PLATE WASTE STUDY RESULTS
45 46 47
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM EXECUTIVE CHEF TAKES PLANT-FORWARD TO GO
From film school to food activism | CARRIE CULLEN Bee-ing the change | LILY GROSS Piece by piece, building a food story | SAMUEL MARTIN
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BRAVO BOOST
New tools for tasty social media
MIT HOSTS PLANT-FORWARD CULINARY TRAINING FOR EAST COAST REGION SNAPSHOTS OF SAFETY THANK YOU, BON APPÉTIT BON APPÉTIT MVP
The Bon Appétit Fellows, in their own words
FROM FEDELE
THE OLD WORLD STILL HAS MUCH TO TEACH US
Bon Appétit CEO Fedele Bauccio (right) with two of the many chefs with whom he enjoyed cooking on his recent trip
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any of you have heard me say that we need to keep our focus on simple dishes, ones that let the freshness and flavors of our wonderful ingredients shine through. My family is from Italy (Calabria and Sicily), and I grew up in the kitchen cooking with my grandmother and mother. I don’t get to vacation often, but when I can, I like to return to Italy. For me it’s a magical land of passion, culture, and the soul of food. In Italy, there seems to be a story behind every food product, and Old World traditions are treasured. Young people are embracing and continuing the practices. Recipes survive in families for years, passed from generation to generation. Recently I traveled to Modena and Parma, where I was able to visit some of the country’s top producers. I went to an old castle overlooking the Po River, where culatello
di Zibello, the world’s greatest hams, are produced by hand in the old way. They are far more expensive than prosciutto di Parma, and they are so prized that very few are exported. At I Sapori delle Vacche Rosse (the Court of Red Cows), Luciano Catellani showed me how his family’s famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is made from the milk of the ancient Reggiana breed. I visited La Cà dal Nôn (the House of the Grandfather), which has been producing the special balsamic vinegar of Modena for generations. Mariangela Montanari gave me a tour and told me all about how they are preserving this ancient tradition. In Montalcino, Francesco Illy (the coffeemaker) gave me a tour of his biodynamic vineyards, Podere le Ripi. Biodynamic practices are everywhere in Italy, not just in their farming practices and soil fertility but also their treatment of animals.
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Podere le Ripi winery in Montalcino. Photo courtesy Podere le Ripi
At I Sapori delle Vacche Rosse, Luciano Catellani prepares to open one of his family’s famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses
With Mariangela Montanari of La Cà dal Nôn, whose family has been making balsamic vinegar in Modena for generations
Culatello di Zibello, the world’s greatest hams, hanging to cure
I was lucky enough to meet and cook with many wonderful chefs. I had dinner at Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena, which has been in the top five of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for years.
artichoke omelet, and pollo al burro (brown-butter chicken). Everyone I met has so much pride in their products. You can feel their passion and love of food. They cook in tiny kitchens with the very best ingredients and simple preparations.
seek out whichever simple, authentic food that you love best, find whoever is making it the old way, learn what makes it special — and then savor it. Your pleasure will then flavor your dishes for months to come.
I got to eat many of my favorite dishes: pappa al pomodoro (Tuscan bread soup),
To our Bon Appétit chefs: I know that you can’t all go to Italy. But what you can do is
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BITS & BITES
More than 1,000 Northfield, MN, residents turned out for Northfield Shares A Dinner, which included Farm to Fork salads by St. Olaf College and Carleton College. Photo: Emily Monaghan
ST. OLAF AND CARLETON COLLEGES PITCH IN FOR ‘NORTHFIELD SHARES A DINNER’ The Bon Appétit teams at St. Olaf College and Carleton College, both in Northfield, MN, were happy to donate locally sourced salads for the recent Northfield Shares A Dinner, an event honoring local farmers that was attended by 1,000 area residents. St. Olaf Executive Chef Rafael Perez contributed a quinoa and kale salad, and Carleton College Executive Sous Chef Vale Riggs made a mixed greens, tomato, and cucumber salad, with produce from Seeds, Open Hands, Spring Winds, Sogn Valley, STOGROW, and Carleton farms. Regional Vice President Mark Lachance encouraged the teams to participate in this epic community feast, where residents gather
with friends and members of the community to share a meal at two long tables. The goal is to meet new people, strengthen community ties, and connect neighborhoods while enjoying a meal featuring ingredients grown by local farmers and prepared by local chefs. Other volunteers stepped up, too, for a menu that featured local Holden Farms pork, Ferndale Market turkey, and dinner rolls from the Brick Oven Bakery, all local businesses. The St. Olaf alumni behind the smoothie-on-a-stick business JonnyPops contributed their frozen pops as well. — Submitted by Katie McKenna, General Manager
RGA CELEBRATION TAKES THE CAKE: More than a thousand Reinsurance Group of America guests showed up for a sweet celebration with fellow fans over the St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup win! The Bon Appétit team at the company’s St. Louis headquarters pulled together a celebration on less than 12 hours’ notice. The championship centerpiece: two cakes in team colors from local bakery La Bonne Bouchée accompanied by Bon Appétit cookies, dessert bars, and refreshments. — Submitted by Stephen Shook, General Manager & Executive Chef
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BITS
HONEY BEES GET MVP TREATMENT BY GARDEN AT ORACLE PARK: Honey bees are the world’s most important pollinators. Without their efforts, the abundant fruits and vegetables growing worldwide, including at the Garden at Oracle Park in San Francisco, simply couldn’t survive. The Garden team wanted to get people buzzing about bees (and raise awareness about both their immense value and their growing plight). On National Honey Bee Day, they invited Todd Parsons (pictured), beekeeper and owner of State Street Honey, to join them in the Garden during a baseball game. Hundreds of fans visited the booth to learn all about bees, peer inside Todd’s observation hive, and taste some of his delicious honey. — Submitted by Sam Wilder, Garden at Oracle Park
WASH U SPOTLIGHTS LOCAL VENDORS DURING MOVE-IN WEEK: At a special Welcome Back event during freshman move-in week, students at Washington University in St. Louis had a chance to meet local vendors, including Reinneck Ranch, whose owner James Reinneck (pictured) brought samples of his super-popular Salsa Rose. Laughing Bear Bakery, Sia’s Italian Ice, Marcoot Jersey Creamery, and Wenneman’s Meat Co. also participated. Inviting the vendors to campus builds familiarity and personal rapport, as new students will enjoy these vendors’ products for years to come. — Submitted by Rob
Program Manager
Staggenborg, Marketing Manager
YOUNG LIVING HOSTS REFRESHING CARVING CONTEST The Bon Appétit team at Young Living in Lehi, UT, got out their carving knives — and got creative in honor of National Watermelon Day. Executive Chef Daniel Larsen and General Manager Candace Roberts decided to throw a watermelon carving contest as a fun team-building activity — with a guest engagement component. Each Bon Appétiter received a watermelon to carve however their inner artist moved them. At lunchtime, Young Living employees voted for their favorite carving. Daniel and Cook Estela Ortiz received the most votes, with Estela taking home a $25 gift card along with the juicy bragging rights. — Submitted by Chloe McCombs, Marketing Manager
Top vote-getters Cook Estela Ortiz and Executive Chef Daniel Larsen
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TALKING ABOUT FOOD | MAISIE GANZLER
AN ARMY OF STORYTELLERS
A few of the present and past members of the Bon Appétit Fellows team, left to right: Carrie Cullen, current Fellow; Maggie Kraft, now a Bon Appétit waste specialist; Claire Cummings, now Bon Appétit’s waste programs manager; Dayna Burtness, the second Fellow (now a farmer); Chief Strategy and Brand Officer Maisie Ganzler; Carolina Fojo, the first Fellow; Shannon Tivona, current Fellow; Nicole Tocco Cardwell, manager of strategic initiatives (and head of the Fellows program); and current Fellows Lily Gross and Sam Martin
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e’ve got to tell our story. You’ve all heard that directive again and again. Fedele and I have each flown across the country dozens of times to do just that for clients, guests, advocates, conferencegoers, and anyone else who wants to hear about the opportunities — and challenges — of scaling up sustainable food systems. One fateful February 10 years ago, we hosted a story-telling lecture for the community of Washington University in St. Louis. Turnout was great, engagement was strong,
and the questions were flowing. We left that event energized by the power of a two-way conversation but knowing we couldn’t touch every account ourselves. Over dinner that night, the Bon Appétit Fellowship was born. We decided we would hire recent college graduates from schools we served, so they would have experienced Bon Appétit firsthand. They would travel the country, speaking to students and acting as liaisons between the company and college communities. Instead of meeting a “cor-
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porate suit,” students could ask questions and get information from someone who’d been in their shoes just the year before. Peer-to-peer education, not a canned corporate spiel. Finding the first Fellow was easy. We actually met her at that very same WashU event. Carolina Fojo had completed a project living with a family of Fair Trade Certified farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico. She could speak about both Bon Appétit and an important issue, access to market by small farmers. Next we set our sights
on a St. Olaf College grad named Dayna Burtness. Dayna had cofounded the St. Olaf farm STOGROW, so our team had worked closely with her for a few years. Finding the third Fellow proved more difficult. As we interviewed candidate after candidate, the need for a Fellow to be food-systems savvy, personable, and a capable public speaker crystallized. Finally I met Vera Chang. Vera had founded a group called Food Truth that was instrumental in challenging Carleton College’s previous food service provider and bringing in Bon Appétit. In the decade since, 21 smart, interesting young people have served as Fellows. From founders of Food Recovery Network chapters and organizers of on-campus environmental conferences to a candidate with a master’s thesis involving a life-cycle assessment of our food, each Fellow has brought a unique lens on sustainability and on Bon Appétit. And boy have they told our story! In the past decade, Fellows have organized an estimated 200 field trips to local farms, ranches, and other food producers, 140 kitchen tours, 500 classroom guest lectures and discussions, and much more, reaching close to 70,000 people. They have also become my in-house focus group on what issues resonate with our guests, a research team, and the best brand ambassadors I could ever hope for. They’ve inspired me with their dedication to making change and challenged me with their critical questions. The Bon Appétit story is an exponentially better one for having the Fellows be a part of it. Turn to page 82 for some memories and advice from four past Fellows.
Washington University in St. Louis graduate Carolina Fojo, the very first Bon Appétit Fellow, in the garden at Gallaudet University that she helped students start
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CHASE CENTER HOME OF THE
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS OPENS WITH A
SLAM DUNK AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF CAREFUL PLANNING AND EPIC CONSTRUCTION, Chase Center — the new home of the Golden State Warriors — opened its doors in September. Bon Appétit Management Company will provide all the food and drink inside the 18,064-seat, privately financed sports and entertainment arena in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, with support from Compass sister Continues on next pages company Levy.
Chase Center continued
The Chase Center opening team a few hours before the first public event, a sold-out Metallica performance
The local and national media covered the weeks up to the opening exhaustively: Bon Appétit Culinary Director Mark Jeffers (lured away from the Ritz-Carlton in Tahoe) was on every TV station and in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, Eater SF, and many other outlets talking about what makes the Chase Center’s food and beverage program unique. At Chase, everything will be cooked from scratch, in small batches to order or even à la minute as much as possible. While this might be standard at Bon Appétit locations, it’s unusual for an arena: for example, a Warriors game will require 1,200 pounds of from-scratch dough for Tony G’s pizza outlets. Speaking of Tony G’s, those authentic slices from San Francisco pizza maestro Tony Gemignani and other beloved Bay Area dishes are the second killer ingredient of the Chase Center food program: see the “Taste Makers Bring Only-in-the-Bay-Area Flavors to Chase Center” story on the following pages. The alcohol offerings also set Chase Center apart. Bon Appétit Management Company brought in Bon Vivants Hospitality to design a distinctive cocktail and spirits program. Founded by hospitality veterans Josh Harris and Morgan Schick — owners of Trick Dog, the James Beard Foundation Award-nominated San Francisco cocktail bar, and BonVoyage! — the cocktail program will showcase Chase Center’s corporate liquor partners as well as its beverage Taste Makers, and feature fresh juice. For the wine program, Bon Appétit has partnered with Debbie Zachareas of Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, who is known for shaping the city’s wine culture. Debbie in turn teamed up with Nicole Curran, wife
of Warriors owner Joe Lakob, to curate a distinctive wine list for the arena. A culinary army of 10 executive and sous chefs; more than 100 cooks; bartenders, butlers, and other skilled front-of-house servers; and many more Bon Appétiters will deliver these from-scratch local flavors at each of Chase’s 36 eateries — each with its own small kitchen — as well as in the ultra-high-end suites, theater boxes, and lounges. There are 20 permanent and five portable bars. A week of private soft-opening events, including an open house for 8,000 season ticket holders and a gala dinner for the Warriors owners, provided some demanding chances to get ready for the first official public event: a sold-out Metallica performance with the San Francisco Symphony. The ribbon cutting was attended by Mayor of San Francisco London Breed and Governor of California Gavin Newsom. “Tonight was the first time I realized how special this program we have brought to life is,” wrote Bon Appétit Vice President of Hospitality Josh Pell in an email to the Chase Center team shortly before the opening. “The comments on our food over the last few days have been off the charts awesome. As crazy as everything has been, we are really shining through your hard work and perseverance.” Mark, Josh, Director of Operations Leslie Panion, Director of Operations – Concessions James Hall, Executive Chef Chad Neuman, Beverage Director Brooke Lieberwitz, and the rest of the Chase
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Bon Appétit CEO Fedele Bauccio giving remarks to guests
Taste Maker Yvonne’s Southern Sweets’ cookies, CC Made’s caramel corn, and Sugar & Spun’s cotton candy were served along with Bon Appétit’s house-made macarons in Warriors colors and caramel flan
Director of Operations Leslie Panion, Regional Culinary Director Robbie Lewis, and Vice President of Image & Style Carrie Buckley
Sam’s Chowder House mini lobster rolls
team have been supported by a hardworking opening cast including Regional Vice President Markus Hartmann, Regional Culinary Director Robbie Lewis, Oracle Park Culinary Director David Button, Vice President of Image & Style Carrie Buckley, and countless others from the Bon Appétit family in San Francisco, as well as Levy Regional Purchasing Manager Dan Ponzio. “This was one of the biggest, highestprofile openings in Bon Appétit history, and I could not be more proud of everyone who has made it happen,” said Bon Appétit CEO and cofounder Fedele Bauccio. “It has been amazing to see my dream come true for another revolutionary new phase for stadium food.” Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications
Warriors President Rick Welts with Bon Vivants founders Morgan Schick and Josh Harris at the beverage announcement event for media
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TASTE MAKERS BRING ONLY-IN-THE-BAY-AREA FLAVORS TO CHASE CENTER
The Old Skool team will serve their famous mac and cheese, peanut stew, and a new Creole meatball po’ boy. Credit: Kassie Borreson
BON APPÉTIT AND THE WARRIORS partnered with more than two dozen local businesses to create a “living food story” showcasing the Bay Area’s diverse culinary flavors, as part of the Taste Makers at Chase Center program. The primary Taste Maker partners (with multiple locations throughout the arena) are Bakesale Betty from Oakland, CA; Hot Dog Bill’s, Big Nate’s BBQ, Tony G’s Pizza, and Tacolicious from San Francisco; and Sam’s Chowder House from Half Moon Bay. Nonprofits Old Skool Café and La Cocina also have stand-alone kiosks, while many more local Taste Maker foods, beer, wine, and sake are available through Bon Appétit-created eateries City Bistro and Paper Lantern, in the bars, and on the menus of the suites, lounges, and clubs. New Taste Makers may be added in the future.
