Bravo 2017 - Volume 3

2017 VOLUME 3 | FALL

BRAVO IS THE ALMOST QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF

BON APPÉTIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY | A MEMBER OF THE COMPASS GROUP

MIT ’S ROOF TOP FARM

100 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 400 Palo Alto, California 94301 650-798-8000 www.bamco.com

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ALSO IN TH IS ISS UE

LEARN HOW FOOD CHOICES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY, AND YOUR WELL-BEING AT

STOR IES F ROM TH E STOR MS | PAGE 08 E X P E RI E N C I N G A C U LT UR E TH ROUGH ITS F OOD | PAGE 2 2

www.eatlowcarbon.org

17-6962

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INDEX

Adobe 33 Art Institute of Chicago 43, 90-91 Best Buy 60 Birmingham-Southern College 40 Brown University 43 Capital Café 61 Carlson Companies 97 Case Western Reserve University 4, 14-15 Colby College 92 Colorado College 93 Crossroads Café 98 Denison University 95, 98 DePauw University 6, 42, 52-53 Eckerd College 10 Education First 66 Electronic Arts 61 Emmanuel College 59, 99 Emory University 10-11, 43 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation 41 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 20-21 Furman University 86 Fuqua School of Business 77 Gallaudet University 62 Genentech 49, 81 George Fox University 71 Gordon College 54 Illumina 46-47 Institute of American Indian Arts 60 Kingswell Café 70 Knox College 88 Lesley University 79 Lewis & Clark College 34 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 16-17, 30 Medtronic 32, 81 Mills College 31 Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 37 Mount Angel Abbey 85 Musical Instrument Museum 63 Nordstrom 34

Oath 15 Oberlin College 4, 55 Oracle 6, 33, 35, 49, 69, 99 Otterbein University 98 Phillips 66 8-9 Pitzer College 44 Regis University 18 Reinsurance Group of America 29, 35, 99 Restaurant 917 19 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 96 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 9, 78 Saint Martin’s University 56-57 SAP 32 SAS 80 Savannah College of Art and Design 10 Seattle Art Museum 72 Stanford Graduate School of Business 97 STEM Kitchen & Garden 67 St. John’s College 94 St. Olaf College 5, 44 Target 79 The Garden at AT&T Park 36, 50-51 The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens 82-83 The Presidio 30-31 Trine University 80 University of Chicago 26-27, 57 University of Pennsylvania 26-27, 43, 100 University of Portland 12-13 University of Redlands 89 University of San Francisco 25 University of the Pacific 87 Vivint 77 Wabash College 58 Washington University in St. Louis 5, 43, 44, 45 Wheaton College 68-69 Williams-Sonoma 34 Willamette University 84 Yahoo 76, 78, 81

BRAVO WAS PRINTED ON PAPER MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED FIBER INCLUDING 75% POSTCONSUMER WASTE. THIS SAVED...

45 fully grown trees 20,386 gallons water 20 million BTUs energy 1,394 pounds solid waste 3,910 pounds greenhouse gases

FROM FEDELE

EVEN BETTER THAN AWARDS “Every time a chef, manager, cashier, or cook comes to work for Bon Appétit Management Company, that’s a victory in my book.”

W

Our clients aren’t the only ones with choice. Our staff members have many options, too.

Being awarded business might be the most important honor, perhaps second only to retaining an account. I’m more proud of our consistent growth and 99% client retention rate than I am of any title bestowed upon us.

Every time a chef, manager, cashier, or cook comes to work for Bon Appétit Management Company, that’s a victory in my book. When they stay a year, two, five, 10, or 20, we’ve really won. The combination of low unemployment rates and the high skill required to work in our cafés has left us competing for talent with many other prestigious employers. Good people have a choice of which company to work for, so when they choose Bon Appétit, I’m grateful. Whether it be our values-based business philosophy, offer of work/life balance, or the warm camaraderie felt in so many of our operations, attracting new talent (and retaining it) is a measure of our success.

e’ve been blessed to receive many awards over the years. In this issue of Bravo alone, we’re celebrating honors from the Princeton Review, Forward magazine, and others. This public recognition is wonderfully validating.

However, there are other “wins” that are even better than plaques.

Potential clients take us through a rigorous vetting process that often includes touring, tasting, and talking to existing clients, not to mention the lengthy written proposal and in-person presentation. When they give us their business, it’s not a decision that’s made lightly. Being entrusted with the responsibility to feed a community is a true honor. Having a contract renewed is an even more meaningful gift. By the end of a contract, we’ve really gotten to know each other. To select us again with full knowledge of our capabilities is like pinning a medal on our collective company chest.

Don’t get me wrong, I deeply appreciate when external organizations look at what we’ve accomplished and deem Bon Appétit worthy of an award. The third-party credibility those honors bring to our programs is important. Awards just aren’t the only yardstick of our success. Clients and associates tell me every day whether or not we’re the best.

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ON THE COVER Andy Allen, lead cook at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s McCormick Café, snips herbs from the MIT rooftop garden (see page 16)

“I am so proud of Capital Café Executive Chef Karla Hoyos [middle left] and Royal Caribbean Executive Chef Blas Baldepina [middle right], who jumped on planes to go help my friend Chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen feed tens of thousands of Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico every day. And of the other Bon Appétit chefs who joined them a few days later. Thank you for making a difference.”

— FEDELE BAUCCIO, CEO OF BON APPÉTIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY (for full story, go to www.bamco.com/blog/chefsforpuertorico)

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IN THIS ISSUE

12

28

30

01 04 07 08

FROM FEDELE

30

70 74

22

TALKING ABOUT FOOD

What’s better than awards? Renewals and retention rates | FEDELE BAUCCIO

BITS & BITES

Tasty morsels about a Farm to Fork vendor’s return, hidden employee talents, and peaches galore

FROM MICHAEL

During emergencies, we pull together to do whatever it takes | MICHAEL BAUCCIO

STORIES FROM THE STORMS

How Bon Appétit teams made it through Hurricanes Harvey and Irma | BONNIE POWELL

The joys (and pitfalls) of exploring and sharing a culture through food | MAISIE GANZLER

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, HEALTHY KIDS!

38

Snapshots of Healthy Kids in action around the U.S. — a look at the program that has grown into a companywide act of love | HANNAH SCHMUNK

42 58

BRAVO BOOST: LOVE FOOD, LOVE KOHLRABI AWARDS & RECOGNITION

64

FOCUSING ON SAFETY

Some examples of how Bon Appétit teams around the country practice — and celebrate — “Safe In/Safe Out”

FROM THE FELLOWS

From Farming to Fellowship | PETER TODARO

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BON APPÉTIT TAKES A TRIP DOWN ROUTE 66

76 96 100

BRAVO BOOST: FILIPINO FOOD CULINARY WEBCAST EVENTS IN BRIEF

THANK YOU, BON APPÉTIT

BON APPÉTIT MVP

Nerding out on the numbers with Penn Controller Bobby Vermette | BONNIE POWELL

BITS & BITES

Hartzler Family Dairy’s retail glass bottles of milk and premium butter

CASE WESTERN AND OBERLIN REKINDLE RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL DAIRY The Bon Appétit teams at both Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH, are excited to welcome back longtime Farm to Fork vendor Hartzler Family Dairy after a 10-year hiatus. The northeast Ohio farm will be providing both locations with 2% milk and chocolate milk in bulk, as well as butter.

The Bon Appétit teams at Case Western and Oberlin enjoyed a relationship with the farm starting in 2004. Unfortunately, a terrible drought in 2007 caused Hartzler’s supply to dry up and the dairy had to stop offering the 5-gallon bags that go into bulk dispensers for dining hall use. Hartzler continued to offer their milk in retail glass bottles at grocery stores. Recently, though, the farm’s growth has meant that the bulk milk is flowing once

more. The Bon Appétiters couldn’t be more thrilled. According to Resident District Manager Jim O’Brien, who has visited the farm several times with Oberlin Director of Operations John Klancar, Hartzler Family Dairy’s chocolate milk is the best he’s ever had!