Old Skool Café founder Teresa Goines (center left) and Bon Appétit Regional Vice President Markus Hartmann (center right) with two of Old Skool’s graduates-turned-Chase-servers on opening night of Chase Center
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Taste Maker and Bayview baker Yvonne Hines with CEO Fedele Bauccio at a pre-opening media event
Yvonne’s Southern Sweets rich butter cookies and other treats will be for sale at Chase Center and served on premium menus
Alison Barakat, owner of Bakesale Betty, whose signature blue wig inspired the signage for her Chase Center stands and sandwich wraps (created by Bon Appétit Vice President of Image & Style Carrie Buckley)
The famous Bakesale Betty buttermilk-fried-chicken sandwich. Credit: Kassie Borreson
“Bon Appétit wants to offer our [buttermilk fried chicken] sandwich so that it tastes just like our shop’s,” Alison Barakat, owner of Bakesale Betty, told SFGate. “They’ll be using the same ingredients, same brands of everything, same quality — they’re committed to high-quality foods.” On Chase Center’s opening night, she posted on Instagram: “What started out as a fun idea of selling baked goods at the farmers’ market 17 years ago has progressed to this…. It takes a village. So excited, words can not describe.” “The Taste Makers program is really a big part of why we were entrusted with the Chase Center contract,” said Bon Appétit CEO and cofounder Fedele Bauccio. “The Warriors knew that we could deliver a food program that is deeply rooted in local, a leader in sustainability — and truly exceptional.” Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager
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CHASE CENTER TASTE MAKERS
MEET THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND FOOD CRAFTERS WHO WILL FEED CHASE CENTER VISITORS:
BAKESALE BETTY BIG NATE’S BBQ BOUG CALI CC MADE DUMPLING TIME EARL’S BRITTLE FIVE DOT RANCH HOT DOG BILLS LA COCINA
LA CORNETA OLD SKOOL CAFÉ SAM’S CHOWDER HOUSE SARAP SHOP SUGAR & SPUN TACOLICIOUS TIN POT CREAMERY TONY G’S PIZZA YVONNE’S SOUTHERN SWEETS
AND QUENCH THEIR THIRST:
DRAKE’S BREWING FACTION BREWING GRATTA WINES HARMONIC BREWING
P. HARRELL WINES SANS WINE CO. SEQUOIA SAKE TRIPLE VOODOO BREWERY
HUNTINGTON GUESTS TICKLED PINK AT PRICKLY PEAR PALOOZA
Chef-Partner Susan Feniger prepares a vinaigrette for nopales tacos
DURING THE POPULAR ANNUAL succulent show and sale at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA, the Bon Appétit team introduced guests to the Opuntia cactus — and its juicy prickly pear fruit. Chef-partner Susan Feniger offered a lively demonstration of the culinary applications of both the cactus fruit and its paddles, called nopales, including in nopales tacos. She talked through how to prepare the cactus, discussed its many health benefits, and showed guests young cactus cuttings from the gardens. Guests sipped pink prickly pear margaritas made by mixologist Retail Manager Kristie Montoya. Executive Chef Jeff Thurston and his kitchen team prepped housemade chips and salsa and enough nopales tacos with hand-pressed corn tortillas for 60-plus guests, while Special Events Operations Manager Marly Erickson ensured service flowed smoothly. Sous Chef Claudia Engle led a supplemental succulent-cupcake-making workshop, and guests even enjoyed a private Desert Garden Tour. The feedback was anything but prickly: “Susan Feniger is fun, engaging, and such a great cook! The food was delicious, the cactus and succulent tour interesting and enjoyable. The cupcake decorating was a great little final touch.” Another wrote, “I’m not afraid to pick up those paddles of cactus and make this meal for my vegetarian brother’s family. It will blow them away. Please, please, please do these types of events again!” Submitted by Hannah Katalbas, Director of Marketing and Social Media
Special Events Operations Manager Marly Erickson carries nopales tacos out to the guests
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OPENING
BUTLER UNIVERSITY SHOOTS AND SCORES WITH BON APPÉTIT
The Butler University opening team
BUTLER UNIVERSITY IN INDIANAPOLIS is known for many things: its rich history, small classes, multiple nationally recognized programs — and, of course, the Butler Bulldogs basketball team, aka the Dawgs! Over the summer, Bon Appétit had the honor of becoming a part of Bulldog Nation as the university’s new food service provider. After a fast handover, General Manager Joe Graves, Executive Chef Brandon Canfield, and the rest of the Bon Appétit team started serving the small summer groups and camps staying on campus right away. Faculty and staff submitted glowing feedback about the food offerings and amount of fresh vegetables available, with the students following suit upon their return. Shared one guest at a summer catering event: “A quick note to let you and your team know how much everyone at today’s workshop enjoyed the meal you catered for us. The menu and the preparation of the food were all restaurant quality. Everyone was commenting how wonderful it was, and how we wanted to eat slowly to savor each bite.” Bon Appétit operates two cafés (Marketplace at Atherton Union and ResCo Dining Hall), two grab-and-go locations (Nutrition
Café at the Health and Recreation Center and a café — that students will help name — at the new business building), two markets (Plum Market Kitchen at C-Club and Tripp’s Corner Market at Apartment Village), full-service catering, as well as concessions and VIP dining at Butler’s historic basketball arena, Hinkle Fieldhouse. There’s already a strong soup following, and guests particularly love the globally inspired specials, such as the dishes with Mexican and South American flare at the Spiced station. At the salad bar, Brandon is proud to incorporate a bounty of delicious produce from the CUE Farm, an on-site sustainable agriculture project run by students and the Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability (CUES). Katie Brownlee ’21 told the Butler Collegian she has already noticed a difference in the food served at Atherton: “There are loads of new and unique options this year. I see that they do a very good job at making sure there are options for dietary restrictions and choices.” Major renovations include the complete demolition and reconstruction of the C-Club into Plum Market Kitchen, as well as plans to work on a joint concept
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Butler’s campus mascot is the Bulldog
with a local celebrity chef to open a new restaurant on campus next summer. At Hinkle Fieldhouse, the university and Bon Appétit together determined the need for a unique dining experience for athletic donors and VIP guests: a new food truck featuring rotating menus inspired by the cities or regions of the visiting teams. Other fans can enjoy perennial favorites from the concession stands. Submitted by Mandy Rentschler, Marketing Manager
GREEN THUMBS ARE GROWING IN MACALESTER’S REBORN GARDEN
The thriving MULCH Garden with new planters, fencing, and fresh mulch
Executive Chef Michael Pruett at the new herb garden
MAINTAINING A THRIVING GARDEN is no easy feat. At Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, the on-campus MULCH Garden received a much-needed revamp.
Appétiters, he spent time cleaning up the garden, assisted in building new raised beds, purchased plants, tilled the garden, spread mulch, and planted vegetables.
The Macalester Urban Land and Community Health (MULCH) group offers students a space to get involved and learn about urban agriculture and food justice. The student-gardeners plant seeds provided by local vendor Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply, tend the garden, and harvest produce.
They didn’t stop there! Michael also led efforts to create an herb garden just behind the café, planting sage, mint, cilantro, purple and regular basil, rosemary, Greek oregano, Italian oregano, thyme, lemon thyme, and parsley. The new season brought healthy, thriving produce to their transformed garden, including strawberries, green beans, six types of tomatoes, chili peppers (which went into house-made hot sauce), and squash (the café’s signature risotto). Everyone was thrilled with the results, and they look forward to growing their partnership together.
To help improve the garden space, the MULCH student group consulted Executive Chef Michael Pruett for his expertise. The Bon Appétit team collaborated with the students to plan what produce to plant. Michael has quite the green thumb. With the help of students and other Bon
Submitted by Amy Jackson, General Manager
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Cucumbers from the revamped garden
GUESTS COOK FROM THE HEART AT VIVINT SMART HOME
Executive Chef Giuseppe Randazzo explains his arancini recipe
COOKING CLASSES ARE THE PERFECT team-building event, giving guests a space to connect through food. Executive Chef Giuseppe Randazzo teamed up with Tish Rowley, document control administrator/ technical writer, to bring Vivint Smart Home employees both a taste of home and new cooking experience in Lehi, UT. Tish first came to Giuseppe for ideas as part of Vivint Smart Home’s Flip the Switch program, a series of events, activities, and speaker presentations geared toward bringing employees together in a creative space.
Giuseppe suggested sharing his recipe for arancini, which turned out to be one of Tish’s favorite dishes! A classic Southern Italian street food, arancini are deep-fried balls of risotto, often stuffed with cheese and vegetables or meat. For his recipe, Giuseppe used white rice, beef Bolognese, parmesan, and mozzarella and walked attendees through the steps of rolling, coating, and frying the arancini. Each person had the chance to tackle a difference step, from forming the risotto balls to coating them in flour,
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egg, and Italian bread crumbs. All enjoyed learning and partaking in the process from pantry to cutting board, and finally to their plates. “Everyone loved the class, loved the food, and had a great time,” Tish wrote to Giuseppe and Marketing Manager Chloe McCombs to express overall appreciation for the experience. “LOTS of people loved Giuseppe and really loved hearing his stories and the suggestions and skills he shared.” Submitted by Chloe McCombs, Marketing Manager
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO HOSTS HANDS-ON CAMP SESSION FOR LOCAL STUDENTS
Carrots harvested from Windy City Harvest Rodeo Farm
THE BON APPÉTIT TEAM at the University of Chicago helped students from the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s ProStart program get their hands dirty — on purpose, with a three-day camp that included a field trip to a local farm.
system, and discussion of the apprenticeship program for training in sustainable urban agriculture. The group even rolled up their sleeves to help harvest carrots, tomatoes, and rainbow chard — which they all said was a highlight of the visit.
Through their partnership with UChicago Dining, the culinary team hosts ProStart students for behind-the-scenes kitchen tours and farm visits, offering a special look into the hospitality business. Twenty students from local high schools arrived for camp excited to visit farms, try new foods, and talk shop with farmers and culinary staff.
Students also visited Testa Produce, a leader in utilizing renewable energy sources and minimizing waste. (It’s the first LEED Platinum Certified produce operation in the U.S.) Back on campus, they attended an admissions workshop led by UChicago staff and toured the campus dining commons, including the commissary kitchens and Pret A Manger location.
Activities kicked off with a tour of the Arturo Velasquez Institute, a satellite campus of local Daley College that offers diverse educational programs and enrichment courses to community members. From there they traveled to Bon Appétit Farm to Fork partner Windy City Harvest for a packed visit including walks through the greenhouse, a review of their robust aquaponics
After tasting Commissary Chef Bruno Bell Alves’ Impossible burger, the team challenged students to create their own food service concept, from logo to floor plan and sustainable practices. Dubbed “The Great Hospitality Challenge,” the results were fun and creative, from bubble cone desserts to meatless comfort foods and a Parisian-inspired café. Students presented their vision boards, and
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Resident District Manager Kristopher Murray and Campus Resident Dietitian Christine Cliff celebrate the final day of camp with ProStart students and their camp counselors
A Windy City Harvest employee picks rainbow chard
the winner was determined by meeting the challenge criteria, as well as exceptional teamwork and creativity. The grand champion — Build a Brownie with their dessert bar vision for different brownie bases, accompanied by a variety of seasonal toppings and ice creams. All were very excited to show off their ideas to judge and TV personality Rochelle Trotter! Submitted by Colleen Maul, Marketing Manager
Students learn about growing tomatoes in a greenhouse environment — for some it was their first time seeing this!
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST TEAMS HEAD TO FARM SCHOOL
Nordstrom Operations Manager Dorian Gossom harvests peas
Beekeeper Steve Schott showed off a healthy hive
MEMBERS OF THE BON APPÉTIT TEAMS at Nordstrom (Seattle), Reed College (Portland, OR), and St. Martin’s University (Lacey, WA), recently went back to school — on a farm! They spent five educational days at Quillisascut Farmstead Cheese & School of the Domestic Arts for an on-site training through an immersive program called Farm Culinary 101.
tail preparation took on deep significance when the team watched the butchering process start to finish, then reflected on the experience together.
Located in the tiny Washington town of Rice, the school is run by owners Rick and Lora Lea Misterly. Rick and Lora Lea provided instruction on mindful water usage in the kitchen, composting best practices, and even goat butchering. The importance of nose-to-
They also visited neighboring farms, harvested dinner ingredients straight from the earth, and enjoyed cooking and eating the freshest possible foods. The training underscored with great clarity why supporting local farms is so crucial to maintaining a sustainable food system. Submitted by Dorian Gossom, Operations Manager
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WEBER MASTER GRILLER (AND STAR CHEF!) JAMIE PURVIANCE DELIGHTS NORCAL ACCOUNTS
Star Chef Jamie Purviance (center) at Franklin Templeton, flanked by (left to right): General Manager Jeremiah Han, Healthy Kids Program Coordinator Nina Abramson, Sunshyne Brechler (daughter of Resident Marketing Director Cara Brechler), Marketing Specialist Intern Yadira Ayala, Director of Specialty Culinary Programs Jim Dodge, Cook Daniel Ponce, Executive Chef Gerard Darian, Barista Erica Nava, Sous Chef Trino Fuentes, Jr., Catering Attendant Ana Navarro, Manager Aidan Chang, Cook Steven Bullock, and District Manager Arbee Del Rosario
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, the Star Chef program — which brings influential cookbook authors to Bon Appétit cafés nationwide — has been a hit with clients, guests, and Bon Appétit team members alike. This summer Jamie Purviance, author of numerous cookbooks and a Weber master griller, shared his ’cue tips during a Star Chef tour promoting his newest cookbook, “Weber’s Ultimate Grilling: A Step-by-Step Guide to Barbecue Genius.” Director of Specialty Culinary Programs Jim Dodge and District Manager Arbee Del Rosario planned a week’s worth of visits to Bay Area accounts for Jamie, with support from Resident Marketing Director Cara Brechler and Marketing Specialist Intern Yadira Ayala. At BD Biosciences in San Jose, CA, Chef/ Manager Genesis Alvarez and her team
attracted a flock of guests by outfitting the table with colorful produce, goat cheese and fig-jam bruschetta, and a Weber barbecue kit. Books sold swiftly as Jamie answered fans’ questions. At Sony Interactive Entertainment in San Mateo, CA, Executive Chef Paul O’Brien menued Jamie’s chicken adobo as part of their Barbecue Summer Fest. The Sony team barbecued more than 40 pounds of chicken while Jamie signed books and talked to guests. National Marketing Manager Cheryl Sternman Rule, National Marketing Coordinator Anushka Pushpala, and Summer Intern Lena Silberman pitched in to help General Manager Samantha Burkett and her team with logistics. At nearby Franklin Templeton, General Manager Jeremiah Han and his team offered samples of Jamie’s barbecued Buffalo
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Grilled goat cheese and fig-jam bruschetta
chicken chopped salad and menued three of his other recipes, selling more than 185 specials. “You’re my favorite chef. I can’t believe you’re here!” exclaimed one guest. Jamie enjoyed himself as well, telling Cara, Jim, and company: “It really was an honor and a pleasure to visit your accounts and see firsthand the amazing services you are providing. I always felt welcomed and appreciated by the nice people eating in the cafés…. What really made the whole strategy successful was your careful planning, marketing, and enthusiasm. The fact that you and your colleagues were there, offering samples and highlighting the events, made a huge difference. I am so happy to know you now as friends.” Submitted by Yadira Ayala, Marketing Specialist Intern
ROSE-HULMAN VISITS SEVEN FARMS
Prep Cook Arthur Smith, Front-of-House Supervisor Suzi McConkey, Executive Chef Matthew Leeper, and Prep Cooks Cheyenne Downing and Wyatt Sons at The Pickery
SUMMERTIME CAN BE A WELCOME BREAK for Bon Appétit’s higher-education teams, but it’s also prime harvest season for their Farm to Fork vendors — and a great time to organize some field trips for the staff to get to know their local providers better. Executive Chef Matthew Leeper and Sous Chef Hannah Bowers at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN, recently connected with Laurie Elliott, owner of The Pickery, a certified organic vegetable farm just 5 miles from campus. Laurie invited Matthew, Hannah, and the rest of the team to hand-pick produce for service, which they happily did over the course of three weeks. She also shared proper picking techniques and explained the challenges of maintaining organic certification. The highlight, though, was a tomato tasting. Everyone loved savoring her tomatoes’ nuanced and varied flavor profiles. In addition, Derrick Cameron, the owner of food hub Local Farm Harvest, organized a guided trip to six other farms — Souder Farms, Spring Valley Farms, Becker Farms, Fields Farm Fresh, Cameron Farms, and RJ Honey — and Dandy Breeze Creamery. The Bon Appétiters had an amazing time getting to know their local vendors and were grateful for the chance to express their profound appreciation for their hard work firsthand.
The Pickery’s owner Laurie Elliott with an employee
Submitted by Paige Johnson, Marketing Coordinator
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ROSE-HULMAN SUPPORTS STUDENT INVENTORS Each year, seniors at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology undertake a final outsidethe-box project that is showcased in The Rose Show. This year, the Bon Appétit team supported two projects whose inventions were explicitly food-related. The first was a machine designed to automate cutting potatoes into french fries. When paired with a potato-washing mechanism, it would allow a single operator to process more than 3,000 pounds of potatoes each month. After The Rose Show, the inventor turned the project over to the Bon Appétit team. The second invention was devised by three seniors eager to use aquaponics to provide tilapia and lettuce for the Bon Appétit team throughout the year. (Though still in its early phases, the team may expand on the project in the future as, in the last month of service, the invention was able to provide a considerable amount of butter lettuce.) Out of the nearly 100 senior projects evaluated at The Rose Show, the Bon Appétit aquaponics system won the mechanical engineering department award for best project! — Submitted by Justin Durand, Executive Chef
The Bon Appétit Aquaponics team with their display Marketing Coordinator Paige Johnson and Line Cook Chase Spier admire the fertile rows
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PRESIDIO TEAM WINS DESTINATION WEDDING AWARD
Guests were wowed by the aerial Champagne pouring, one of the more creative Champagne toasts the Presidio Foods Catering team has executed
The Presidio Foods Catering team loves creating signature cocktails for each couple. Credit: Alison Yin Photography
Stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and a National Park setting aren’t the only things that make weddings in the Presidio of San Francisco destination-worthy. The Presidio Foods Catering team goes the extra mile to ensure that the food, service, and atmosphere are just as stunning as their venue. Their work was recently recognized by Luxury Travel Guide as the “Luxury Wedding Destination of the Year.”
In its five years of operation, Presidio Foods Catering has made a name for itself as a full-service wedding caterer, with strong ties to the local wedding community (including event planners and vendors) and well-seasoned service staff. Since 2016, the team has nearly doubled the number of weddings they execute each year, on track for 42 in 2019.
“You come for the views, but you stay for the incredible food and stellar personalized service,” said Steffanie Lehr, director of catering. Surrounded by friends and family, most newlyweds barely have time to eat on their wedding day, which is why the catering team packages to-go meals for each couple. And not just a few bites and some cake: it’s the full dinner menu plus a champagne split, two flutes, and a handwritten note of congratulations.
From an entirely plant-based menu to poke bars, dumpling stations, donut walls, and even a Champagne-pouring aerialist, the Presidio Foods Catering team takes pride in bringing any couple’s vision to life. “I love the challenge of creating a unique experience that truly represents each and every couple,” said Wedding Sales Manager Una Traynor. — Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager
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OPENING
BRAND-NEW CONGA CAMPUS COUNTS BON APPÉTIT AMONG ITS PERKS
Chef/Manager Anthony Cutajar’s grilled Alaskan cod specials have been crowd favorites
EMPLOYEES ZIPPING AROUND on electric scooters, bikes, and skateboards; awesome workplace amenities such as a high-end gym, arcade, pool tables, and free grab-and-go food options; a relaxed, open environment where once a month is bring-your-dog-towork day…. No, this isn’t a scene from the “Silicon Valley” TV show. It’s the cool, modern campus in Broomfield, CO, that digital document transformation leader Conga recently opened, which was built completely new from the ground up.
The Hub’s swinging benches are part of Conga’s relaxed atmosphere
After 10 months of planning with Conga, the Bon Appétit team has unveiled the Hub, a unique space for the 400 Conga employees and guests to dine, mingle, and collaborate. Large garage doors open to an outdoor patio where guests can enjoy their meals in the Broomfield sunshine; swinging benches add an unusual, fun seating choice. The Hub offers delicious breakfast specials, house-made pastries, seasonal fruit, madefrom-scratch soups, tasty grill options, global and traditional comforts, hand-tossed pizza, and an abundant salad bar with fresh, local toppings. Everyone lines up for Chef/ Manager Anthony Cutajar’s Alaskan cod entrées from the hearth station. “This has been a massive success from Day 1. Our employees have been floored by the amazing quality of the food, the vast array of menu choices, the locally grown produce, and the friendliness of the Bon Appétit team,” said Conga Chief Financial Officer Bob Pinkerton. “We consider them all as part of the Conga family.” Roasted beets with radishes, farro, and pea sprouts
Submitted by Tonya Flashey, Regional Marketing Director
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BON APPÉTIT RELEASES NEW
PLATE WASTE STUDY RESULTS No one sets out to waste good food, but when it happens, we’re throwing out everything it takes to get it to our plates — water, energy, money, and more. Climate scientists the world over tell us that what we eat and what we waste matter to the future of our planet. Our research points to an opportunity for food service providers to empower college students — the generation that will be most impacted by climate change — to fight back with their forks. — JoAnne Berkenkamp, senior advocate at NRDC
BON APPÉTIT WAS THE FIRST FOOD SERVICE COMPANY to take on fighting food waste systematically, and we’ve continued our leadership with a new study. Until now, little research has been done to understand why people dining out leave food on their plates. It’s a problem that the environmental nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates to account for 20 percent of all food wasted in the U.S. In collaboration with NRDC, to better understand the causes of edible plate waste in university dining and corporate café environments, we conducted a wide-ranging study then published the results in the report “Toward Cleaner Plates: A Study of Plate Waste in Food Service.”
METHODOLOGY • The Bon Appétit Fellows and waste team tracked how much plate waste was generated at 20 Bon Appétit cafés across the country over a variety of meal periods. • The study was conducted at a sample of geographically diverse Bon Appétit locations — evenly split between cafés located at business and industry locations and institutions of higher education — for two meal periods each, totaling 40 meal periods. • Through the research, plate scrapings were obtained from more than 12,000 individuals, 1,572 of whom completed a survey.
Carleton College students prepare to help with a plate-waste data collection survey
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COLLEGE STUDENTS WASTE MORE THAN TWICE AS MUCH
SOME FINDINGS:
COLLEGE STUDENTS THANEMPLOYEES TWICE AS MUCH FOOD PER MEAL AS CORPORATE EMPLOYEES FOOD PER WASTE MEAL ASMORE CORPORATE 2.18 oz
1.03 oz
• College students were found to waste 112 pounds of waste per student per school year, which can really add up on a large campus! • That’s more than twice as much food per meal as corporate employees, with waste averaging 2.18 oz per guest at higher education accounts, versus 1.03 oz at participating corporate locations on average. • Not surprisingly, people in an all-you-careto-eat environment waste more food than in a pay-as-you-order one.
Per Meal Per
Per Meal Per
Student
Corporate Guest
OFFERING TASTING SPOONS AT EVERY STATION OFFERING TASTING AT EVERY CUT SPOONS EDIBLE PLATE WASTESTATION IN HALFCUT EDIBLE PLATE WASTE IN HALF “Toward Cleaner Plates: A Study of Food Waste in Food Service,” Bon Appetit Management Company and NRDC, August 2019
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Ounces of edible waste per guest
2
1.75 ounces
1.5
• Offering tasting spoons at every food service station is associated with significantly less plate waste.
1
.5
• Providing food service employees with explicit instruction around portion serving sizes from their managers contributes to less edible waste per guest than at cafés when either ambiguous or no portion instructions are given to staff.
0.79 ounces
0
Tasting Spoons At Every Station
No Spoons or Only At Some Stations
“The study found that our guests of all ages produced an average of over 110 pounds of edible food going to waste per person in a full year — and that’s just for their meals with us,” said Claire Cummings, waste programs manager at Bon Appétit. “With a better understanding of what’s being left on peoples’ plates and why, we can develop concrete ways that food service providers can reduce that number and work toward cleaner plates and less waste.” Expect an operational toolkit based on the study recommendations to be released in the coming months. “Toward Cleaner Plates: A Study of Food Waste in Food Service,” Bon Appetit Management Company and NRDC, August 2019
“Toward Cleaner Plates: A Study of Plate Waste in Food Service” is available at www.bamco.com/platewaste. Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications
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MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM EXECUTIVE CHEF TAKES PLANT-FORWARD TO GO
A sample of Chris’s new grab-and-go options, featuring plenty of plant-based proteins such as beans and lentils, filling seeds, and judicious amounts of turkey and shrimp
CHRIS LENZA, EXECUTIVE CHEF at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, is also a member of the Plant-Forward Culinary Collaborative. Chris recently transformed Café Allegro’s grab-andgo program to be more plant-forward — and guests are loving it. Taking advantage of Arizona’s seasonal ingredients and local farms, Chris has upped the aesthetic appeal of his to-go items by incorporating more vibrantly colored vegetables into his menu. Keeping texture, attractiveness, and craveability front of mind, he’s stealthily reduced the amount of animal protein in his offerings.
Chris’s vegetable wrap is a riot of color and satisfying textures
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EMERSON COLLEGE WELCOMES INCOMING CLASS WITH FRESH OFFERINGS BON APPÉTIT TEAMS ARE constantly iterating to improve and innovate their offerings. Based on the previous year’s student survey, the culinary team at Emerson College in Boston decided to make several changes and additions to the Emerson dining experience in time for the fall semester. Students with food allergies or Every freshman received a package of special diets can head to a new reusable products Oasis station for meals that don’t contain any of the eight major food allergens, and everyone can enjoy pho or ramen from a new noodle bar, or made-to-order sandwiches from the deli. In addition to the enhancements to the residential program, Emerson Dining now boasts five retail locations, including the Lion’s Den, a fun space to study with friends while enjoying nitro cold brew or espresso from the coffee bar. Students can even grab some sushi to-go at the grill.
Executive Chef Chris Lenza outside the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, where he frequently forages cactus paddles
Chris shared these tips for plant-forward success: »»Protein power-up: Replace a portion of the animal protein with high-protein plants such as beans and legumes. The extra fiber helps to keep guests satisfied. (Note: Chris aims for 2 ounces or less of animal protein per meal.) »»Guests eat with their eyes, so give them a rainbow. Be sure to include a variety of different-colored vegetables — at least three. They’ll also provide a variety of textures. »»Season every component carefully. Layer flavors to create a mouthwatering depth that keeps guests coming back for more. »»Play the name game. Lead with the plants and use vibrant descriptors so guests know exactly what to expect. Who wouldn’t want a “Slivered Asparagus, Roasted Peppers, and Shaved Turkey Wrap with Smoky Poblano Vinaigrette”?
Resident District Manager Dawn Sajdyk also partnered with Sustainability at Emerson to expand the eco-reusable container program. Students often eat on the go, so the café offers eco-clamshells and tumblers — and Emerson students now receive a discount for using a tumbler at any of the campus retail locations. In addition to all the changes, throughout Welcome Week, Dawn and new Executive Chef Alex Drumm worked with the Office of Housing and Residence Life to host a variety of colorful events, from a New Orleans-inspired jazz brunch, to a “Self-Care Fair” and showcase featuring local tapas selections. After a lively first week back, the team is ready and energized for the start of school. Submitted by Christina Solazzo, Senior Marketing Specialist
The new grab-and-go program has been met with no complaints from his guests. In fact, grab-and-go sales are up! Submitted by Dayna Einheit, Nutrition Project Manager
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OPENING
BON APPÉTIT AND PACIFIC UNIVERSITY EXECUTE A COMMON VISION FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE PLANNING, Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR, and its new food service partner Bon Appétit unveiled a renovated café and two vibrant new marketplaces this summer. In merely two days, the Bon Appétit Image & Style and the Portland-area teams transformed the existing Pacific Café into a new space with fresh paint, beautiful smallwares, updated signage, and brand-new uniforms for the dedicated team. Executive Chef Derek Webb and his culinary team jumped straight to work, introducing delicious scratchmade food to the delight of the conference crowd on campus. Guests could choose from globally inspired dishes; comfort foods; gourmet deli sandwiches; and seasonal soups, salads, and desserts. A month later, the menu expanded to include pizza, pasta, more salads, and other dishes after a new pizza oven and exhibition cooking station were added during the café renovation.
Cashier Nancy Foster serving breakfast with a smile
The Bon Appétit team also opened two new marketplace locations: the Market at Forest Grove, located in the student center, and the Market at Hillsboro, located off campus for graduate students as well as the surrounding community. Customers can quickly get what they need, when they need it, at either one. The abundant GO program offers yogurt parfaits, hearty breakfast sandwiches, and breakfast burritos in the morning; delicious sandwiches, salads, sushi, protein snacks, and fresh fruit for lunch; as well as locally sourced snacks and beverages all day. General Manager Ethan Davidsohn and the rest of the Bon Appétiters are honored to be a part of the Boxer Nation and are embracing the opportunities ahead to prepare great food for the community at Pacific University. Submitted by Tonya Flashey, Regional Marketing Director
Chicken tacos with salsa verde
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MEDTRONIC HOSTS COOKING 101 FOR THE COLLEGE-BOUND
After a knife-skills crash course, attendees chop vegetables for their dinner entrées
THE TRANSITION TO COLLEGE can be an intimidating time for young people for many reasons, among them the responsibility of navigating a new food landscape. Inspired by a conversation with the client, the Bon Appétit team at the Medtronic campus in Fridley, MN, came up with the idea to host high-school-age children of Medtronic employees for a crash kitchen course dubbed “Cooking 101 for CollegeBound Youth.” The goal: to show how to prepare a nutritionally balanced meal with common ingredients. Bon Appétit Fellows Carrie Cullen, Sam Martin, and Lily Gross joined the session, excited both to learn and to share their newly acquired wisdom as recent college grads. Café Manager Dylan Johnson started the class by asking what the phrase “You are what you eat” meant to each attendee.
He then gave an overview of the direct effects that foods have on both mental and physical health — for example, eating a donut before an exam may not boost concentration as well as nutrition-packed avocado toast and blueberries. Executive Chef Royal Dahlstrom took the attendees on a tour of the café and kitchen, went over basic knife skills and kitchen safety, and then showed the students how to chop and prep bell peppers, eggplant, cauliflower, and broccoli. They also learned the best way to destem kale and clean and destem mushrooms. Royal sautéed the finished vegetables in olive oil with black beans and chickpeas and served them on a brown rice and quinoa mixture. The second recipe called for attendees to grab their spiralizers and make “noodles” out of zucchini and yellow squash, and serve with a simple but flavorful tomato sauce. Royal “is a great teacher with a passion for cooking
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The colorful vegetable sauté included bell peppers, eggplant, cauliflower, and broccoli
that clearly permeates the kitchen!” wrote one of the grateful students. At the end of the session, the class sat down together to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They asked the Bon Appétit team questions, shared stories, and talked tricks and tips for preparing healthy meals in the dorm room. Submitted by Dylan Johnson, Café Manager
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BON APPÉTITERS GATHER TO LEARN — AND EAT
More than 40 Bon Appétit chefs, farmers, and local partners from across Northern California spent their Saturday meeting, exchanging ideas, and sharing meals
THE CHEFS’ EXCHANGE IS a longstanding tradition at Bon Appétit, bringing together the chefs in a region — plus guest farmers and local partners — for shared meals, cooking battles, and a true meeting of minds.
the group to campus. Joe and Regional Culinary Director Robbie Lewis led a review of the Farm to Fork program, emphasizing the importance of giving back to small farms and families that make a big difference in food and our environment.