Hartzler’s practice of eliminating chemical pesticides, herbicides, and artificial growth hormones was put in place in 1964, when founder Harold Hartzler witnessed the harmful effects of chemical runoff on a neighboring farm. Later, the Hartzler farmers also sought non-GMO certification for their dairy cows’ grain rations.

Case Western is also offering Hartzler’s non-GMO-verified string cheese in its retail cases.

Welcome back, Hartzler! — Submitted by Amanda Mass, Marketing Manager

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BITS

WASH U CASHIER SHOWS SIGNS OF HIDDEN TALENT Do you know all the talents the members of your team possess?

The Bon Appétit team at Washington University in St. Louis thought they did, recognizing the T-shirt designers, expert gardeners, and entrepreneurs in their ranks who regularly make a difference in their community. But recent events brought out talents in team members that until then hadn’t been fully revealed.

With most students gone from campus, Bon Appétiters have a chance to interact with different guest populations. These include summer campers and conference goers such as members of the International Catholic Deaf Association (ICDA), who returned for the second consecutive year.

In preparation, partners in the WUSTL Summer Conferences office provided training on how best to meet the needs of individuals who are hearing-impaired.

Turns out the Bon Appétit team already had a member who was super-prepared! Cashier Lillie Westbrooks began signing with conference members, astonishing her colleagues as they had no idea she knew sign language. (Lillie started signing when she was 11 years old, to communicate with an uncle.) The following day, a group of conference attendees presented Lillie with a special rosary as a token of their appreciation.

Lillie’s colleagues were proud of how beautifully she represented not only Washington University in St. Louis, but the entire Bon Appétit family. Her actions demonstrated a genuine commitment to excellent guest service, in language both spoken and signed.

— Submitted by April Powell, Director of Operations

Cashier Lillie Westbrooks displaying the special gift she received for her no-longer-hidden talent

CHEESY SECRETS OF ST. OLAF’S SUCCESS Maybe the key to unlocking St. Olaf College’s “Best Campus Food” success (see page 44) is the cottage cheese. It’s certainly memorable! Olivia Anderson, an alumna of the Northfield, MN, campus, actually emailed Bon Appétit headquarters five years later about it: Hello!

I know this is a strange question, but from where do you source your cottage cheese for St. Olaf College? I was a student there in 2012, and my father is OBSESSED WITH IT. It is a bit of an illness.

Every time we talk about the college, he mentions how wonderful the food — especially the cottage cheese — was. I no longer attend the school (graduated that year), but I want to be able to gift him with the name of the supplier at some point :) Any way you could tell me where that cottage cheese came from?

Olivia Happily, General Manager Traci Quinnell was able to help out the former student (and her dairy-loving father!). The cottage cheese the Andersons remember so fondly has long been sourced from Farm to Fork vendor Hastings Co-op Creamery in Hastings, MN, which, in turn, sources it from Westby Creamery in Westby, WI.

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BITS Bountiful freshly snipped herbs all ready for the kitchen

DEPAUW SPRUCES UP SPACE WITH FRESH (AND FLAVORFUL!) HERBS In anticipation of a new school year, the Bon Appétit team at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, added extra greenery to Hoover Hall, its main dining facility. Herbs growing in assorted glass jars add freshness to the décor and show off the bounty of the DePauw Campus Farm. With the new year-round display, the team hopes to raise the visibility of its fresh herbs both as items of beauty and as flavorful components of the house-made dishes.

— Submitted by Megan Inman, Catering Manager

Glass jars filled with beautiful fresh herbs including oregano, parsley, mint, and chives decorate Hoover Hall

“AP-PEACH-IATION” AT ORACLE: The Bon Appétit teams at all of Oracle’s Northern California cafés recently treated thousands of their guests (including Oracle Director of Real Estate Facilities Tim Roche, pictured) to free peaches on National Eat a Peach Day. They also shared information about this popular fruit’s many health benefits, and some peach-related trivia. Did you know that adding a peach to breakfast can invigorate your morning? Just a single serving of this fuzzy stone fruit offers immune-boosting vitamin C, provides more potassium than a medium banana, helps sharpen eyesight thanks to vitamin A, and ups energy with its naturally occurring sugars. Peaches for everyone!

— Submitted by Cara Brechler, Enterprise Marketing Director. Photo: Amy Lawrence

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FROM MICHAEL

PULLING TOGETHER IN EMERGENCIES “In emergencies, people expect our cafés to be open.

Our teams often must set aside their worries about their own families, pets, and houses to find a way to come to work, if it’s safe. Because we have a job to do.

Whatever it takes, we take care of our communities.”

T

he first few weeks of September were very tough for many members of our Bon Appétit family. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma crushed houses, flooded roads, destroyed cars, and closed facilities and schools. (See “Stories from the Storms” on the following pages.) But these storms also brought out the best in our people, as they pulled together to do what needed to be done — to feed people a hot meal in a safe space.

In emergencies, people expect our cafés to be open. Our teams often must set aside their worries about their own families, pets, and houses to find a way to come to work, if it’s safe. Because we have a job to do. Whatever it takes, we take care of our communities.

I remember the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in the Bay Area. Bon Appétit was only a few years old, but we had a number of accounts in the area. We didn’t have cell phones then, and the phones weren’t working. Fedele, Liz, and I were frantically trying to reach people to make sure they were all right.

After checking on our people, we thought about how we could best help. Back then, we had a large mobile kitchen. We sent the kitchen, loaded with food, along with many of our chefs and managers to help feed the emergency workers and affected people in the Marina area of San Francisco. Our folks volunteered to help throughout the crisis.

We worked through the 1994 Northridge earthquake in Southern California, too, many of our accounts again reaching out to assist emergency workers and displaced persons. At that time we were bidding on a new piece of education business. This account was not able to get any food deliveries for students from their current provider. Senior Vice President Cary Wheeland reached out to a relatively new general manager, J.P. Dozier (now our Director of Finance), at Tropicana Gardens in Santa Barbara. J.P. rented a truck, stocked it with food from the local Jordano’s grocery store, and drove to this account. He had to get past police blockades and through closed freeways to accomplish this. He arrived at the account about 1 a.m., where the college president himself helped unload the truck. And yes — we did win the business.

In April 2013, during the chaotic aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology went on lockdown that night, following the shooting of a campus police officer. The next morning, the suspects were still loose and there was no public transit. Everyone was being told to shelter in place, yet our team still had to find a way to feed hundreds of students.

Our then-controller, Marietta Lamarre (now General Manager at Colby College), worked the line alongside a utility worker in a chef’s coat. When a supervisor tried to thank a temporary worker for the long hours she put in, she said, “You don’t thank me today.

We’re not here to make money right now. Today, we’re here for the students.”

On the following pages, you’ll read more about how our people were there for the students of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL; Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA, and Atlanta; and Emory University in Atlanta and Oxford, GA. And for the employees of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in Miami and of Phillips 66 in Houston.

All of these stories have a couple things in common. Even in an emergency, Bon Appétit people take their jobs seriously, but it’s not because they’re afraid of losing them — it’s because they care about the people they feed. We take that responsibility, those relationships, seriously.

Our guests and our clients are people we see every day — they are a part of our family, too. In an emergency, we have the food and water supplies, the emergency generators (usually) to power the lights, Internet, walk-in coolers, and the air conditioning. They count on us to provide a place of normality amidst the chaos, to take care of them. And time and after time, we have.

I am proud of all of you who pulled together in the face of these extraordinary circumstances. You went above and beyond, often at personal cost. Thank you for all that you did — and for all that you do, every day.

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Hurricane Harvey struck Houston on Friday, August 25, and for days afterward, much of the city was underwater.

Having watched the devastation in Houston, Florida officials took no chances as gargantuan Hurricane Irma gathered power less than two weeks later. The governor ordered one of the largest evacuations in American history. Wider than the state’s panhandle, Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys on Sunday, September 10, and began moving up the state and then into Georgia.

Through it all, Bon Appétit teams did what they could to take care of each other while finding a way to serve meals to hundreds — sometimes thousands — of guests.

— Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications Hurricane Irma strikes Florida (Photo: NASA)

HARVEY MAKES HEROES AT PHILLIPS 66 IN HOUSTON

“‘If you don’t have nothing else, you will have your job,’ so I grabbed my work pants, two shirts, my Bible, and my back scratcher, out of all things!”

In Houston, the Bon Appétit team at Phillips 66 was looking forward to a party for their first anniversary when Harvey struck. The campus closed at noon that Friday, with the storm expected to hit at 7:30 p.m. General Manager Azher Kantawala and the other managers cleaned out the walk-ins for what they knew would be at least a four-day break. They distributed the milk and other perishables to their team, who’d been working while grocery shelves all over town were being emptied. Everyone exchanged emergency contact information, and the managers set up a text tree.

As the storm raged and the waters were rising, Catering Cold Prep Cook Rachel Leday was frantically texting Executive Chef Greg Lowry and Catering Manager Heather Herlong for help. “I was trying to stay focused. I said, ‘Rachel you can’t swim, get out of here!’ as the water was getting higher,” recalls Rachel. “I thought ‘But if

As Catering Cold Prep Cook Rachel Leday’s house was flooding, she managed to grab a few things — including her work uniform

you don’t have nothing else, you will have your job,’ so I grabbed my work pants, two shirts, my Bible, and my back scratcher, out of all things!”

Using the Zello app, Heather had summoned the Cajun Navy, and boats were on their way to Rachel when Rachel managed to start her truck and roar through the deep water to safety. She and three other members of the 35-person team suffered severe damage

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Rachel received her Hero award at the anniversary party

Phillips 66 Sous Chef Matt Lovelace, General Manager Azher Kantawala, Salad Bar Cook Sharell Turner, Barista Sharita Davis, Grill Cook Fredrick Cox, Catering Manager Heather Herlong, and Operations Manager Dylan Nguyen

to their homes and possessions. Phillips 66 did not reopen until September 5. Everyone came back to work — even the four affected employees. Although the campus itself suffered no damage, the flooded streets around it made the commute tortuous. It took everyone two to three hours to get to work and then to get home that week.

Just two weeks later, they managed to have that anniversary party. Azher, Greg, Heather, Operations Manager Dylan Nguyen, and Sous Chef Matt Lovelace gave Rachel, Salad Bar Cook Sharell

Turner, Barista Sharita Davis, and Grill Cook Fredrick Cox each a special Hero award for inspiring the rest of the team with their commitment.

“They’ve been through a lot, but they still came to work with a smile and determination,” said Azher. “That takes a strong work ethic. I am really proud of them, but what I am really proud of is how we all got closer as a team from depending on each other.

We have a new respect for each other, and for the company, because of how Bon Appétit supported us.”

RIDING OUT IRMA AT ROYAL CARIBBEAN IN MIAMI Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ headquarters are located at the Port of Miami, and Bon Appétit General Manager David Marshall and Executive Chef Blas Baldepina were pretty sure they were going to get deluged. They expected to lose at least one walk-in to flooding or the power going out, since that building’s generator was on the first floor. Another building known as “the bunker” had a generator on the roof; that café’s walk-in would make it, they thought. As the evacuation order went out, RCCL decided to close Wednesday afternoon, September 6, and David, Blas, and the rest of the managers spent Thursday moving as much dry-storage food as they could to the highest shelves, transferring things between the two walkins, and storing important documents on higher floors.

Luckily, both buildings survived with only a little flooding and minimal damage, never losing power. On Monday, RCCL asked David and Blas to open on Tuesday in order to serve RCCL employees and their fami-

lies breakfast and lunch — for free. They put out the call for their team — some of whom had evacuated, many others who’d just hunkered down in a safe place in town — to ask them to find a way to get back to work the next day. Then they headed into the kitchen to begin thawing meat.

All that week, Blas and his team cooked and cooked, doing the best they could from what he had on hand in dry storage and the freezer, since there were no deliveries except a partial one Wednesday. “The pasta bar was a huge hit. We managed to make soups, and we even had a salad bar and deli going in both locations,” said Blas.

“We knew everyone would want comfort food, so we had to have the empanadas and the tostones.”

Usually the team serves around 1,400 daily; the week after Irma, they were averaging around 2,500. Schools were closed, and many of the RCCL employees had their kids with them at work for hastily organized day care camps.

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Executive Chef Blas Baldepina pulled together a salad with lentils, cherry tomato, roasted sweet potato, dried cranberries, arugula, and sweet agave mustard dressing to feed Royal Caribbean guests in Irma’s aftermath

“I think we were blessed and just very lucky,” says David. “The storm surge didn’t affect us, so we didn’t lose all our food.

Everybody just did an incredible job of helping out so that we were able to fulfill our client’s requests. But hurricane season lasts through November. I hope we can stay lucky.”

ECKERD EVACUATES AHEAD OF THE STORM Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, is literally steps from the water.

Taking no chances, the university’s emergency team announced a few days before Irma was expected to make landfall that the school would be closed from September 7 through 15.

They tried to waterproof their office, which is “maybe two and a half feet above sea level,” says Eric. Then Eric hit the road for Charleston, SC, with three gas tanks strapped to the roof of his car. Others stayed around or headed for the middle of the state.

Watching Irma approach on TV, Eric “You’re always going to “started freaking out about the office. say ‘I should have’ — but You’re always going to say ‘I should have’ really there’s nothing we — but really there’s nothing we could have done if we got 10 feet of water.” could have done if we got

General Manager Eric Foster, Executive Chef Raymond Gallace, and the Bon Appétit team sprang into action, ordering more canned food, such as tuna, peanut butter, and jelly, than they would 10 feet of water.” have normally, and other dry goods. The Miraculously, they didn’t. The storm team made 500 boxed lunches for the final meal before the school turned slightly, enough to spare St. Petersburg the worst of it. closed, only to discover that most students had already left. They And Eckerd allowed plenty of time before reopening for the ended up giving some to the emergency response team who were campus support staff to return. The office was fine. Still, Eric is left on campus and to the Red Cross downtown. planning on ordering some watertight boxes with seals.

SCAD SKEDADDLES OUT OF SAVANNAH “It’s been an experience, for sure,” says Eric Davidson, Bon Appétit general manager at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, GA. “Irma wasn’t as bad as Matthew, at least.”

there were enough dorm rooms for the students, and Eric and Emanuel were able to get hotel rooms for his team, whose immediate families and pets had been allowed to accompany them.

For Hurricane Matthew in 2016, SCAD had to evacuate 1,700 students to its much-smaller Atlanta campus; this time, SCAD was able to delay the start of school by a week, and only about 500 international and “Jump Start” students were already in residence.

On Friday, September 8, they were loaded onto buses — with Eric and 10 members of the culinary team following in their cars — and what was usually a three-hour trip took seven. Executive Chef Emanuel May and another chef drove a refrigerated truck full of food.

On Saturday, the day after evacuation, the joint Savannah-Atlanta Bon Appétit teams opened for breakfast and ran service for 13 hours, with a cookout in between. They managed to feed 600 to 700 guests per meal — there were resident assistants, faculty, and staff who came with the kids, plus Atlanta faculty and staff, and security forces — out of SCAD - Atlanta’s minimal kitchen.