“As often as possible we want to give ourselves and our teams the chance to look at food from a different perspective,” said Joe DeBono, Bon Appétit’s culinary director at Nvidia in Santa Clara, CA, who has helped plan Northern California’s events for the past several years. “The Chefs’ Exchange is all about furthering our passion for local food and deepening our understanding of the food system.”
Bon Appétiters then rose for a rousing “speed dating” exchange — local farmers and artisans manned tables lined with their products, and attendees rotated around the room, asking questions and discussing their operations, process, and what makes their products and flavors unique. They took home samples ranging from artisanal cotton candy to fresh produce and local cheese.
This year the culinary team at Illumina in Foster City, CA, stepped up to host more than 40 attendees excited to meet, share thoughts, and break bread. After a breakfast spread filled with local offerings, Illumina Executive Chef/Manager Vincent Russo welcomed
After a presentation by Manager of Plant-Forward and Innovative Products Thom Fox, Kari Hamerschlag from Friends of the Earth led a discussion on climate change and food. Attendees then enjoyed tastes from Locally Crafted vendors, including Alicia’s Tamales Los Mayas and Frozen Kuhsterd. Fueled for more, the group boarded
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STATE AUTO INVITES FARMER TO TALK TURKEY WITH GUESTS
The Northern California chefs snacked on cheese and cured meats from Bay Area vendors
Drew Bowman talks with Senior Business Analyst Diane Laser
THE BON APPÉTIT TEAM at State Auto in Columbus, OH, recently hosted Farm to Fork turkey partner Drew Bowman during lunch.
Catering Chef Felipe Serna puts house-made dough into the pizza oven for savory flatbreads
a bus to the Blendid office, where CEO Vipin Jain gave a special look at Chef B, the smoothie-making robot Bon Appétit has testpiloted at Adobe and University of San Francisco, and passed around samples of their popular Blends. When attendees returned to campus, they were amazed to see the café transformed into a vibrant plant-forward celebration featuring innovative dishes ranging from New Wave Foods’ plant-based “shrimp” on squid-ink pasta to Eclipse Foods’ plantbased ice cream. Despite an already full day of generous food offerings, everyone lined up to try each sample and compare notes. The tasting not only sparked discussion but also drove inspiration among the Bon Appétiters, as they shared their ideas for implementing more plant-forward dishes in their cafés.
Drew is a third-generation turkey farmer whose family operation, Bowman & Landes, is located in New Carlisle, OH. The family has been raising free-range and antibiotic-free turkeys since 1948. They also harvest and dry their own wheat, corn, and soybeans, which they grind and mix on-site to feed their birds. The turkeys are naturally tender and have excellent flavor, according to the culinary team. During his visit, Drew sampled out his deli-style turkey and served it with house-made spreads and breads, while chatting with State Auto employees about farming — and his long and valuable relationship as a Bon Appétit partner. Guests loved the personal interaction and special chance to meet a local farmer with deep roots in the region. Submitted by Kecia Tatman, General Manager
Submitted by Sammi Lowe, Communications Project Assistant
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TRINE TEAM VISITS GUNTHORP FARMS
The Bon Appétit team with the Gunthorp family on the farm
AT TRINE UNIVERSITY IN ANGOLA, IN, the Bon Appétit team has grown a longtime partnership with family-owned Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange county. As a special treat, Owner Greg Gunthorp and daughter Kara Babinec took a group of Bon Appétiters on a tour of their farmland and their processing facility, where they could get unique insight into operations and ask questions. Greg began with an overview of how they grow feed for their livestock. Executive Chef Todd Downs and around a dozen other Bon Appétit folks loved checking out the hundreds of chicken, ducks, turkeys,
and baby pigs on the grounds. Inside the meat processing facility, they watched Gunthorp workers preparing various fresh and smoked meats, from turkey breasts to pork and chicken. And the Gunthorp family even treated the group to a delicious lunch of their smoked chicken wings, braised turkey breasts, and barbecue ribs. Through each part of the tour, it was clear the immense care and attention to detail that the Gunthorps invest in raising their livestock, prioritizing sustainable practices, and preparing and packaging their products. Submitted by Jacilyn Smith, Café Manager
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Greg Gunthorp, owner of Gunthorp Farms, shows off his packaging machine to Sous Chef Joe Moncada
TRINE UNIVERSITY CHEFS GROW A GARDEN
Dragon’s Toe peppers, Bright Lights rainbow chard, Green Zebra tomatoes, pineapple sage. When it comes to gardening, part of the fun is planting varietals that promise something unique. Yet even “common” herbs and vegetables taste better when plucked warm from the sun, just steps from the kitchen. At Trine University in Angola, IN, Executive Chef Todd Downs, Executive Sous Chef Jasan Kramer, Sous Chef Joe Moncada, and Sous Chef Chris Nixon recently designed and planted a culinary garden right outside the café, focusing on ingredients to showcase in special catered events. They’re also tapping the garden’s educational potential. They plan to partner with Trine’s sustainability group and educate students about how gardening can be part of a lower carbon lifestyle. Emphasizing the garden’s health benefits is also easy when fresh, whole foods are literally sprouting from the ground in front of them. Eventually, the team hopes to expand the garden’s footprint and install a compost pile. But for now, even the relatively small plot is turning heads in a very positive direction: Trine’s president recently enjoyed a house-made strawberry shortcake with garden-grown mint. — Submitted by Jacilyn Smith, Café Manager
DILLON’S CAFÉ AT CITRIX HONORS CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH NATIONAL CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH was first established in 2006 to recognize the many contributions of Caribbean immigrants and their descendants. With Citrix’s world headquarters based in Caribbean-heavy South Florida, many “Citrites” have a strong connection to this rich, varied culture. The Citrix Raleigh office in North Carolina employs many CaribbeanAmericans, too, so the Bon Appétit team decided to offer special themed menu items in honor of the month. Sous Chef Chelsie Upton teamed up with Jamaican-born Sales, Catering & Marketing Administrative Assistant Treisha Hal to plan the weeklong celebration. The duo chose to spotlight dishes from Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. For menu planning, Treisha reached out to natives of the featured islands, including chefs originally from the Bahamas and Puerto Rico. Cuba kicked off the week. After a consultation with Citrite (and native Cuban) Thomas Houston, the team menued moro (rice and black beans with garlic and spices), ropa vieja (pulled beef), Cuban roast pork with sour orange marinade, yucca fries, and frijoles del cordon (green beans). Red bean soup and Cuban chicken soup rounded out the offerings. Jamaica followed on Tuesday. Intimately familiar with the cuisine, Treisha chose to honor Jamaica’s rich history with escovitch (fried fish with a vinegary sauce), grilled jerk chicken, coconut rice and peas, and plantains. Reggae music lent an island vibe. For Puerto Rico, the team reached out to Toriano and Selena Fredricks of Boricua Soul Food Truck. Arroz con pollo with gandules (green pigeon peas), pastelon (lasagna with plantains), chayote relleno (stuffed squash), asopao de pollo (chicken gumbo), and more delighted guests. The week closed out with a number of Bahamian specialties, including conch fritters, stewed chicken, and pea and dumpling soup. Bahamas-born chef Janielle Ford of Bleu Chocolát Café helped choose authentic dishes to feature. The weeklong celebration was incredibly successful. The guest count spiked 30% each day compared with prior weeks, and check averages rose, too!
Executive Sous Chef Jasan Kramer reveling in the Trine University garden
Submitted by William Allen, General Manager
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ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY HOSTS EXCEPTIONAL EAST COAST REGIONAL MEETING
Back, left to right: Cook Jason Oliveria, Lead Cook Brenda Vega, Executive Sous Chef Derek Jolie, Cook Alcina Reis, Cook Victoria LoBello, Lead Cook Joseph McCarthy, Cook Sabrina Illum, Executive Chef Jon Cambra, and Brown University Executive Chef Gerald Furtado, and in front, Brown Culinary Operations Director Ty Paup
SEVERAL DOZEN OF BON APPÉTIT’S East Coast chefs, managers, and finance and marketing staff all converged on Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, for two days of talking, learning — and of course, eating extremely well! Regional Vice President Elaine Smart explained that she convened the meeting “to bring everyone together in a casual, less stressfilled atmosphere to hear each others’ stories, celebrate our collective achievements, and prepare ourselves for another successful year.” She was grateful to have Bon Appétit President Michael Bauccio, Chief Administrative Officer Liz Baldwin, and several more from the corporate office accept her invitation to fly out, “as the importance of making the connections between the operators and the support team was invaluable.”
On the first morning of the meeting, Roger Williams University Vice President of Student Life John J. King told the group how much he values the university’s partnership with the Bon Appétit team, and why. “One of the top five reasons students come here is the food,” he said. “You folks have taken it from a basic need to an enjoyable aspect of a student’s day. They can be having a bad day, but they walk into our dining hall and have a meal that makes their day better and gives them energy — that’s a show stopper.” Executive Chef Jon Cambra, Catering Director Joe Carney, and the rest of the hardworking Roger Williams University culinary team, assisted by Brown University Director of Culinary Operations Ty Paup and Executive Chef Gerry Furtado, pulled off feast after feast, with support from General Manager James Gubata and Controller/Marketing Manager Stephanie Keith.
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A dazzling array of local seafood included stuffed razor clams and a grilled octopus salad
Lead Cook Joseph McCarthy shucked fresh oysters
The wood-fired pizzas included fresh squash blossoms
The first night began with a mixer featuring an incredible array of local seafood, including lobster, oysters, stuffed razorfish clams, grilled octopus salad, and scallop ceviche shooters; wood-fired pizza with seasonal vegetables and local meats; and a plant-forward station featured roasted cauliflower on naan with ras el hanout roasted eggplant dip. The second night featured a bountiful taco bar with whole fish, pork, chicken, beef, and tofu options and enough freshly made salsa and guacamole to feed an army. The meeting also included presentations by the East Coast regional and district managers about the highlights in their regions, a report from the three Plant-Forward Culinary Collaborative members about their work, and updates on purchasing, safety, marketing, accounting, Farm to Fork, and more. Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications
Regional Controller Angela Howk, Regional Vice President Elaine Smart, President Michael Bauccio, and District Managers Kelly McDonald and Yvonne Matteson
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CLEVELAND BOTANICAL GARDEN OFFERS LOCAL STUDENTS GARDEN TOUR AND PLANT-FORWARD DEMO
Students touring the Learning Gardens
THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, the Bon Appétit team at Cleveland Botanical Garden in Cleveland offered plant-forward cooking demos to high school students participating in a local program called Green Corps. Bon Appétiters from the Garden and nearby Case Western Reserve University, including Chef/Manager Jonathan Barger, General Manager Ed Kasper, and Registered Dietitian Megan Brzuski teamed up with Green Corps to offer the interactive series, which took place in the aptly named Learning Gardens. Founded in 1996, Green Corps is an urban agricultural work-study program for high school teens. Green Corps hires students from the community to work at one of four urban learning farms over the summer, where they also obtain valuable leadership skills. This summer’s classes were designed to inspire students to create healthy meals from garden-fresh ingredients. The lessons delved into what makes a meal nutritionally balanced and how to prepare the featured items. Students then sampled the recipes and discussed how they might alter the flavors using, for example, simple vinaigrettes. “It was rewarding to see the students genuinely take an interest in what we were teaching them,” said Megan. “Students actively
Green Corps high schoolers enjoying the “chorizo” tofu tacos
tried the foods and asked questions. It gives me hope that they learned something new and will take this information wherever they go in life!” Submitted by Colleen Reynolds, Marketing Manager
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OPENING
BON APPÉTIT FUELS STUDENTS ON THE GO AT RHODES COLLEGE
Rhodes College’s Collegiate Gothic campus sits on a 123-acre, wooded site in the heart of historic midtown Memphis
Featured at the vegan/vegetarian Grown station, this delicious bowl featured grilled bok choy, purple cabbage and tomato relish, red quinoa with pea sprouts, and crispy garbanzo beans
ANOTHER NEW ADDITION TO Bon Appétit’s Southeast family is Rhodes College, a small, private liberal arts college in Memphis, TN. To help fuel the 2,000 busy students, faculty, and staff, Bon Appétit serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late-night menu seven days a week. Guests can choose from all-you-care-to-eat dining at the Catherine Burrow Refectory (which students lovingly call “The Rat,” a storied nickname with no relationship to the quality of the food!); pub-style dining at the Lynx Lair; and graband-go items at the Middle Ground coffee shop serving French Truck, a local roaster. Rhodes is ranked #2 in the nation for its students’ commitment to community service. For a student body that’s busy not only with their studies but also with service projects and helping others, having access to convenient food options is vital. To meet this need, the Bon Appétit team added a new grab-and-go outlet at the Refectory, offering wraps, salads, chips, fresh fruit, and beverages. General Manager Doris Wilson and Executive Chef David Schrier are working on a future plan to add cold and hot prepackaged items reflecting what’s being offered on the café menu. At Lynx Lair, Bon Appétit added grab-and-go and made-to-order sushi. Guests have been enjoying the variety and quality of the food from David’s team. Along with the grill and the bakery, one of the most popular stations is South Main, which features dishes utilizing Southern ingredients given a global twist. Green chile chicken thighs with roasted poblano cream, off-the-cob elote (Mexican-style grilled corn), Southwest black beans, and red rice were a recent
The Rhodes opening team
hit, while grilled salmon fillet with citrus beurre blanc, cauliflower risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts, and green beans was another. The from-scratch offerings will only continue to expand and impress, now with the school year in full swing and the recent addition to the staff of a dedicated baker, who specializes in bread. “Going into my sophomore year with fresher, healthier, and better-tasting meal options in the Rat and the Lair has improved my residential experience greatly. Seeing the chefs, managers, and other staff behind the cooking stations shows me that they truly care about the food they are serving us,” Jia Robinson ’22 told the Rhodes client. “Dining at Rhodes has become a much better experience thanks to Bon Appétit.” Submitted by Chelsea Cordes, Resident Dietitian
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PROVENANCE INSPIRES FLIGHTS OF FANCY WITH MEDIEVAL MONSTERS EXHIBIT MENU
Provenance’s “Medieval Monsters”-inspired grilled octopus course evokes imagery of medieval sea monsters overtaking a “boat” of cucumber and seasonal vegetables
THE IDEA OF MEDIEVAL CUISINE may not have guests’ mouths watering, but the team at Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art has inspired awe with their “Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders” exhibit-themed menu. With a major exhibition exploring the complex social role of monsters in the Middle Ages, the culinary team knew they would have to capture the imagination of their guests, incorporating medieval preparations and culinary techniques while staying true to the restaurant’s focus on locally sourced ingredients. “The biggest challenge developing this menu was incorporating the summer season into medieval recipes, while plating in such a way to evoke the art in the exhibit,” said Executive Sous Chef Justin Paponetti. The “Taste the Art” first course of grilled octopus with cucumber, melon, mint, chile, and lime may sound modern, but the octopus is charred (a common cooking technique in the Middle Ages) and playfully plated to reflect the art that inspired it. A cucumber “canoe” of seasonal ingredients is overrun by an octopus tentacle, as if a sea monster were attacking the boat from beneath. Other courses offer contemporary takes on traditional medieval dishes,
Spherified Campari stands in for a plague of locusts in the Angels Chasing Demons cocktail
such as the fig-and-date hand pie with brandy ice cream and honey — an homage to the era’s traditional meat pies, in which brandy and honey were typical ingredients. The Bon Appétit team also came up with a complementary cocktail inspired by a book in the museum’s permanent collection, “Leaf From a Book of Hours: Angel Chasing a Devil and Two Devils.” The Angels Chasing Demons cocktail is topped with spherified Campari, a visual meant to evoke an end-of-days swarm of locusts as a demonic element for an otherwise angelic mixture of bourbon, lavender tea simple syrup, lemon and lime juice, and egg white. “One of our most exciting opportunities is uniting our culinary and cocktail program with the museum’s extensive art collection. Using that artwork to inspire cocktails — through subject matter, palettes, or artist influence — is incredibly rewarding and allows our guests to engage with the menus in a more physical and visual way,” Shift Supervisor Andrew Deike explained. Submitted by Valencia O’Carroll, District Social Media and PR Manager, and Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager
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OPENING
AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY SELECTS BON APPÉTIT AS ITS FIRST FOOD SERVICE PARTNER
The Azusa Pacific Bon Appétit opening team
AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY, a private Christian university located in Azusa, CA (26 miles from Los Angeles), chose Bon Appétit to be its first-ever food service provider, after feeding its own students since it was founded in 1899. “Azusa Pacific University partners with Bon Appétit for its campus dining services because of the company’s steadfast commitment to responsible food sourcing and preparation,” explained John Montesi in an article for the university’s news site. “The measures the organization takes to ensure its practices are sustainable are numerous (and still growing). It would be difficult to seek out comparable meals and ingredients as a time-crunched, cash-strapped student. But at APU, they only have to look as far as their nearest dining hall.” Senior Vice President Cary Wheeland, District Manager Bob Rall, General Manager Jennifer Carbajal, and Executive Chef Anastacio “Chito” Rodriquez worked
closely with Azusa Pacific leaders to carefully design improvements to the existing program. The transition happened in two phases: First the west campus was opened to feed summer visitors, followed by the east campus, where the main 1899 dining hall is located. Early arriving residential assistants and athletes got to try everything first. On-site Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Julie Negron staffed a table at Welcome Weekend where she hosted the first Food for Your Well-Being event, on hydration. And the Bon Appétit team hosted a very well-attended catering open house to introduce the community to the new catering options. Students have been particularly impressed with the new menus and new look for 1899, courtesy of signage and graphics from the Image & Style team, which created a much lighter and inviting space. Although the Cougar’s Den menu of burgers, pizzas, and burritos is unchanged, students have noticed the even higher food quality.