In Atlanta, another 200 international and other students were waiting. This time

And these weren’t hot dogs or pizza meals, either. Emanuel and the culinary team served a variety of composed salads every day, and featured a shrimp-and-grits bar, curried vegetables, and a coffee-rubbed pork tenderloin carving station. They host-

ed a movie night with popcorn and sodas, and other events to keep the students occupied. “We were lucky, we were about to get a full three-café delivery from our Farm to Fork vendor Savannah River Farms, and they were really kind and delivered it to Atlanta for us,” says Eric. “And [Atlanta-based] Coca-Cola brought us over a trailer with 12 pallets of water.”

If Irma had hit the way it was expected to, “we would have been in a world of hurt. But SCAD was very proactive, and delaying school by a week helped a lot,” he continues. And there was a silver lining to this storm: “It ended up being a great opportunity for our Savannah managers to meet their Atlanta counterparts for the first time. They got to put names and faces together, and collaborate. The Atlanta team picked up some tricks from the Savannah team, and vice versa.”

PULLING TOGETHER TO FEED STUDENTS — AND PRESIDENT CARTER! — AT EMORY IN ATLANTA Although Emory University in Atlanta closed for Monday and Tuesday, September 11 and 12, while being battered by Irma, the residential dining facility — housed in a temporary structure — and a smaller Clairmont campus location were kept open to feed students. The gale-force winds and rain made it almost impossible for much of Resident District Manager Kellie Piper’s staff to get to work.

Instead of hundreds of Bon Appétiters, she had a skeleton crew of mostly managers to feed 3,000 restless and anxious students Monday, and 3,500 on Tuesday. “Everyone did whatever it took to get the job done.

Our financial controller was scooping gelato, our HR director was working the dishroom — the stories are endless,” says Kellie. “We had to forget what we had originally menu’d, and just work out how and

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The day after Irma moved on, the Bon Appétit team at Emory catered a dinner for former President Jimmy Carter and university VIPs that included this fresh fruit ratatouille with berry sorbet and banana ravioli

what to feed them, 15 hours a day. We had a good vibe, we played music, and the kids were happy to have somewhere to go.”

Many of the Bon Appétit staff who were there couldn’t get home that Monday night when the café closed at 10 p.m.; a manager made a run to buy bedding for the spare dorm rooms Emory was able to provide.

If that weren’t challenging enough, Jimmy Carter and his wife had been scheduled to attend Emory University’s 36th Annual Carter Town Hall on Wednesday, with a special dinner that Bon Appétit was catering for the former U.S. president, his wife, University President Claire Sterk, and 60 more university VIPs and student leaders.

And it wasn’t canceled. Of course, all produce, meat, and seafood deliveries had been disrupted. Kellie’s main distributor told her they wouldn’t be able to make it to her on Tuesday, and she politely told them that was not an option. (They complied.) Emory’s seafood supplier had lost power and so had to make substitutions, meaning the catering team ended up having to butcher whole fish instead of using the boneless fillets they’d ordered for the surf-and-turf entrée. But they pulled off the dinner!

“We’re just finally catching our breaths now,” said Kellie a week later. “It’s been a blur.”

Campus Executive Chef Michelle Reuter with the giant inflatable duck that the Bon Appétit team ordered to go outside the temporary Dobbs University Center dining facility (known as the DUC-ling), which had to be deflated before Irma hit

ALL HANDS ON DECK AT EMORY - OXFORD

Hurricane Irma knocked down several centuries-old trees, including these on the Oxford campus, flattening cars and roofs

Emory - Oxford General Manager Duke Walsh and Oxford Electrician Maurice Williams handed out water to students as they came into the café

At the Oxford College campus of Emory University, some serious planning took place in the days while Irma was approaching. “I’m from Arizona, I’d never done this before,” said General Manager Duke Walsh, who was asked to come up with a plan for how his team would keep the café open and feed the almost 1,000 students in Oxford, GA. “Some people were saying, ‘We’re in Georgia, we have nothing to worry about.’ And I said, ‘I don’t want to be that guy.’”

made a list of duties, whether it was handing out disposables (if the dishroom went offline), wiping up wet, muddy tracks on the floors, or restocking the stations that were open.

The Bon Appétiters ordered 4,000 gallons of water for the students. They had to borrow a box truck from Emory - Atlanta and go pick it up and deliver it themselves, as all drivers were assisting elsewhere. They asked the school to rent a big generator to power the café’s walk-in and four ovens in the event the campus lost power — which it did, for 17 hours. Duke and his team had

As the storm approached, the winds reached 50 mph, and some of the campus’s beloved old oaks began toppling. Only about 16 of the 25 employees were able to make it to work. They divided up the list the team had sketched out. “Not one person complained. The café stayed clean, and nobody slipped and fell. From utility to chef, they just did it all,” says Duke proudly.

“Seeing the look on students’ faces, like, ‘You guys are HERE? For us?’ — well, that just made us feel real proud to be Bon Appétit.”

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They served chicken breasts, local vegetables, rice, baked cod, quinoa, a full salad bar, and plenty of desserts. And lots of coffee — the local and campus police and emergency teams were stopping in to get dry, use the Wi-Fi, and have a hot drink.

Oxford Dean Douglas Hicks and his wife came in for dinner. The café stayed open until 10 p.m., two hours past closing time.

“We were here for 14 hours plus, even while some of our team didn’t know what was happening to their own houses. They just kept asking, ‘What’s next?’” says Duke.

“You know, we set high expectations for our team daily, but when you see them act like this in an emergency situation, during chaos, that just speaks volumes. I have the greatest team there is. And seeing the look on students’ faces, like, ‘You guys are HERE? For us?’ — well, that just made us feel real proud to be Bon Appétit.”

UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND GENERAL MANAGER TRANSFORMS SCRAPS FOR CHIC DUMPSTER MEAL BON APPÉTIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY has long pursued many paths to prevent food waste, but to date, creating fancy dinners has not been a main focus. That may change now that General Manager Kirk Mustain at the University of Portland in Portland, OR, successfully rose to the challenge of creating elegance from remnants at the request of an organization called Salvage Supperclub.

Salvage Supperclub works with local farmers and food businesses to create unique experiences around untapped sources of edible food around the world, from New York City to San Francisco, from Canada to Japan. Its recent event in Portland featured a multicourse vegetable-forward al fresco dinner in the group’s signature “dumpster dining room” (a clean dumpster fitted with a communal table and benches created with salvaged wood from The ReBuilding Center, a nonprofit that supports the reclamation and reuse of salvaged materials).

A former chef turned general manager, Kirk joined forces with local chef Lauren Chandler of Lauren Chandler Cooks and chef-owner Chris Bailey of Pozole to the People to transform surplus bakery bread, strawberry tops, spent coffee grounds, and juice pulp — all of which had been destined for the trash — into a gourmet experience. One dish of panisse (made from leftover hummus and chickpea flour) served over wilted greens with aquafaba aioli, roasted garlic, and fennel fronds was a real showstopper.

Urban Gleaners and The ReBuilding Center enjoyed the profits from this unique event.

The incredible food changed many attendees’ minds about what constitutes food waste, while the many beautiful images posted on social media spread the message far and wide.

Submitted by Kirk Mustain, General Manager

University of Portland General Manager Kirk Mustain addressing diners in the dumpster dining room

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A full menu of dishes from food that, in less skilled hands, might be destined for the waste bin

Surplus salad bar ingredients thoroughly transformed into roasted cauliflower with mustard seeds, tomato and chili chutney, pickled red onions, curried cashews, and fresh cilantro

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CASE WESTERN DEBUTS NATION’S SECOND PIZZA ATM AS STUDENTS RETURNED TO Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland to begin the fall semester, one topic was on everyone’s lips — and many local news stations: the new Pizza ATM in Case Western’s Sears think[box] building.