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Executive Chef Chito Rodriquez’s sesame bok choy salad was among the items served at a catering showcase
“This is the best food I have ever eaten on a college campus, hands down,” said one student after visiting 1899. “The chicken was bomb. Also thanks for being allergy friendly,” commented another, while a third marveled humorously: “Your toast is so organized. I am floored. Such beauty.” Submitted by Kari Menslage, Regional Marketing Director
GUESTS ENJOY TRADITIONAL TASTES AT TURTLE CREEK’S DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL
The zongzi were tied in bamboo leaves to be steamed
House-made zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), which are traditionally enjoyed during the Dragon Boat Festival
SERVING GUESTS FROM all over the world, Bon Appétiters are always game to host meals for a wide array of cultural celebrations, from Eid to Diwali — and now one for a Dragon Boat Festival, at Turtle Creek Offices in Dallas. A traditional holiday in China, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated near the summer solstice, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the traditional Chinese calendar.
taro root, and shiitake mushrooms; prepared short-grain sticky rice; and added crushed peanuts before wrapping the zongzi in bamboo leaves secured with string and steaming them.
Executive Chef Alan Huang grew up celebrating Dragon Boat Festivals. As a child, he learned from his mother how to make zongzi, or sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves. Zongzi are a staple of the Dragon Boat Festival; whether sweet or savory, there are many different regional varieties. For their zongzi, Alan and his team braised pork belly; sautéed bamboo shoots, shallots,
They served them alongside familiar dishes such as spring rolls and sweet and sour chicken. Guests stayed to learn about festival traditions and history, and the team enjoyed introducing dishes that were brand new to some. Submitted by Rachel Phair, General Manager
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FRED HUTCHINSON BUILDS CAMPUS CULTURE WITH LOCAL HELP
Director of Catering Rebecca Boehme helped greet guests and explain offerings
AS A SPECIAL TREAT, the culinary team at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle invited partners and farmers from around the community for a special farmers’ market. The team was excited to join forces with partners at Puget Sound Food Hub, a farmer-owned cooperative that helps market, aggregate, and distribute locally produced food from farms to local restaurants, schools, stores, and organizations. The intoxicating aroma of Cabrera Farms fresh strawberries filled the air. Chelan Fresh also brought a big seller: sweet Rainier cherries. Other popular products included Hedlin Family Farm’s vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh eggs from the Cascadia Cooperative, Samish Bay local cheese and yogurt, and rhubarb preserves from Girl Meets Dirt. One guest bought Caruso Farms’ entire supply of Persian cucumbers! Throughout the event Executive Chef Diego Torres remained onhand to introduce farmers and recall his tours of their operations. After he told his story of visiting Whidbey Pies for the first time, guests lined up for fresh-baked cherry and apple pies. Submitted by Jay Payne, General Manager
Fresh strawberries from Cabrera Farms
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NEW FELLOWS W E LCOM E TO T H E
A new crop of food-activist students joins Bon AppĂŠtit Management Company to learn about the food system and educate others.
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FROM THE FELLOWS | CARRIE CULLEN
FROM FILM SCHOOL TO FOOD ACTIVISM “During my final year at Emerson, the school’s administration switched food service providers to Bon Appétit. Suddenly my peers and I had a team of dining service allies who were fighting for the same sustainability initiatives on campus that we’d spent our whole college career pushing for.”
I
had a complicated relationship with food growing up. Living with chronic stomach trouble, eating seemed like a chore that I met with fear and resistance. It took me years to realize that it wasn’t my body that was failing me — it was the system my food came from. I grew up in a large Italian family where cooking is a labor of love. My grandfather is one of 10, and he often notes his impoverished mother’s gift for keeping her children fed. She looked to the Earth to help feed her children, tending to a backyard garden and baking bread from simple, whole ingredients. The smell of that bread baking, the timeless art of which was passed down to my mother, defines my childhood. I now appreciate food for what it is: spiritual medicine that brings people together. Eighteen years and countless pounds of pasta later, I swapped my small New Jersey town for Boston’s Emerson College and film school. As I struggled to adapt to life away from home, my relationship with food strained as my health issues worsened. Simultaneously, increasing numbers of my loved ones began falling ill, seemingly out of the blue. It opened the door for serious questions about the impact of our environment on human health. I enrolled in every environmental studies class possible as dreams of Hollywood glamor took a backseat to activism. With sustainability in mind, I transitioned to a less-processed, vegan diet. To my surprise, my chronic health problems improved. I began connecting the dots between my health and the quality of the processed food I had been eating, ultimately realizing that I couldn’t be the only one unknowingly sickened by industrial agriculture. Soon I was living again, this time determined to channel my newfound energy toward healing the planet and my loved ones sickened by its state. I spent my remaining college years organizing with my peers for environmental reform on and off campus. Instead of spending summers in the city interning at film companies, I worked on climate policy campaigns, volunteered in gardens, and even lived in solitude on a farm to film my capstone project. Senior year, I spent a semester in Hollywood, a program intended to connect Emerson students to the film industry. I chose an internship
Fellow Carrie Cullen (center) and friends at the 2016 March for Science in Boston
in regenerative agriculture instead. My dorm overlooked the Hollywood sign, but I had never felt so distant from it all. During my final year at Emerson, the school’s administration switched food service providers to Bon Appétit. Suddenly my peers and I had a team of dining service allies who were fighting for the same sustainability initiatives on campus that we’d spent our whole college career pushing for. Part of the uphill journey toward campus sustainability was leveled for us. I was also able to eat on campus — and really eat, without wondering if I’d survive the rest of the day. The switch reminded me of the medicinal power of food. Learning of the Bon Appétit fellowship brought my path back into clarity. I’m grateful to continue fighting for an ethical, sustainable food revolution with the team that improved my college experience. Following graduation, I moved to Los Angeles as I have long dreamed — but to work in the business of sustainable eating, not entertainment.
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FROM THE FELLOWS | LILY GROSS
BEE-ING THE CHANGE “As college progressed, when asked about post-grad plans, I began to respond: ‘I want to go into the private sector, work in food and beverage, and fix the food system.’ Yet I felt unsure of how to direct this passion productively into a career.”
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Michigan native, I grew up spending most of the summer catching frogs and picking wild black raspberries at my grandparents’ cottage. Looking back, that portion of my childhood existed in a curious utopia. I never feared that my environment or the food I ate could make me sick. The worst danger in my young mind was getting a splinter from running too fast on the dock. I was blissfully ignorant of what troubled the world around me. As I grew up, I became increasingly aware of the social and environmental issues in our world and, in particular, our food system. I began to read everything I could get my hands on about it, eager to find solutions. Senior year of high school, I started a club that was intended to inform students about eating well and supporting local organizations that try to improve accessibility to food. After graduation, unsure of the path to take in college, I took a gap year in which I spent three months in Bolivia and Peru. While there, I learned about the impact that increased demand for quinoa in the United States has had on South American economies. This high demand for quinoa drove up prices and shifted South American diets toward more affordable staples such as rice and wheat. After this eye-opening experience abroad, I started at Denison University in Granville, OH, determined to learn as much as I could about food systems while creating change at the university level. This passion took hold in my major, environmental studies, and collaborative efforts with the Bon Appétit team at Denison.
The summer after my freshman year I conducted research on colony collapse disorder, or bee loss, and the resulting impacts on Ohio agriculture. My research culminated with the creation of a website (TheBuzzonBees.org) and quickly earned a nickname that would follow me for the rest of college: “The Bee Girl.” As college progressed, when asked about post-grad plans, I began to respond: “I want to go into the private sector, work in food and beverage, and fix the food system.” Yet I felt unsure of how to direct this passion productively into a career that could create positive change in the food industry. I found this path the summer after my junior year in San Francisco while working for two incredible organizations: CUESA and KitchenTown. CUESA (the Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture) is a nonprofit that connects farmers to consumers and major restaurants in the Bay Area while operating three farmers’ markets. It is a perfect example of the potential for change when an organization and community band together to support local agriculture and work toward cultivating a healthy food system. KitchenTown, meanwhile, is an innovative incubator for food start-ups that offers a safety net for entrepreneurs with amazing ideas while providing them with the resources and know-how to propel their start-ups forward. Both CUESA and KitchenTown offer unique approaches to creating positive change by simultaneously educating consumers and supporting more sustainable products.
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Lily Gross interning at CUESA’s Ferry Plaza farmers’ market
Senior year, I had the opportunity to chair the dining committee at Denison and work closely with the Bon Appétit team. I also worked part-time for Bon Appétit through the Street Team, a position intended to help bridge the gap between Denison Dining Services staff and students by creating an avenue for honest feedback. Through both of these organizations, we successfully implemented a Greenie reusable container pilot program to offer a sustainable alternative to single-use clamshells. The Fellowship feels like a natural extension of my internships and work in college, sharing Bon Appétit’s mission and acting as a bridge to engage students. I am excited to educate the next generation of consumers and empower them to make decisions that are good for themselves and the planet. I am so honored to join Bon Appétit in driving change in our food system.
FROM THE FELLOWS | SAMUEL MARTIN
PIECE BY PIECE, BUILDING A FOOD STORY “After each summer, I would return to campus eager to learn more about our food system…. I found that Pitzer’s food service operator (none other than Bon Appétit!) knew a great deal about all these problems already, and its teams were leading the industry toward systematic change.”
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came to Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, with a high school degree and not much else — just a desire to be in nature and protect it. Since I was a kid, I’ve found solace in the peacefulness of the outdoors, and that sentiment has stuck with me. It also led me down many paths during my undergraduate years, in which I considered ecological research, conservation work, sustainable development and planning, and even teaching as potential career fields. In my first year, I remember thinking how broad my major of “environmental analysis” was, thanks to the vast number of ways we interact with the environments that surround us and the considerable ways they also shape us and everything we know. Eventually, I grew eager to choose a specialization. Following the summer of my first year at Pitzer, I went home to San Diego. About a month into the summer, my friend watched a documentary and said it was so powerful that it influenced her to give up eating meat. Intrigued why anyone would want to do that and wanting to better understand her decision, I opted to watch the movie myself. The documentary was called “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,” and it had a deep impact on me instantly. Watching it made me feel like a hypocrite (and as a once-careless eater, rightly so). The film forced me to realize the connection between food production and other environmental issues across the globe: pollution runoff from industrial farms using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, greenhouse gas emissions released in animal agriculture and their effect on climate, deforestation due to farmland and grazing
space needs, and the list goes on. Knowing these things, I figured the best place to start was with my own actions, and I decided to become vegetarian, too. I used the following summers to build on my relationship to and understanding of food. The summer after my sophomore year, I worked on neighboring Pomona College’s annual sustainability report and got a glimpse of a self-operated college food service model committed to sustainability. In tracking and analyzing the campus’s food purchases, I was able to see the delicate balancing act that managers and chefs deal with on a day-to-day basis to ensure healthy, delicious, sustainable, and affordable food for a campus of several thousands of students, faculty, and staff. Last summer, I worked for a medium-sized hay ranch and learned a lot about what it takes to maintain a fruitful agriculture business. Being from a metropolitan beach town, the country lifestyle was something entirely new to me. But ready or not, the next three and a half months of my life consisted of operating and servicing 16-footwide swathers (basically, massive lawn mowers), tractors, balers, water trucks, and so on, from 4 a.m. until whenever we finished what we were doing that day. I learned so much about harvesting a unique commodity like hay as well as general agricultural techniques such as sowing seeds, rotating crops, applying fertilizer, and tilling, and about commercial sales. After each summer, I would return to campus eager to learn more about our food system and apply my reinvigorated passion to make an impact. I found that Pitzer’s
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New Fellow Sam Martin driving a tractor with a hay baler at last summer’s internship, a hay ranch in Bishop, CA
food service operator (none other than Bon Appétit!) knew a great deal about all these problems already, and its teams were leading the industry toward systematic change. For the three years that I worked for the campus sustainability office, I relished the opportunity to collaborate with the Bon Appétit team. One of my proudest achievements was contributing to the resurgence of a faltering food-recovery program by training new members, scheduling volunteers, and marketing our Food Recovery Network chapter. During that time, I also tracked relevant compost data, managed a reusable dining item checkout program for events on campus, and created informational materials for food-related events, such as a screening of “Wasted! The Story of Food Waste.” Nearing the end of college, I looked back on my experiences and realized that almost all of them shared a common element: food! Each of my courses, projects with the dining hall, and summer internships provided complementary teachings to help me better understand the complexities of our food system. They have also driven my hunger to learn more. Now, I am ecstatic to continue my learning with Bon Appétit as a Fellow and to share these important stories with others.
The Instagram Stories guide explains why you should spend time on something that will disappear in 24 hours
Photography Guide ● Know and be able to articulate your goals
Photography Guide
● Understand your target audience (what social media platforms do they use, how do they behave, what are their interests?) ● Measure results so you can improve over time
The advertising guide starts with the basics but dives deep, from boosting posts to using Ads Manager
The photography guide gives plenty of general tips as well as examples of do’s and don’ts
NEW TOOLS FOR TASTY SOCIAL MEDIA Is your unit’s Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter presence as appetizing as your café offerings? We’ve got a comprehensive set of new and updated tools to help make sure your feeds are both brand-aligned and effective. The photography guide gives tips for capturing beautiful photos with your smartphone to use not just for social media but also for submitting to Bravo. The Instagram Stories guide explains how this new storytelling medium differs from regular posts and shares best practices and tricks for leveraging Stories to increase your guest engagement. Speaking of engagement — sometimes you have to pay for it. The Facebook & Instagram advertising guide will help you get started with social media advertising to enhance your guest experience and to increase sales; it includes helpful case studies for typical Bon Appétit advertising needs.