Here’s how it works: Bon Appétit chefs prepare house-made pizzas from scratch in a nearby kitchen. Right now they make three varieties: cheese, pepperoni, and vegetable. The pizzas are then taken to the Pizza ATM, where they remain under refrigeration until someone places an order. (The machine can store up to 70 pizzas in the refrigerator at once!) When an order comes in, the pizza is transferred to the machine’s internal oven and baked at a high temperature for three minutes, until it’s melty and crispy in all the right places. The ATM then delivers the piping hot pizza in a box through a slot in the front of the machine

Chef/Managers Chris Hines, Jeremy Milligan, and Michael Clotworthy posing with the Pizza ATM

Stakeholders in think[box], an on-campus center for innovation and entrepreneurship, played a part in the machine’s development and success by helping the Bon Appétit team research options. Think[box] provides a space for anyone — students, faculty, alumni, and members of the community — to exercise

The Fox 8 News team enjoying a Case Western pizza from the ATM

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OPENING BON APPÉTIT VOWS TO SERVE OATH FAITHFULLY creativity, to tinker, and to invent. Of course, those working long hours in the facility needed to eat fresh food to keep their creative juices flowing. Hence, the need for a Pizza ATM! The machine, made by the French company Paline, already has a large following in Europe, but is just beginning to appear in the U.S. Since the first Pizza ATM is also located in Ohio, the teams were easily able to visit and consider whether it was the right fit for the Case Western campus as well. Turns out, it was a perfect match.

The Pizza ATM serves fresh, from-scratch pizzas, doesn’t require labor during latenight hours (the building can be accessed by those with key cards), and fits handily into the think[box] mission of innovation.

As soon as the Bon Appétit and Case Western teams announced the machine’s opening via their respective Instagram and Facebook accounts, students, faculty, and even alumni and community members went bananas. The Facebook post reached 34,571 people and racked up 182 likes, 142 shares, and 49 comments within four days of the announcement. One student commented, “I feel like this is what we’ve been missing in our lives!” Another shared the post from the official Case Western Facebook page, writing “And today we learned dreams do come true at CWRU Sears [think]box.” Even Cleveland.com, the city’s primary internet news source, covered the Pizza ATM in its reporting, as did several local TV crews.

Since it opened for business, the Pizza ATM has been selling nearly all its pizzas every day, with plain cheese the favorite, vegetable second, and pepperoni third.

Oath employees are excited to have a daily catered lunch

YAHOO HAS LONG BEEN a Bon Appétit client and, happily, since Verizon bought Yahoo, that relationship continues — with a new sibling added! Verizon acquired the venerable Internet company AOL in 2015, and now merged it with parts of Yahoo into a new media empire named Oath. In late summer, the Bon Appétit Southern California team launched the food program at Oath’s new campus in Playa Vista, CA. The new campus comes together at one dining area for lunch service, catered from the kitchen at the (former) Yahoo campus down the street. Hungry guests can serve themselves from stations with salads, hot entrées, soup/ panini, and aguas frescas. They also enjoy five revamped micro kitchens offering grab-and-go snacks and new stateof-the-art coffee machines. Bottled beverages and readyto-go continental breakfast are there for the taking.

Since the opening, the food program has been a huge success, eliciting lots of thanks from the client and guests, who especially love Taco Tuesdays, Indian dishes, and Southern-style cuisine.

Submitted by Tim Lanergan, Café Manager

Submitted by Amanda Mass, Marketing Manager

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MIT RAISES THE ROOF WITH TWO NEW INITIATIVES

McCormick Hall Lead Cook Andy Allen harvests basil from Bon Appétit’s rooftop garden with the Boston skyline in the background

Freshly grown herbs bring this sweet-and-sour chicken dish alive with flavor

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY in Cambridge, MA, boasts sweeping vistas of the Charles River and Boston’s impressive skyline. It also now boasts something else: a rooftop farm. Director of Culinary Operations Brian Dagnall calls the farm “the epitome of Bon Appétit’s philosophy of locally sourced ingredients that create food alive with flavor.”

and as a key ingredient in a sweet-and-sour chicken dish. To promote the hyper-local nature of their newest offerings, Catering Director Patrick Fitzgibbons adds descriptors noting the produce’s rooftop provenance on the catering menus.

To make the farm a reality, Brian tapped longtime Bon Appétit Farm to Fork farmer-partner Matt Couzens of Horse Listeners Orchard in Ashford, CT. Matt planted 80 boxes on the rooftop of McCormick Hall, a 10-story residential building located along the Charles on MIT’s urban campus. Working together, Matt, Brian, and McCormick Chef/Manager Chip Coller installed an automatic watering system to keep the two types of basil, six varieties of peppers, three varieties of mint, rosemary, regular and lemon thyme, chives, scallions, bay, lemon balm, heirloom tomatoes, and cilantro well hydrated. The longest distance these fresh ingredients travel is from the roof down the elevator to the kitchen.

“How cool is it that I can head up to the roof to ‘harvest’ fresh herbs with a pair of shears, clean and mince them, and put them right into stir fries?” McCormick Lead Cook Andy Allen said. Andy also uses them to marinate lamb, season roasted potatoes, flavor vinaigrettes, make pesto, add a taste of freshness to aguas frescas,

The MIT team has long made efforts to show guests where their food comes from. In fact, in a second new initiative, the Bon Appétiters are working closely with researchers, members of MIT’s Office of Sustainability, and the Open Agriculture Initiative (OpenAg) on an exciting new MIT Media Lab initiative that applies MIT’s innovative approach to the future of food.

The team’s collaboration with the OpenAg initiative will provide Bon Appétit cafés with fresh basil and a spring mix of lettuce grown year-round in environmentally controlled freight containers, thereby furthering the OpenAg’s mission to create healthier, more engaging, and more inventive future food systems. “We believe the precursor to a healthier and more sustainable food system will be the creation of an open-source ecosystem of food technologies that enable and promote transparency, networked experimentation, education, and hyper-local production,” says OpenAg Director Caleb Harper.

Submitted by Larry Simpson, Project Manager

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Andy preps freshly cut herbs for service

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REGIS HOSTS TWO HIGH-PROFILE GUESTS

Front of House/Catering Attendant Kara Polyak and Bill Murray

Alumni Weekend balloons

ALTHOUGH FAMED ACTOR BILL MURRAY didn’t graduate from Regis University in Denver, which he attended in 1983, he still occasionally returns to visit. He claims to know all the secret passageways on campus. To prove it, he made his entrance to this year’s Alumni Weekend party by emerging — seemingly out of nowhere — from the basement below the kitchen. Suddenly, there was the Oscar-winning actor in the kitchen, asking “What’s for dinner?” in his signature deadpan style. The Bon Appétit team was so excited!

Actor Bill Murray hobnobbing at Regis University’s Alumni Weekend gathering.

Photo Credit: Brett Stakelin/Regis University

Bill raved about the watermelon salad with heirloom tomatoes, arugula, radicchio, feta, red miso vinaigrette, and togarashi (Japanese spice mix), saying, “I can always tell if a caterer’s food is going to be good if the salad is good, and you knocked it out of the park.”

The menu that followed was also a crowd pleaser: pan-roasted Colorado chicken breast with truffled Marsala pan sauce; porcinicrusted Colorado’s Best New York strip steak with house-made red wine demi-glace; Florentine-style eggplant roulade with spinach and ricotta; twice-baked White Mountain Farms Russet potatoes with parmesan, chives, parsley, and chervil; and summer ratatouille with Table Mountain Farms Black Beauty zucchini and crookneck squash.

As if one celebrity visit weren’t enough, Regis got to enjoy a second. Five-time NBA All-Star, NBA World Champion, and 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups visited campus as part of the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy (PBLA), of which he’s a co-executive director. Every summer, Regis hosts the Academy, which offers at-risk youth from grades 4 through 12 three weeks of rigorous academics and leadership training. Regis then offers graduates

Left to right: Cook John Pedraza, Chauncey Billups, and Sous Chef Grant Ruesch

of the program scholarships for tuition and fees to attend Regis if the students complete seven years of the Academy and qualify academically. The students visit the Bon Appétit main café during their time on campus for their meals, and the entire team is always happy to see them! Every summer, Chauncey takes the time to thank the Bon Appétit staff for making food for the camp and is kind enough to take a photo with the team.

Submitted by Letina Matheny-Leix, General Manager, and Grant Ruesch, Sous Chef

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RESTAURANT 917 PARTNERS WITH THE MACALLAN FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING IT’S NOT EASY TO elevate the luxury of a Porsche, but the team at Restaurant 917 attempted to do so anyway by teaming up with The Macallan Distillers to unite two iconic brands for one incredible evening. Restaurant 917’s new general manager, Bobby Bognar, hit the ground running, with only three weeks to plan his first big event at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles: an exclusive Scotch pairing dinner with The Macallan. Luckily, he’s no stranger to the Bon Appétit family; having previously worked with Restaurant 917 Executive Chef Matt Lee at the Restaurant at The Getty Center, Bobby knew that with his hospitality experience and Matt’s refined food, the two could create an exceptional experience for their guests.

Attendees enjoy a Macallan toast to a fabulous dinner

Guests were invited to explore one of the world’s truly great Scotch whisky distillers through an innovative five-course menu that showcased Matt’s inventive techniques and playful compositions.

The Restaurant 917 team hand-sold the event to guests dining in the restaurant leading up to the big day and created a targeted Facebook ad to reach fans of both Porsche and The Macallan.

Bobby worked closely with the Macallan team to choose an array of unique single-malt Scotches to complement each course that Matt had created. The menu featured dishes like Alaskan king crab with green curry, dragon fruit, swarnadwipa spice butter, and coriander, paired with The Macallan Double Cask 12-YearOld Single Malt Scotch; and Snake River Farms Wagyu with baby summer squash, currant tomatoes, sherry-glazed cipollini onions in a port reduction, paired with The Macallan 18-Year-Old Sherry Cask Highland Single-Malt Scotch. A dessert of white chocolate crémeux with almond sponge cake and grilled peaches paired with the exclusive Macallan Rare Cask served as the meal’s grand finale.

Guests were seated at two communal tables so they could personally interact with representatives from The Macallan, who talked through the flavors and aromas of each Scotch as the courses were served. This added to the intimate air of the evening that heightened the luxury of the dinner.

917 Executive Chef Matt Lee’s New Zealand elk tenderloin with vanilla parsnip purée, glazed salsify, wild rocket, and brandied cherries paired with Macallan Scotch

The resounding feedback from guests? “When can we do it again?”

Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager

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FRED HUTCHINSON SHARES TASTES OF SUMMER

Plump peas from Garden Treasures Nursery and Organic Farm

Berries from Garden Treasures exploded with vibrant color

IN THE OFT-RAINY PACIFIC NORTHWEST, summer isn’t just a season but a state of mind, one that locals greet with a collective exhale. At the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, the Bon Appétit team held a welcome party for summer itself, hosting a “Taste Summer” farmstand and barbecue for the entire campus. The menu included locally grown produce and a strong sense of community.

Scents from the grill at the north end of Listwin Courtyard drew guests outside, where Sous Chef Kristie Miller and Cook Alejandro Mendoza skillfully executed Executive Chef Diego Torres’s special menu. Offerings included chicken rubbed with paprika, chili powder, oregano, and brown sugar, then grilled and paired with watermelon barbecue sauce; baby rainbow potatoes mixed with fresh peppers, asparagus, carrots, onions, fresh herbs, and olive oil; and sweet and slightly spicy dry-rubbed grilled watermelon.

Farmers from Bon Appétit Farm to Fork vendors Full Circle Farm in Carnation, WA, and Garden Treasures Nursery and Organic Farm in Arlington, WA, joined the celebration, setting up market stalls on-site. Guests could sign up for CSA shares and purchase a wide array of fresh produce including green garlic, squash blossoms, black raspberries, strawberries, and fat, flavorful snap peas, the signature offering of Garden Treasures Nursery owner Mark Lovejoy, who sang their praises.

Cloth grocery bags in hand, guests gathered to buy fresh ingredients, break bread with one another, and enjoy the abundance of the Bon Appétit hearth. The large courtyard resembled a piazza marketplace of yore — proof that the team successfully honored its most cherished summer season!

Submitted by Nicolina Miller, Supervisor

General Manager Chad Gross, Catering Director Drew Rodriguez, District Manager Buzz Hofford, and Operations Manager Carey Drewes-Moore

Garden Treasures Nursery and Organic Farm had a stall teeming with offerings

A full plate makes a happy guest

Guests could learn about Full Circle’s customizable CSA boxes

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LEMONADE STAND AT FRED HUTCHINSON WELCOMES SPECIAL HOSTS When it comes to carefree summer fundraisers, childhood and lemonade stands go hand in hand. But when the children selling the lemonade are students at the Hutch School, part of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, their participation becomes even more meaningful.

Recently, the Bon Appétit team at Fred Hutch hosted a lemonade stand to benefit these students, who’ve had to move to the area for their own cancer treatment or the treatment of a loved one. They invited the kids to take shifts, giving them a chance to enjoy direct guest interaction while raising money for what they knew was a worthwhile cause. Even with lemonade priced at a cool $1 per cup, proceeds quickly added up to an impressive $536!

The kids themselves were excited to be a part of the lemonade stand. They loved meeting so many people and having a chance to directly benefit their school. Each child had a different story, came from a different area of the country, and has spent a different amount of time in Seattle for treatment. Operations Manager Carey Drewes-Moore, Catering Director Drew Rodriguez, Executive Chef Diego Torres, General Manager Chad Gross, and Supervisor Nicolina Miller all felt lucky to spend time with such an inspiring group of hardworking, dedicated children! — Submitted by Carey Drewes-Moore, Operations Manager

Kids from the Hutch School pose with their teacher Clarissa Wells

TEAM-BUILDING FOR A CAUSE

To deepen the relationship between the Fred Hutch team in Seattle and Food Lifeline, its food recovery partner, Bon Appétiters volunteered at the nonprofit’s Georgetown neighborhood warehouse. The experience offered a chance for team building while also providing much-appreciated help to the hunger relief organization. Volunteers repackaged donations from a local grocery distributor and helped break down large crates of food to ease their transport to area food banks.

The 14 volunteers — who included Bon Appétit employees, spouses, and friends — repacked 4,311 pounds of food to serve 2,694 meals to families in western Washington. This event was so well-received there are now plans to repeat it quarterly. — Submitted by Carey Drewes-Moore, Operations Manager

Supervisor Nicolina Miller lends a hand

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TALKING ABOUT FOOD | MAISIE GANZLER

EXPERIENCING A CULTURE THROUGH ITS FOOD “This culinary adventuring can be like walking a tightrope these days, though. In today’s politically charged times, where is the line between imitation as sincere flattery, and ‘cultural appropriation’?”

W

A “PAN-AFRICAN” FEAST

hen I travel, my favorite experiences often revolve around food. Sipping Turkish coffee in Istanbul; learning how to make momos (dumplings) in the mountains of Nepal; biting into matrimonio, the perfect “marriage” of salty cheese and a sweet fruit gel, in Cartagena, Colombia; or closing my eyes as I taste pidan (a 100-year-old egg) in Hong Kong is like taking sociology, history, and anthropology classes all rolled into one, with a dash of religious studies and economics thrown in.

So what’s a well-meaning culinarian to do? In Yeoville, South Africa (a suburb of Johannesburg), this summer, I saw an excellent example of getting it right.

I had the great honor of dining at a supper club of sorts run by Sanza Sandile.

Several nights a week, this chef throws a dinner party for 20 friends, old and new, in a narrow room over an empty storefront next to a Reggaeton club.