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Lastly, there’s a brand new guide for handling social media transitions, such as when we’re starting an Instagram for a brand-new campus, inheriting an existing account, switching managers, and more. Find them all on the extranet under Marketing/PR » PR/Communications » Social Media.
The social media transitions guide gives step-by-step guidance for starting, switching, or shutting down accounts, including a library of approved images to use such as this one
OPENING
NEW BON APPÉTIT CAFÉ FOR KAISER PERMANENTE IS THRIVING
The Kaiser Permanente PTC Thrive Café opening team
Sous Chef Jose Barba slides pizza into the Woodstone oven
RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF AMERICA’S leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans, Kaiser Permanente recently partnered with Bon Appétit to run the café serving 4,000 of Kaiser’s information technology staff in Pleasanton, CA. The PTC Thrive Café adheres to Kaiser Permanente’s Healthy Food Program guidelines, which align and even in some cases exceed Bon Appétit’s own nutrition and wellness standards: no deepfried foods, no foods with more than 15 grams added sugar, and set calorie maximums for entrées, snacks, sides, and beverages. Executive Chef Shelita Acosta, General Manager Cory Van Kempen, and the rest of the Bon Appétit team have risen to the challenge of creating a craveable food program that met these guidelines. At the Spoon and Spice station, Line Cook Pushparaj Swaminathan’s authentic Indian dishes have already created quite a following. Shelita uses the Explore station to highlight a rotating menu of global dishes. The Farmers’ Market, Wood & Stone, Charred, Leaves & Greens, Bread & Pickles, and Quench stations feature additional vibrant, seasonally changing, best-of-BonAppétit fare, while an in-café coffee bar provides hot and cold coffee drinks throughout the day. Appropriately for a café serving busy IT staff, lunch can be ordered ahead using Nextep online, or via seven kiosks in the café. Everything from PTC Thrive is available for preorder and pickup, with the exception of deli bar and salad bar items.
Line Cook Pushparaj Swaminathan’s authentic Indian curries at the Spoon and Spice station are very popular
The reception from Kaiser Permanente guests has been very positive, with many thanking the Bon Appétit team for the new abundance of vegetarian and vegan items — including raves for a “meatless meatloaf” — and for the authentic Indian food. Wrote one guest in an email: “I wanted to express my congratulations [for] the chicken and celeriac piccata. That is fine dining at its best. The bell peppers, capers, and wine sauce…. I could drink it or pour over all my lunch; that is some good stuff…. All I need is a glass of white wine or a glass of champagne!” Submitted by Cory Van Kempen, General Manager
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DENISON HITS THE GROUNDS RUNNING WITH NEW COFFEE SHOP
The new Common Grounds cafĂŠ at Denison
THE NEW COMMON GROUNDS COFFEE SHOP provides students at Denison University in Granville, OH, a quick stop on their way to morning classes or late-night study sessions. The team spent the weeks prior to the start of school working out kinks, nailing down drink recipes, and getting a handle on the new space. Come opening, the shop ran like a well-oiled machine, and the day included fun giveaways, gifts, and snacks for any students
who stopped by to visit. Returning students appreciated the upgrade, and admired the modern look and feel. With a successful opening day under their belt, the team is excited to help fuel students for the new school year. Submitted by Jennifer Pugh, Catering Manager
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MIT HOSTS PLANT-FORWARD CULINARY TRAINING FOR EAST COAST REGION
MIT Director of Culinary Operations Brian Dagnall and Wesleyan University Executive Chef John Cyr filled their watermelon radish taco “shells” with millet and flank steak
TWO DOZEN BON APPÉTIT CULINARIANS from multiple East Coast education accounts and the company’s Plant-Forward Culinary Collaborative (PFCC) working group recently descended on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, for the region’s first plant-forward culinary training. National Nutrition Project Manager Sarah Anzlovar along with two of the local PFCC members, Regional Manager of Nutrition Daniele Rossner and Colby College Executive Chef Carmen Allen, led the half-day event aimed at showing attendees how to integrate more plant-forward concepts into their cafés. Wellness & Nutrition Executive Chef Dean Holliday prepared rutabaga mac n ‘cheese.’ This take on the rutabaga fondue at Vedge, a popular Philadelphia restaurant, has an umami-rich sauce made from roasted rutabagas, miso, nutritional yeast, and other plantbased ingredients. PFCC member Chris Lenza, executive chef at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, made a standout berry chocolate avocado chia pudding for dessert.
Then the attendees got to apply what they learned in a fun contest: working in teams, they had to create two plant-forward dishes — one showcasing a new technique and another making use of five mystery-basket ingredients in a plant-forward recipe. Criteria for winning included most creative use of the five ingredients (consisting of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and a small amount of animal protein) and most innovative strategy. Director of Nutrition & Wellness Terri Brownlee, Carmen, and PFCC member and Vassar College Executive Chef Everett Francis were the judges. MIT Director of Culinary Operations Brian Dagnall and Wesleyan University Executive Chef John Cyr won for their creative dirty millet and flank steak chimichurri taco, which used a thinly sliced watermelon radish as the shell. Colby College Chef/Manager Lydia Kumpa and MIT Chef/Manager Bill McComiskey nabbed the innovative strategy prize for making a sauce from raisins and gooseberries for their wheat berry and turkey croquettes, which were served with spinach and pepita-crusted beets.
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Savory breakfast bowls with wheat berries, quinoa, and pinto beans served with a fried egg and yogurt dressing
Colby College Chef/Manager Lydia Kumpa talks about her wheat berry and turkey croquettes
John finishing the watermelon tacos
After the competition, attendees sat down to a family-style meal, capping an inspiring day with an equally inspiring menu featuring all of the day’s dishes. Submitted by Sarah Anzlovar, National Nutrition Project Manager
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Executive Chef Chris Lenza’s berry chocolate chia puddings
EMORY UNVEILS DOBBS COMMON TABLE
EMORY UNIVERSITY COMPLETED the final phase of the new Emory Student Center in time for the start of school, saying a fond goodbye to the DUC-ling — the temporary dining hall that served the Atlanta campus during the long construction phase. Students marveled at the bright, spacious facility and its food marketplace, The Dobbs Common Table, which seats almost 800 students. The center also boasts a convenience store, the Eagle Emporium; a Kaldi’s Coffee shop; and lots of open spaces for studying, socializing, and collaboration. When students enter, a casual space called Crossroads offers coffee, pastries, and soft-serve ice cream — along with comfortable seating to enjoy them in. On the ceiling of Dobbs Common Table is a colorful abstract mural by Atlanta-based artist Christina Kwan. Dobbs’ 10 stations include a Mongolian-style grill, dedicated pizza and tandoori ovens, a rotisserie, and a carving station. A stem to root station offers an all-vegan menu, while an “avoiding-gluten” one allows students to do just that. Kosher and halal options are available as well. In keeping with Bon Appétit’s and Emory’s commitments to sustainability, Dobbs Common Table is entirely trayless.
The Indian food at Fire and Spice “tastes like a lot of the homecooked food [that] I would eat at my Indian friends’ houses,” student Jacob Ribotsky told the Emory Wheel. Meanwhile over at the Eagle Emporium, students can find snacks (many locally sourced!), groceries, toiletries, confectioneries, and soft drinks, along with a full-service deli station with a panini press turning out toasty sandwiches. Soups of the day and a makeyour-own salad station keep things ultra-fresh. Guests can also choose wraps and sushi from the grab-and-go offerings. The opening came together thanks to lots of hard work, including from Residential Director of Operations Dawyn Patterson, Director of Operations Eric Foster, Executive Chef Tarun Kapoor, Eagle Emporium General Manager Leah Schuler, and Executive Sous Chef Jonathan Oliver. Submitted by Allison D. Mitchell, Director of Community Engagement & Marketing Photo credits: Kay Hinton and Ann Watson, Emory University
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Dobbs Common Market’s Stem to Root station offers a craveable plant-based menu
Students can grab not just coffee and tea but smoothies, entrées, and salads from the new Kaldi’s Coffee shop
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SNAPSHOTS OF SAFETY SAS STANDS FOR SAFETY ALL-STARS
SAS Building C’s safety all-stars
The Building 3 team at SAS in Cary, NC, just celebrated an astounding seven years accident free. “It can be done, top-driven leadership is where it starts!” said Steve Samuelson, director of integrated safety, who congratulated General Manager Joseph Dowe and District Manager Liz Simmonds. “If it is important to
the boss, it will be important to everyone.” Catering Director Seth Howe also deserves kudos for training and encouraging the team’s safety champions. But the real credit for this achievement goes to the entire team, who embrace Bon Appétit’s safety culture all day, every day. — Submitted by Joseph Dowe, General Manager
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VIVINT SMART HOME STAFFS ARE SAFETY-SAVVY The Bon Appétit teams at three Vivint Smart Home locations in Utah are a triple threat when it comes to safety — they all have records of more than 1,500 days accident free! These managers have implemented additional safety trainings, conduct monthly safety audits, and train their staff to call each other out and encourage safety by holding each other accountable, explains District Manager Alban Newton. — Submitted by Chloe McCombs, Marketing Manager
Led by Executive Chef Ted Mathesius, the Vivint Smart Home - Provo team has passed 2,200 days accident free — and proudly wears these custom-made safety jerseys on Fridays
The Lindon team, led by Executive Chef Shane Koense, is at 1,900 days and counting
The Lehi campus, led by Executive Chef Giuseppe Randazzo, is nipping at Lindon’s heels with 1,700-plus days
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MEDTRONIC TEAMS BAT OVER A THOUSAND
The Medtronic - Mounds View team
The Medtronic teams in Minnesota have some stiff competition in the safety race with their colleagues: those at the locations in MECC and Sullivan Lake have gone more than a decade each without an incident! The group in Mounds View is on their way, however, having passed 1,600 days accident free. They celebrated with a drawing for grilling supplies to be used over an upcoming holiday weekend. And to mark their own move into the quadruple digits, the Bon Appétit managers at Medtronic operational headquarters in Minneapolis thanked their crew with cupcakes for their commitment and dedication to keeping safety a top priority each day. “We’re looking forward to 2,000!” said one employee. — Submitted by Tracy Haraldson, Café Manager, and Cheri Schimm, Assistant General Manager
Celebrating 1,000 days accident free at Medtronic operational headquarters in Minneapolis
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OBERLIN TEAM SPEAKS UP FOR SAFETY Over the summer, as outdoor grills were being fired up, the Bon Appétit team at Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH, was approached by campus Environmental Health and Safety Manager Claudia Ferrini to speak at the monthly meeting of the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce’s Safety Council.
The Oberlin safety delegation, left to right: Oberlin College Environmental Health and Safety Manager Claudia Ferrini, Bon Appétit Dietitian/Marketing Manager Eric Pecherkiewicz, General Manager Wayne Wood, and Assistant General Manager Bill Bolton
The local CEOs, COOs, and industry safety experts in attendance at this high-profile event may have braced themselves for a post-lunch (yawn) program of dry safety facts and figures, but the Bon Appétiters led them through an interactive hourlong meeting that began with Assistant General Manager Bill Bolton’s custom Kahoot! game, followed with Dietitian/ Marketing Manager Eric Pecherkiewicz’s safety-minded talk on safe food handling at summer picnic events, and ended with General Manager Wayne Wood’s doorprize giveaway featuring — appropriately — an insulated picnic basket complete with an instant-read food thermometer! — Submitted by Wayne Wood, General Manager
TARGET SURPASSES TWO-YEAR MARKER
The Target Plaza Café team savors the sweetness of a major safety milestone
The Target Plaza Café team in Minneapolis passed their safety two-year milestone — “quite an accomplishment in a busy café that also does a strong catering business,” said District Manager Paul Adams.
According to General Manager Jim Klein, the strong safety culture comes from all managers and staff believing in it. Cook and Safety Champion Cicely Miller and others talk safety every day at the 10@10
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meeting, obey the signage, and use their safety callouts loud and proud. — Submitted by Jessie Gentz, Regional Marketing Director
SPRINGING INTO SUMMER SEASON AT THE GATES FOUNDATION
Fresh produce and eggs from Farm to Fork partner Osprey Hill Farm
THE BON APPÉTIT TEAM at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle welcomed an array of Seattle farmers and producers at a Spring Into Summer celebration. Farm to Fork partners Geoff and Anna Martin of Osprey Hill Farm brought fresh produce, humanely raised poultry, and farm fresh eggs. Fresh-pressed blueberry juice from Bow Hill Blueberries also delighted guests. They lined up for the blueberry preserves and dried blueberry powder, but the feature product made the biggest impression — pickled blueberries! Everyone mixed and mingled in idyllic summer weather. Guests enjoyed complimentary tastes of Executive Chef Paul Rosquita’s goat cheese crostini, which he
The team celebrates a successful summertime farmers’ market, left to right: Sales Account Manager Mark Whims (Puget Sound Food Hub), Operations Manager Jason Posey, General Manager Daniel W. Roberts, Co-Owners Geoff and Anna Martin (Osprey Hill Farm), and Sales and Marketing Manager Michelle Perkins (Bow Hill Blueberries)
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OBERLIN COLLEGE’S OASIS PANTRY EXPANDS OPTIONS FOR FOOD-ALLERGIC GUESTS
A student reading the ingredient list on a nondairy yogurt in the Oasis Pantry
topped with Bow Hill pickled blueberries. Operations Manager Jason Posey and the team put together giveaway bags full of ingredients to make a bright vegetable salad, including a recipe card for charred scallion vinaigrette. General Manager Daniel W. Roberts and Café Supervisor Veronica Coria set up a table for the giveaway bags, as well as local floral arrangements, assorted succulents, and a sparkling shrub beverage from Orcas Island vendor Girl Meets Dirt. Sales Account Manager Mark Whims from Farm to Fork partner Puget Sound Food Hub answered questions and shared the importance of supporting local farmers.
IN RESPONSE TO THE ever-growing need to accommodate guests with food allergies, the Bon Appétit team at Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH, introduced Oasis Pantry, a new adaptation of the Oasis concept. Rolled out by Bon Appétit’s corporate wellness team, all Oasis offerings are free of the eight major allergens. Oasis Pantry houses commercially made foods whose ingredient lists are free of the eight major food allergens as well. With dedicated heating equipment and foods that may be enjoyed in café or as takeout items, such as nondairy yogurts and spreads to pizzas and other ready-to-eat foods, the options in this expanded area of Stevenson Café increase the variety of choices for Oberlin students with multiple food allergies.
Guests commented on their excitement to see the return of the campus farmers’ market, and several attendees did their entire week’s worth of shopping at the event!
Oasis Pantry was an immediate hit, even during the earliest days of the new academic year. One returning student literally yelled with joy when she realized she could buy a familiar pizza she loved as part of the campus dining meal plan. Another student was moved to tell Rebecca Mosely, Oberlin’s director for equity, diversity, and inclusion, how much they liked “the direction Campus Dining is headed.”
Submitted by Jason Posey, Operations Manager
Submitted by Eric Pecherkiewicz, Dietitian/Marketing Manager
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SNAP SHOWCASES LOCAL OFFERINGS AT SUMMERTIME FARMERS’ MARKET
Candied mandarinquat tarts
Cheesy 60-degree summer squash salad
THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE a perfectly ripe strawberry in summer! At Snap in Santa Monica, CA, the Bon Appétit team celebrated the Southern California bounty of seasonal produce with a lunchtime farmers’ market at the Greenway. They also offered samples of individual dishes highlighting the local ingredients. The menu included Snap Food Program Manager Joe Banet’s heirloom tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches; grilled corn with jalapeño-pepita honey butter by Sous Chef Sheila Marron; Sous Chef Terrence Leon Guerrero’s 60-degree summer squash salad; Sous Chef Victor Cayo’s garlic black radishes with aji verde; and mixed lettuce salad by Sous Chef Carly Ehrlich. For a sweet finish, guests enjoyed Sous Chef Nestor Loza Morales’ chilled strawberry soup, and candied mandarinquat tart with diplomat cream by Baker Annie Marron.
Talented twins: Baker Annie and Sous Chef Sheila Marron proudly present their farmers’ market specials
Submitted by Caroline Garfink, Catering Manager
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Sous Chef Nestor Loza Morales serves up his chilled strawberry soup
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY RAMPS UP PLANT-FORWARD NEW MISO STIRS THINGS UP
Excitement bubbled at Case Western Reserve University’s Tinkham Veale University Center when the Bon Appétit team recently launched Miso, its new regionally inspired Asian retail concept, replacing a naan one in the retail-focused space. Feedback from last year’s student food forums on the Cleveland-based campus contributed directly to the new offering, which the team and client sides embraced with enthusiasm. Lo mein and rice entrees, coupled with orange chicken, pepper steak, and a seafood special, feature prominently. Guests can also build their own ramen bowls, selecting their preferred protein and noodle type, with optional add-ons and sides such as egg rolls, edamame salad, cucumber salad, and more. — Submitted by Colleen Reynolds, Marketing Manager A pop-up promoting the new Harvest station offered blended jackfruit sliders for sampling
INSPIRED BY HIS WORK with Bon Appétit’s new Plant-Forward Culinary Collaborative, Executive Chef Derek Ivancic turned the former global station in Leutner Commons at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland into one called Harvest. While some offerings will remain, such as the popular stir-fry bar, Harvest’s focus will be more intentionally plant-forward. Two new menu items will debut weekly, such as the pulled chicken-and-jackfruit blended sliders that launched the station, followed by made-to-order crêpes filled with a choice of lentil, mushroom, asparagus, Swiss, and chicken. Both have quickly proven popular. To kick off the new station, the marketing and dietitian teams co-hosted a lunchtime pop-up during orientation week with prominent signage and menu samples that disappeared quickly. Submitted by Colleen Reynolds, Marketing Manager
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The lo mein noodle plate features an assortment of colorful vegetables
ELECTRONIC ARTS WINE EXPERIENCE DAZZLES 900-PLUS GUESTS
The indoor-outdoor space was filled for the late-afternoon event
FOR THEIR FIRST EVER wine experience event, the Bon AppĂŠtit team at Electronic Arts in Redwood City, CA, sought to not only educate guests about wine, but also to increase engagement. Representatives from the 13 invited wineries showed up in force, offering 52 different wines for tasting and purchasing over the course of the three-hour, late-day event that drew an incredible 923 guests. Guest sommelier Chris Miller presented three Wine 101 classes, so everyone could learn as they sipped and enjoyed tuna tartare,
anchovy-stuffed olives, filet mignon sliders, and more. Attendees took home logoed wine glasses as commemorative gifts. The Electronic Arts clients were thrilled with the strong showing. At least one vice president and several senior directors said they wished the event could continue long past its official end-time. More glowing feedback arrived later, including a call to repeat the event quarterly and one declaration that the event was the best one ever hosted at Electronic Arts. Submitted by Ariana Tanimura, Catering Manager
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NEW FEAST STATION PROMOTES ‘WELLBEAING’ A new station in Commons Café underscores Electronic Arts’ commitment to holistic nutrition and to supporting employees’ wellbEAing. Called Feast, the station focuses on choice, taste, and substance through offering balanced meals, nutrient-dense snacks, and hydrating beverages to help guests feel and be their best. Initial entrée offerings include roasted salmon filet or tofu steak with dill- and garlic-marinated heirloom tomatoes, with sides such as spaghetti squash with pesto or cauliflower rice with champagne vinaigrette. “I love the new Feast station,” enthused a guest. “Your team has found ways to turn healthy foods into those that are fun to eat!” — Submitted by Ariana Tanimura, Catering Manager
Glasses at the ready
Some of Feast’s nutrient-dense offerings
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Paige Bossart, Executive Chef Jon Hall, Cook Teodoro Campus, and Global Director of Food Service Chris Bifano show off Feast Filet mignon sliders made sure no one imbibed on an empty stomach
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WASH U HIGHLIGHTS ST. LOUIS SPECIALTIES WITH NEW PARKSIDE CAFÉ
Parkside Café offers stunning views of the iconic Brookings Hall, one of the most recognizable buildings in St. Louis
AT THE RECENTLY OPENED Parkside Café in the new Schnuck Pavilion at Washington University in St. Louis, locals will be able to order a pork steak, along with many other hometown specialties. (Pro tip: Pronounce it “park steak.”) A flexible, multiuse facility, the 18,000-square-foot pavilion boasts outdoor dining terraces overlooking Brookings Hall and Tisch Park. The university hopes Parkside Café will attract diverse groups to gather. Open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., Parkside Café offers mobile and online ordering, plus kiosks where visitors may place their orders ahead of time and receive notifications when items are ready. Campus Executive Chef Patrick McElroy developed the menu in consultation with
a committee of students, staff, faculty, and representatives of the Schnuck Family, the building’s namesake. “It was a clear objective of the planning team to give the menu at Parkside Café a distinct local St. Louis flair,” he said. Menu offerings include options that are both healthy and tasty, at students’ explicit request. Beyond Burgers, grass-fed beef hamburgers, kale Caesar salad, and tomato and mozzarella salad are on offer, along with toasted ravioli (a local St. Louis delicacy) and fried chicken po’ boys on a hoagie bun. Additional selections abound. The carvery’s specialty wraps and sandwiches range from a turkey pesto wrap to a grilled Korean flank steak with kimchi. Several regional favorites will rotate as specials throughout the week, such as Italian sausage with peppers and onions,
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A Parkside kale Caesar
glazed St. Louis barbecue pork steak with macaroni pasta salad, and Nashville hot chicken with a tomato-cucumber salad. Submitted by Rob Staggenborg, Marketing Manager
SAS TREATS HAVE GUESTS WANTING S’MORE!
The s’mores bar awaits SAS “campers” with graham crackers, milk chocolate bars, and housemade marshmallows
THE CULINARY TEAM AT SAS in Cary, NC, brought everyone’s favorite camping treat inside for National S’mores Day. Pastry Chef Audrey Heath concocted her own fluffy house-made marshmallows, and guests lined up to create and customize their own s’mores. A highlight of the event was a safe and controlled marshmallow roaster designed in-house by the team. They utilized a small cast-iron pot, sterno, screen sink stopper, bamboo box, and pebble rocks to create an indoor campfire. Guests enjoyed the whimsical event, satisfying their sweet tooth and returning for seconds as they reminisced about camping trips with their families. Submitted by Annie Spears, Director of Food Service
An SAS guest roasts a marshmallow over the miniature fire pit
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JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY COMPLETES PHASE ONE OF MAKEOVER TUCKED INTO THE HEART of the Johns Hopkins University campus in Baltimore, the Levering Kitchens and Café is thriving after completion of the first phase of a dual-phase renovation. Levering sports a brand new façade, modern digital signage, and a wood sign customdesigned by local artist Melvin Thomas. The new menu showcases local vendors such as Pâtisserie Poupon, a bakery that makes the pastries sold fresh each day, and the women-owned coffee company Thread Coffee Roasters, which supplies all espresso-based drinks, drip coffee, and cold brew. Guests are happy to wait their turn for morning cappuccinos, thanks to smiling Barista Jeffrey Allen. In the main retail space downstairs, Levering now has freshly painted dining rooms and transformed grill and wok stations. Campus Executive Chef Philippe Chin and Chef/ Manager Thomas D’Amico created a new, more diverse grill menu to highlight plant proteins and healthier meats and fats, such as a chipotle black-bean burger and a turkey avocado burger. The team also brought in celebrated Chinese cooking expert, chef, and author Kian Lam Kho to train the staff for the wok station. Students are snapping up the beef and sesame green beans, baked organic tofu, and spicy bulgogi pork. Improvements are apparent in the graband-go offerings as well. Resident District Manager Abdel Anane’s challenged the team to commit even more to local vendors and authentic Asian flavors to this program, too. City Seeds, a local organization dedicated to providing quality food and good jobs, provides the Tokyo rice bowls and vegan wraps. Local ice cream from Taharka Brothers is a favorite as well.
The new grill menu includes a chipotle black-bean burger and lighter proteins such as grilled turkey and chicken as well as the old favorites
Cooks Tramaine Brandon, Marlene Gillmore, and Donald Lee execute Levering’s revamped grill menu
“I appreciate that Bon Appétit is always willing to take feedback from the Hopkins community and shake things up!” said Director of Residential Life Allison Avolio. “I’ve been at Johns Hopkins for three renditions of Levering — and this is by far the brightest I’ve seen it.”
More positive changes are on tap for the renovation’s second phase. It will include Fresh, a concept focused entirely on whole grains and local produce, and Butterfly, José Andrés’ tortas and tacos concept, inspired by the diverse regional street foods of Mexico. Submitted by Victoria McGrath, Marketing Manager
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KNOX COLLEGE FUNDRAISES FOR FOOD INSECURITY
Popcorn grits with charred corn, onion, and smoked Gouda earned favorite dish status
THE BON APPÉTIT TEAM at Knox College in Galesburg, IL, recently donated a Chef’s Table to a fundraiser for Blessings in a Backpack, a nonprofit whose many chapters work to ease food insecurity in communities nationwide. Executive Chef Joe Peterson and his fellow Bon Appétiters prepared a 10-course meal for the winning bidders, whose $600 will go to feed area children. Served in the Lincoln Room in Knox’s Seymour Union, dishes included butternut squash ravioli
with sage cream sauce, red wine braised beef on puréed purple potatoes, and blistered tomatoes with fried mozzarella, chive oil, and balsamic reduction, among many others. The popcorn grits with charred corn, onion, and smoked Gouda, served in an unusual glass globe, was much exclaimed over. Joe and the team were extremely pleased to use their talents to raise funds for such a worthwhile cause. Submitted by Doug Stenfeldt, General Manager
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OPENING
BON APPÉTIT EXPANDS TO KENTUCKY WITH TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY FOUNDED IN 1780, Transylvania University — fondly known as “Transy” — has the distinction of being the 16th oldest institution of higher learning in the country and counts two U.S. vice presidents, two Supreme Court justices, 50 senators, and 101 representatives among its alumni. The Southeast Bon Appétit team was thrilled to add Kentucky to its region by partnering with Transy for the Lexington campus. Bon Appétit’s mission to provide “food service for a sustainable future” through delicious, nutritious, and responsibly sourced meals reflects the university’s values and commitment to the well-being of the campus community. General Manager Chris Harris, Executive Chef Desmond Young, and the rest of the Bon Appétit team serve 700 Transy students, faculty, and staff daily from the Rafskeller Café. Known as “The Raf,” the café’s name is a pun on the word rathskeller (German for a basement-level restaurant) and Constantine Rafinesque, a 19th-century botanist, inventor, and Transylvania professor. The campus’s love of puns struck again when students overwhelmingly voted through an online poll to rename a campus coffee shop Gratz Perk Café, a nod to Gratz Park, the original site of the college before it moved to its current location. The name was not the only thing the students had a say in. The Bon Appétit team invited three local roasters to do a taste test with the community, and Nate’s Coffee emerged the winner, becoming Transy’s first enrolled Farm to Fork partner. Students and faculty have been very happy with the changes, one of which is the introduction of a new vegetarian and vegan station offering robust plant-based proteins. Among its popular dishes has
The Transy opening team
The Transylvania University campus in Lexington, KY
been the North African-style braised tempeh with chickpeas, tomato, sweet potato, ginger, and spices. The students are loving the warm chocolate chip cookies of course, while also enjoying the everchanging daily vegetable selections. The Bon Appétit team is excited to introduce even more options in the new
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school year and looks forward to big changes, including the 2020 opening of a new Campus Center, which will feature a “Great Hall” seating up to 450, outdoor terrace seating, a café, and the Presidents’ Dining Room. Submitted by Chris Harris, General Manager
CELEBRATING EMPLOYEES AND THE BEST OF AMERICAN CUISINE AT ILLUMINA
Grilled corn and hatch chili tostadas made with La Forteleza tortillas represented Southwest cuisine for Illumina’s annual summer concert
AT ILLUMINA IN SAN DIEGO, Bon Appétiters were honored to be invited to help host the company’s annual summer concert, the largest employee and family appreciation event of the year. The event featured an ’80s theme and a cover band from Los Angeles that had people dancing until the notes of the very last song ended. Catering Manager Carly Gunderson, Executive Chef Ed Glebus, Chef/Manager Chris Gallo, Front of House Lead Shawna Malawskey, and the team put together a classic Americana food experience featuring local and seasonal ingredients. Close to 2,000 guests visited the six food stations and three bars throughout the day! The menu read as a cross-country road trip, featuring select American regional cuisine. An herbaceous seafood roll represented the Northeast; pimento grilled
Barista Maria Martinez, Catering Attendant Mae Rossiter, and Cashier-Baristas Kierah Springs and Lucero Palofax at the Pacific Northwest station
Sous Chef Arturo Villasana packages up the excess food from the event to donate to Chefs to End Hunger
cheese sandwiches and local cinnamon kettle corn for the South; a comforting take on Cincinnati chili (with both vegan and beef options) stood in for the Midwest; grilled corn and hatch chili tostadas made with Farm to Fork tortillas from La Fortaleza, the Southwest; and a fresh berry parfait topped with house-made cream and
granola invoked the Pacific Northwest. A build-your-own hot dog bar delighted the younger guests. Everyone on the Bon Appétit team appreciated all the compliments they heard directly from guests — and enjoying a night of live music and festivities themselves. Submitted by Molly Johnson, General Manager
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ADOBE CATCHES BLUEBERRY FEVER PEAK BLUEBERRY SEASON INSPIRED the Bon Appétit teams at Adobe offices in Seattle, San Francisco, and San Jose, CA, to throw their first-ever Blueberry Festival! Everyone felt anything but blue as they brainstormed fun and creative specials showcasing blueberries. Farm to Fork partner Triple Delight Blueberries made a special visit to both Palettes and Montage cafés in San Jose, giving away pints of blueberries to the first 100 guests — the supply disappeared within the first 30 minutes! In Seattle, Chef/Manager Justin Chalk organized a blueberry pie-eating contest, complete with protective ponchos for all and a blueberry-themed gift box for the winner. While picking up her pint of fresh blueberries, one guest remarked, “This is the best thing that’s happened to me this week!” The success of the first Blueberry Festival has led the Bon Appétiters to contemplate a new annual tradition for Adobe. Submitted by Sydney Clark, Marketing Specialist
Guests enjoyed samples of Triple Delight blueberries, and the first 100 arrivals received a free pint to take home!