When he had me add Ghanaian bitters to ginger beer, cranberry juice, and coconut water while he blended a cinnamon-steeped beetroot with yogurt to make a lassi of sorts, I knew I was in for a unique food experience.

I know I’m not alone in this. So many of you share my habit of heading to the nearest market or street-food stall as soon as you arrive in a new town. I The real aha came when Sanza introoften think of Bon Appétit chefs and duced the meal. First off, he called it managers when I’m eating things that Chief Strategy and Brand Officer Maisier Ganzler sipping Turkish coffee “pan-African.” His explorations started are new to me, and I want to share my in Istanbul experiences with you. I’m sure you feel the same way about your in South Africa but included neighboring Zimbabwe and Mozamcafé guests. You taste a dish and want to recreate it so they can bique before moving up to Cameroon and Nigeria all the way to North Africa in Morocco and Egypt. have the experience as well.

This culinary adventuring can be like walking a tightrope these days, though. In today’s politically charged times, where is the line between imitation as sincere flattery, and “cultural appropriation”? (The latter is defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as “the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture.”) It’s easy to laugh at the extreme examples of when people get it clearly wrong. Just look for the headlines or scornful Facebook posts about Bon Appétit magazine’s (no relation to us) pho faux pas, the Kooks Burritos brouhaha in Portland, OR, or the New York Times’ face-plant into a cup of bubble tea.

He didn’t present any of the dishes as traditional. Instead, he spoke of his inspirations. He gave credit to the ladies in the market who taught him how to use ingredients from all over Africa. He started with a sweet bread from a nation often known for war. “We don’t have to speak of bombs as we break bread,” said Sanza warmly.

He told of immigrants in extreme poverty, who couldn’t afford to waste anything, showing him to use the stem of the cilantro, not just the leaves, for a different taste (and a wonderful boon to your food cost when trying to make your business successful he pointed out). How learning to use peanuts in many ways has allowed him to make vegan dishes that cater to many religious dietary laws.

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He inserted his own perspective, honored his teachers, and never claimed authenticity. Just shared his reverence.

bers of Blacks in Technology, the Muslim Students Association, or La Alianza Latina). Then cookbooks and credible online sources. Wherever you get your guidance, be sure to give credit — right on the menu at the point of sale, with a “Thanks to X for her family’s recipe” or “With help from the Y Cultural Association,” for example. If there’s an event associated with the dish(es) on Cafebonappetit. com, you can share more about your inspiration there.

THE BON APPÉTIT BALANCING ACT

Striking that balance could keep us out of the proverbial hot water in our kitchens. Our chefs must cross this high wire every day. A standard restaurant focuses on one type of cuisine, and a chef is given time to refine menu items that will reappear day after day, month after month, sometimes year We’ve got many companywide after year. A Bon Appétit café resources to help, too. For years is just the opposite. We expect we’ve offered culinary trainings our culinary teams to serve in specific cuisines, most recently Persian, led by a chef raised in Italian, Mexican, Indian, and Sanza Sadile was featured on Parts Unknown by Anthony Bourdain and is scheduled to film that cuisine. The documentation Vietnamese at any given lunch an episode of Netflix's Chef's Table in 2018 while also rolling sushi and highlighting whatever local ingredi- for those are all available if you missed the class or need a refreshents were harvested that morning. Oh yeah, and make it totally er. Recently we tried something new and had a virtual training, a different tomorrow. It’s a tall order and ripe for well-intentioned webcast about Filipino food, offered by both Filipino-American misstep if not careful. and non-native chefs (see page 74). We offer well-researched recipes and suggestions for further reading as part of culinary To pull this off well requires a balancing act of being “expert implementation guides, and the new Love Food promotion gives enough” while having humility and sensitivity. Don’t be afraid many cultural cues. to ask for help. In fact, be sure to gather allies. I suggest you look in concentric circles. First around your kitchen and dining FUSION VS. CONFUSION room for the cook or cashier who might be a native cook or This doesn’t mean our chefs can’t be creative. Some of the world’s consumer of the cuisine in question. How about trying a chef favorite foods that have entered the “traditional” cuisine canon from a nearby account? Then widen the search to your commu- started out as cultural mash-ups once upon a time, like Vietnamnity of guests (read how Education First taps students to co-host ese bánh mì or Filipino spaghetti, with its banana ketchup, wheat its weekly global dinner series on page 66). The “regulars” you noodles, and hot dogs. However, on the other end of the specknow and love along with campus affinity groups (tap local mem- trum from “fusion” lies “confusion.” We hope Bon Appétiters will

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have learned a cuisine’s rules and roles before they start tossing things in the pot willy-nilly. And when you take license, menu the dishes as “inspired by” or “X-style” instead of trying to pass them off as authentic.

The more that we can include people and show that we’re trying to be respectful and honor a particular cuisine, the less likely that effort will be branded as culturally offensive like the previous examples. More importantly, that special international dish that you’ve stretched beyond your comfort zone to create will fulfill its most intended purpose — food that sparks learning and shared experiences.

stuffing of momos changes as you go up in elevation (and different crops grow better than others), that fruit gel is called bocadillo (don’t confuse it with the sandwich of the same name), and that a 100-year-old egg is really just a few months old and, despite its unusual color, mostly just tastes hardboiled. (To me, anyway.)

With a little homework and a lot of collaboration, we can take our guests on similar virtual journeys all over the world.

It’s thanks to those kind of cultural exchanges that I now know tea is far more commonly enjoyed than coffee in Turkey, that the

WATCH THOSE CHOPSTICKS

For more guidance about avoiding cultural-authenticity hot buttons, visit the Culinary tab on the extranet.

Sanza’s stewed aubergine (left) featured pickled mango while another mixed kidney beans with black eyed peas and a fresh relish on top that added a great crunchy texture

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UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO BUYS TRAILBLAZING STAR ROUTE FARMS IN BOLINAS, CA, ROUGHLY 25 miles northwest of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, lies the 100-acre Star Route Farms. The oldest continuously certified organic farm in California, this trailblazing farm sells at three farmers’ markets and to about 80 restaurants in the Bay Area, including some that are Michelin starred and/ or helmed by James Beard Award winners.

In a move that surprised many in the Bay Area, longtime Bon Appétit client University of San Francisco purchased Star Route Farms this summer. The university plans to introduce community partnerships and academic opportunities ranging from cross-disciplinary research and sustainable agriculture to field learning, community education, and programs focused on nutrition, biodiversity, sea level rise education, and more. USF also plans to use the farm to teach tomorrow’s leaders in their hospitality management degree program about sustainability and the real workings of a farm.

(This program was conceived years ago by a group of industry leaders, and Bon Appétit CEO Fedele Bauccio has served on its board.)

At the same time, farming operations will continue uninterrupted with the property’s current employees.

“Warren Weber and Star Route Farms have been a very important part of the farming and food community for many decades, and I have had the pleasure of buying their pristine produce for much of that time,” said Traci Des Jardins, chef-owner of Jardiniere and Bon Appétit’s partner at The Commissary, Arguello, and Public House restaurants. “The preservation and continuation of this visionary farm will play an important role in educating new generations.”

Bon Appétit Executive Chef Joe DeBono and Resident District Manager Micah Cavolo are excited to be part of this historic partnership. (Star Route was for many years a Bon Appétit Farm to Fork vendor, until distribution issues paused their participation.) Joe immediately began menuing many Star Route offerings including Little Gem lettuce, Walla Walla onions, and purple haricots verts.

The team enjoys working with farm manager Annabelle Lenderink and values the high quality of her fresh produce.

Executive Chef Joe DeBono and Resident District Manager Micah Cavolo prepare a fresh-fromthe-farm lunch at Star Route Farms

“This is a wonderful move by University of San Francisco,” commented Fedele. “We believe in connecting students with where their food comes from and how it is grown, and there is no better way to do that than getting your hands dirty on a farm. Joining a diverse urban campus with a beautiful working farm in Marin will give USF students a unique only-in-the-Bay-Area educational experience.”