Marketing Specialist Sydney Clark, Executive Chef Jessica Yarr, Kimberly Sorensen from Triple Delight Blueberries, and Café Manager Christina Nagareda greet guests “berry delightedly” at the Palettes blueberry table
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ADOBE HOSTS LA COCINA FOR SPECIAL PANEL AND BOOK SIGNING The Bon Appétit team at Adobe in San Francisco had the special honor of hosting representatives from local nonprofit La Cocina for a “We Are La Cocina” cookbook signing and lunchtime panel discussion. A kitchen incubator, La Cocina addresses problems of equity in business ownership for women, immigrants, and people of color, and is a partner with Bon Appétit in the newly opened Chase Center (see page 8). The new cookbook shares evocative and powerful stories about food, people, and place, featuring more than 40 women who have used their talent and their food to pursue economic freedom. La Cocina Program Director Geetika Agrawal moderated the panel discussion, which focused on food, culture, creativity, and entrepreneurship in the Bay Area. Panelists included La Cocina graduates Aki Kanematsu, co-owner of Onigilly; Gaby Guerrero, chef-owner Delicioso Crêperie; and Arai Buendia, marketing expert for La Luna Cupcakes. — Submitted by Sydney Clark, Marketing Specialist
Communications & Engagement Manager Emilie Zanger, La Cocina Program Director Geetika Agrawal, and Delicioso Crêperie Chef-Owner Gaby Guerrero greet guests with a smile at the cookbook signing
Sous Chef Jesus Muñoz plates grilled corn and Triple Delight blueberry tacos with lactofermented blueberries
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HILLSDALE CATERING EXPO DRAWS KUDOS
Student-group representatives were excited to try Hillsdale’s new catering menu options
A sample place setting for a catered dinner
UNIVERSITY STAFF AND student group representatives at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI, recently enjoyed the Bon Appétit team’s first Catering and Events Expo. Set up at the Dow Hotel and Conference Center, the on-site hospitality space, the expo provided a perfect opportunity for the catering team to preview new menu items and highlight products from Smith’s Flowers and multiple Farm to Fork vendors, including Blue Hat Coffee Roasters, Zingerman’s Coffee Company, and BBJ Linen. Guests enjoyed a wide variety of plant-forward tastes, from balsamic-marinated open-faced mushroom sandwiches and creamy polenta rounds topped with sautéed mushrooms to sake chicken wraps. An impressive array of artisanal charcuterie, brandnew dessert selections, and a wine tasting featuring new wines — thoughtfully paired with the food offerings — lent the expo an extra-special touch. The team even showcased the new gift basket options and Blue Hat Coffee beans by offering them as giveaway prizes. Soon after the event, clients reach out to applaud the team’s efforts. Special Events Planner Gina Bloom from the Office of Institutional Advancement said, “Thanks for the great wine and food tasting! Lots of good ideas that we can take into the 2019-2020 season.” Director of Career Services Joanna Wisely
New Hillsdale dessert bites
raved, too: “We loved everything. You did such a super job. Congratulations.” The Student Activities Board even reached out to explore a future wine tasting (for the over 21s, of course). Submitted by William Persson, Marketing Coordinator
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VASSAR NOURISHES STATEWIDE SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES
This infographic by Vassar College shows how much effort (including meals!) went into hosting the Special Olympics
THIS SUMMER VASSAR COLLEGE in Poughkeepsie, NY, had the honor of hosting the New York State Summer Special Olympics. The Bon Appétit team collaborated with the Special Olympics Committee to develop custom menus that met the Healthy Food Standards recommended during the games. Over the course of the weekend, the team served more than 1,400 athletes and coaches. Under the leadership of Resident District Manager Steve Scardina and led by Executive Chef Everett Francis, Bon Appétiters created seven different platforms to serve guests within a very limited time frame. The abundant fresh produce at the salad bars, plus beverage and hydration stations set up throughout the café, were especially popular and met the regulations, which also prohibited fried foods, desserts, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
Throughout the weekend, the team — which enjoyed regional support from the Bon Appétit teams at Wesleyan University, Johns Hopkins University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland — received many compliments about how fresh and delicious the food was: “I have been a volunteer coach with the Special Olympics for the past 18 years and this was the best food we have ever been served during the games,” said one attendee. Another commented: “The food this weekend was wholesome, fresh, and delicious. I’ve been volunteering for the past 6 years and this has been the best dining experience we have ever had. Thank you for taking care of our athletes.” The team looks forward to reviving the magic again in Summer 2020. Submitted by Stephen Scardina, Resident District Manager Infographic: Chris Silverman/Vassar College
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LOCAL TOP CHEF JUNIOR FINALIST VISITS THE GARDEN AT ORACLE PARK
Top Chef Junior Finalist Rahanna Bisseret Martinez talks to fourth graders about healthy salad dressings
THE HEALTHY KIDS BON APPÉTIT TEAM had long thought it would be fun to team up with one of the young Top Chef Junior chefs for a class. They were thrilled when season one finalist Rahanna Bisseret Martinez reached out to them via Instagram to suggest that very idea! The 15-year-old resident of Oakland, CA, (and her mother) headed across the Bay Bridge to the Garden in Oracle Park in San Francisco for a one-of-a-kind cooking and educational experience for Bay Area youth. Garden at Oracle Park Program Manager Sam Wilder, Healthy Kids Program Coordinator Nina Abramson, and Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk — all Healthy Kids educators — invited 20 fourth graders from La Scuola International School to hear about Rahanna’s food journey, explore the Garden on a scavenger hunt, and compete in their very own salad-focused cooking challenge.
After Rahanna taught participants how to make three healthy salad dressings she likes — lemon vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, and Greek yogurt dressing — the kids worked in groups to “shop” for ingredients in the garden and then make a salad with one of the three demoed dressings. Rahanna provided positive yet constructive feedback to each group. The day ended with a Healthy Kids picnic and question and answer session in which the kids quizzed Rahanna all about her journey as a young chef. Many kids were familiar with Rahanna from television and were delighted to spend time with her, learn new skills, and get autographs! Submitted by Nina Abramson, Healthy Kids Program Coordinator
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Healthy Kids Program Coordinator Nina Abramson, Rahanna Bisseret Martinez, Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk, and Program Manager Sam Wilder
Carefully chopping strawberries for the garden salad
Rahanna gives hints for the garden scavenger hunt
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THANK YOU, BON APPÉTIT
... FOR A DELICIOUS AND ACCOMMODATING SUMMER SESSION WHITTIER COLLEGE, WHITTIER, CA
During their summer service, Bon Appétiters at Whittier College welcomed 120 young women from the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Tech Trek. The week-long session required early planning for dietary restrictions and mass attendance, and all team members stepped up. One day, Utility Worker Ismael Ponce noticed several folded papers coming through the dish conveyor line. He brought them to his manager. To Ismael’s surprise, they realized the notes were from the AAUW campers, thanking him for all his hard work! The AAUW client shared the following in a more traditional manner — by email: The cafeteria food was delicious and very accommodating for the food-allergy campers. [Assistant General Manager Lucy Alcaraz, Cashier Marty Gardner, and Cook Luis Cotto] are always wonderful and helpful. They go out of their way to make our camp and experience wonderful food wise. We are very spoiled!
Utility Worker Ismael Ponce holds some of the handwritten thank-you notes he received via the dish conveyor from summer campers
78 | BRAVO
GENENTECH, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA
WABASH COLLEGE, CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN
The Wabash staff partnered with the Bon Appétit team to host attendees of Step Up and Coach, a program that provides inner-city youth the opportunity to explore their talents and interests related to coaching, while learning about university experiences. At the end of the session Kitchen Supervisor Travis Felix, who oversaw the week’s meal planning, received this heartfelt message:
Guests at Genentech’s South San Francisco campus are a grateful bunch, sharing praise for their favorite meals frequently via Café Bon Appétit. Two of the many recent examples: I almost forgot to write in about [the team at the] Masala station’s goat curry this week. Wow that’s good. I had it twice this week, and brought friends the second time. They loved it, too. It was a very good salty/spicy curry (that paired wonderfully with the tamarind chutney) with really well-cooked, super-tasty goat in it. I’ve made a point of telling this to Sous Chef Sumesh Rijal when I see him, but Masala treats their proteins better than any other Indian restaurant I’ve been to. Since the topic is goat, I can say that he beat out Himalayan [Tandoori and Curry House] in Sebastopol. I’ll give them the edge in spices, by a bit, but their goat needed another 30 minutes in the oven, so the dish I’d want to eat again would be Masala’s. If it isn’t already, that should be on the regular rotation. We’ll make our plans for the week around it. And: The Savor Lunch today of ginger beef, garlic noodles, and roast vegetables was the best meal I have had in 6 years at Genentech. That is not to say the others have not been good, but today’s meal offering was outstanding.
... FOR NEVER “DIALING IT IN”
Thank you for your quality offerings and also for providing an opportunity for me to disconnect from a hectic workday and have a delicious meal. It “reset” me for the rest of the day. Thank you!
DENISON UNIVERSITY, GRANVILLE, OH
The Bon Appétit team at Denison University was honored to cater one of the university’s most high-profile events, Strawberries on the Lawn. Held in the newly constructed Michael D. Eisner Center for the Performing Arts, the event brought together more than 300 guests for a beginning-of-year faculty reception — the first event at the new center. Afterward, Denison Vice President of Student Development Laurel Kennedy emailed Director of Sales & Catering Dylan Price this lovely thank you: I woke up on Saturday morning thinking about what a nice event we got to enjoy at the Eisner Center on Friday evening. As images floated through my mind, I felt like you were in every scene, on the edges, making things happen. It struck me that you are ALWAYS on the edges, making things happen. Your coat tails are always flying behind you, caught in the draft. That whole idea of “dialing it in”? So not you. Thank you for how extraordinarily hard you work for us all. Just wanted to be sure to say it. Sincerely, Laurel
... FOR THOUGHTFUL HELP GETTING A GRANT ST. OLAF COLLEGE, NORTHFIELD, MN
Betsy Allister and Andrew Ehrmann, the farmers of Spring Wind Farm — a Farm to Fork vendor for St. Olaf College since 2011 — asked General Manager Traci Quinnell for a letter of support for a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to help fund a new, expanded packing shed and CSA pickup site. Traci was glad to help, and she was even more thrilled to get this note a few months later: Thanks so much for the thoughtful letter you wrote on our behalf last winter in support of the grant…. We’re delighted to share that we got the grant, thanks to help from your letter! :) We’re so thankful for our great relationship with you all and the support you offer us and other local growers. Sincerely, Betsy & Andrew
79 | BRAVO
THANK YOU
... FOR WELL-COOKED GOAT CURRIES AND CONSISTENTLY OUTSTANDING MEAL OPTIONS
... FOR DEMONSTRATING TRUE LEADERSHIP
THANK YOU
... FOR ALWAYS MAKING TIME TO CATCH UP STARBUCKS, SEATTLE
Cook Bereket Beyene is known around the SODO Kitchen at Starbucks for his smile and welcoming energy. One guest took the time to write to the Bon Appétit headquarters email address about him: I just wanted to let you know what a great employee you have in Bereket at the rotisserie station at the SODO Kitchen. He makes great food and is the most welcoming person I have ever met. I always enjoy our quick conversations as he serves up delicious food. I love to hear about his family and Ethiopia and we even talk a little running. He is a super star!
Cook Bereket Beyene serving barbecue specials at SODO Kitchen
... FOR THE BEST WATERMELON I HAVE EVER TASTED CONGA, BROOMFIELD, CO
The team at Conga, a new location for Bon Appétit (see page 25), was excited to receive an enthusiastic comment via Café Bon Appétit about watermelon served in the café. Where the heck do you get the watermelon?!?! It is the best watermelon I have ever tasted! Thank you! They responded to the guest and shared the compliments with Farm to Fork partner Hoffman Farms from Greeley, CO, who supplies their kitchen with fresh produce.
80 | BRAVO
LINKEDIN, SUNNYVALE, CA
One employee was so impressed with the dessert offerings at LinkedIn in Sunnyvale, CA, that she sent an unusual request to Bon Appétit headquarters via email: Hi Bon Appétit team, I’m a LinkedIn employee and I’ve been a huge fan of your food and desserts! I wanted to ask if you cater any weddings, or events outside of work? I have my own wedding next May 2020, and I’m looking for a caterer just for desserts. I thought I’d try my luck! Thanks in advance, Judy
... FOR MEALS THAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY RECURSION PHARMACEUTICALS, SALT LAKE CITY
Executive Chef/Manager Kyle Williams was happy to read a rave review of his version of a traditional Peruvian dish made with sliced beef, hot chiles, and French fries that a Recursion employee submitted via Café Bon Appétit. Yesterday’s lomo saltado was absolutely delicious. Lunch is always a highlight for me when I come to work. Thank you for all of your hard work!
FOR SERIOUSLY SUPER STAFF AT MIT! Artistically talented Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Rachel Rock submitted this extra-special comment card to the culinary team. Rachel not only illustrated this message of appreciation but also thanked multiple team members, including Cook Orlando Lopez, for his new vegan breakfast options (tofu scramble, vegan quiche, tofu omelets, and more).
81 | BRAVO
THANK YOU
... FOR SERVING WEDDING-WORTHY DESSERTS
BON APPÉTIT MVP
THE BON APPÉTIT FELLOWS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS To mark the 10th anniversary of the Bon Appétit Fellows program (see page 6), we asked 17 former Fellows to share what they learned from being a Fellow, what advice they’d give current food-activist students, and more. Here’s a few bites; find the full feast at www.bamco.com/fellowsanniversary.
“Spend at least a month (ideally a season!) working full time on a farm. It will shape you in ways you can’t imagine and give you a fuller picture of the struggles America’s family farmers face.” — Dayna Burtness, Fellow 2009–2011, now a pastured hog farmer in Minnesota
“Ask questions, lots of them. I think in our current information age, we’re often overwhelmed, oversaturated, and we are quick to canonize or vilify, to place things into one of those two opposing categories of ‘good’ or ‘evil’ to make the world around us simpler. But the truth is, the world is much more complicated than that, and you’ll only learn a clearer version of the story if you ask questions and are open-minded enough to allow things to exist in the gray area in between.” — Piper Fernwey, Fellow 2011-2013, now community
“Read the fine print of every policy/commitment/claim by an organization, because the meaning and integrity are always in the details. If something isn’t specific, it usually doesn’t have much meaning.” — Nicole Tocco Cardwell, Fellow 2012–2014, now Bon Appétit’s manager
of strategic initiatives
“Fellows explain our Farm to Fork commitment all the time, and it’s sometimes easy to think about the commitment in an abstract way. [During a visit to Open Hands Farm in Northfield, MN], owner Ben Doherty made the abstract tangible to everyone in attendance. It was amazing to see how closely our teams could coordinate with a small farmer, especially one who does so much good in his community.” — Peter Todaro, Fellow 2017–2019, now regional marketing manager for Bon Appétit’s Northeastern region
programs & sustainability support manager for Bon Appétit in Ohio/Indiana
82 | BRAVO
INDEX
Adobe 72-73
Musical Instrument Museum 28-29
Azusa Pacific University 41
Nordstrom 20
BD Biosciences 21
Oberlin College 59, 61
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 60-61
Oracle Park 5, 76-77
Butler University 15
Pacific University 30
Carleton College 4
Pitzer College 47
Case Western Reserve University 63
Presidio Foods 24
Chase Center 8-13
Recursion Pharmaceuticals 81
Citrix 35
Reinsurance Group of America 4
Cleveland Botanical Garden 38
Rhodes College 39
Cleveland Museum of Art 40
Roger Williams University 36-37
Conga 25, 80
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 22-23
Denison University 51, 46, 79
SAS 56, 67
Electronic Arts 64-65
Snap 62
Emerson College 29, 44-45
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC 21
Emory University 54-55
St. Olaf College 4, 79
Franklin Templeton 21
Starbucks 80
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 43
State Auto Insurance 33
Genentech 79
Target 59
Hillsdale College 74
Transylvania University 70
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens 14
Trine University 34-35
Illumina 32, 71
Turtle Creek Offices 42 University of Chicago 18-19
Johns Hopkins University 68
Vassar College 75
Kaiser Permanente 50
Vivint Smart Home 17, 57
Knox College 69
Wabash College 79
LinkedIn 81
Washington University in St. Louis 5, 66
Macalester College 16 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 52-53, 81
Whittier College 78 Young Living 5
Medtronic 31, 58
BRAVO WAS PRINTED ON PAPER MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED FIBER INCLUDING 75% POSTCONSUMER WASTE. THIS SAVED... 48 fully grown trees 22,561 gallons water 21 million BTUs energy 1,510 pounds solid waste 4,160 pounds greenhouse gases
2019 VOLUME 3 | FALL
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CELEBRATING 1 0 YE ARS OF THE FELLOWS PROGRAM | PAG E 6