Submitted by Joe DeBono, Executive Chef

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OPENINGS PRET A MANGER PICKS BON APPÉTIT FOR FIRST TWO LOCATIONS ON U.S. COLLEGE CAMPUSES

A sampling of Pret A Manger’s fresh options

Students at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Chicago have a new fast-casual dining option to be very excited about: the first Pret A Manger locations on U.S. college campuses, thanks to an agreement between the London-based sandwich and coffee shop company and Bon Appétit Management Company. Cafés at both schools will serve Pret’s popular menu of organic coffee and house-made sandwiches, salads, wraps, baguettes, and hot options that feature topquality, ethically sourced ingredients and are prepared daily on-site.

Bon Appétit CEO and Cofounder Fedele Bauccio said, “I have long admired Pret for its fresh, flavorful menu items that can be enjoyed quickly on the go. In addition, Pret’s culinary and sourcing standards align closely with Bon Appétit’s, which will make us a great team.”

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Penn Vice President of Business Services Marie Witt, Bon Appétit Regional Manager Paul Bulau, Wharton Vice Dean Harlan Sands, and Penn Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli cut the ribbon on Pret’s first U.S. campus location

Bon Appétit CEO Fedele Bauccio (center, in black shirt) poses with Pret opening team members Barista Deloris McFadden, Cashier Kelly Henderson, Cashier Aja Acunte, Cashier Tiffany Gatling, Supervisor Debbie Coletti, and General Manager Nancy Lowell

...AT THE WHARTON SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA The first to open were two shops at Penn’s Wharton School (the first Pret locations anywhere in Philadelphia), which will serve the thousands of students, faculty, staff, and guests who flow through Wharton’s iconic Jon M. Huntsman Hall.

Pret U.S. President Jo Brett joined Fedele at the Wharton locations’ soft opening, which was followed a few days later by a grand opening hosted by the Wharton School with a VIP reception, remarks by Wharton Vice Dean

...AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

The new Pret A Manger shop at UChicago is located in the Reynolds Club, the primary student center on campus that serves as a hub for undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff. This location in the heart of the Hyde Park campus will serve not only the campus community, but the many guests at more than 500 programs held in the building each year.

During the UChicago Pret’s soft opening, the Bon Appétit team fed faculty, staff, VIP visitors — Pret A Manger CEO Clive Schlee and Fedele both flew in for the opening —

Bon Appétit’s Pret opening team at UChicago

Harlan Sands, and a ribbon-cutting by Vice Dean Sands, Penn Vice President of Business Services Marie Witt, Bon Appétit Regional Manager Paul Bulau, and Penn Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli. Students who stopped in for breakfast that morning were delighted to receive Pret canvas tote bags and coupons for a free coffee or tea.

Penn’s two Prets, which are serving more than 2,000 guests daily, have already outperformed projected sales.

— Submitted by Beth Bayrd, Marketing Manager

and students, who enjoyed the free “I ♥ Chicago” Pret A Manger canvas tote bags they received with a purchase.

“Pret A Manger was a natural fit for UChicago Dining, as we strive to build community through food, create unique dining experiences, and procure and serve the best food,” said Assistant Vice President for Campus Life and Associate Dean of the College Richard Mason.

“The addition of Pret will give students more access to a variety of fresh options in the Reynolds Club.”

— Submitted by Bob Johndrow, Regional Marketing Director

Pret A Manger CEO Clive Schlee and Bon Appétit CEO Fedele Bauccio at the University of Chicago opening

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NORCAL CHEFS GATHER FOR DAY OF NETWORKING, LEARNING, AND INSPIRATION

The NorCal folks listening attentively inside the barn

Learning in the fields at County Line Harvest

MORE THAN 45 BON APPÉTIT culinarians and marketing folks from throughout Northern California came together for a Chefs’ Exchange to network and enjoy one another’s company in this high-growth region. Organized by Oracle Culinary Director Tim Hilt, Adobe Executive Chef Brian West, University of San Francisco Executive Chef Joe DeBono, and Presidio Foods Culinary Director Robbie Lewis, the meet-up included an educational component as well, providing an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the region’s Farm to Fork and Locally Crafted vendors and programs.

Participants then took a bus to County Line Harvest, where they enjoyed a farm tour. A barn party at Marin Sun Farms/Mindful Meats ended the day in style with the chefs grilling, enjoying an amazing buffet spread, and mingling with representatives from Marin Sun Farms, Mindful Meats, Vince’s Shellfish Company, Wholesome Bakery, Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard, and Chacewater Winery.

A Farm to Fork/Locally Crafted vendor breakfast fair and purchasing session at the University of San Francisco — with a video town hall meeting with Senior Purchasing Manager Theresa Chester and Sourcing Specialist Danielle Pilarski — kicked things off. The Bon Appétiters mingled with representatives and snacked on samples from Nana Joes Granola (bars and granola), Peas of Mind (carrot-, broccoli-, and cauliflower-based potato tots), Chromatic Coffee (beverages), Baker’s Bacon, Shaw Bakers (assorted pastries), Love & Hummus (hummus, tahini dressing, and falafel), Lev Probiotics (kombucha), Wine RayZyn (chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon raisins), and ReGrained (snack bars made from upcycled beer grain).

District Manager Steve Ganner thanked the organizers and attendees after the event, saying: “Sometimes we all get caught up in our forever growing business. It was nice to take a step aside, network, get back to roots, and enjoy what we are all about.”

Vendor Donna Sky of Love & Hummus echoed the sentiment: “I can’t thank you enough for inviting us to be part of the great event you organized, orchestrated, and created. Not only did we have an opportunity to meet so many chefs from different Bon Appétit locations we hope to work with, it was also an overall inspiring and beautiful day.”

Submitted by Joe DeBono and Brian West, Executive Chefs and Northern California foragers

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RGA GETS INTERACTIVE WITH COR TRAINING

The RGA team working on their trivia-based trainings — and having fun!

SOME PEOPLE LEARN BEST through competition. To drive home Bon Appétit’s grounding principles at Reinsurance Group of America in Chesterfield, MO, General Manager Thomas Dixon turned to the free, online-based gaming platform Kahoot! and transformed the COR training into a trivia game.

Harvest field ablaze with color at County Line Harvest

To participate, Bon Appétiters needed to match the correct COR icons with their proper use via a series of proposed scenarios. The trivia/training could be displayed on any smart TV, and players could even participate on their mobile devices via Kahoot.it. At the end of each question, the team discussed the “why” behind the answers. Players earned points for each correct answer, plus additional points based on how quickly they answered correctly. A leaderboard tracking scores appeared at the end of each round, furthering the sense of friendly competition.

Thomas chose to repeat the same questions each week, both to ensure that team members retained the information and to up the chances that everyone could log a win. Recent winners included Cooks Tom Risesll, Stephanie Guion, and Jaye Grigsby; Catering Cook Aaron Strickland; and Culinary Lead Drummond Bryant, and each of them got to pick a prize from a collection of swag, including Bon Appétit portable phone chargers, stainless-steel salt-andpepper mills, safety lanyards, notebooks, and pens. The whole activity was a huge success, and Thomas recommends this form of training (for safety/sanitation, education, GE4, and more) to all accounts. He welcomes questions from others who may want to create their own interactive training experiences.

One question tested understanding of the Food for Your Well-Being COR icon

Stunning greens and flowers

Submitted by Thomas Dixon, General Manager

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HEALTHY KIDS! The Healthy Kids team also made use of 12 different gardens and farms on Bon Appétit campuses, most of which had never hosted hands-on food education for kids. The uniqueness of each garden brings something special to the program, and it was incredibly rewarding for the teams to watch these spaces come alive, sparked by the insatiable curiosity of kids.

Healthy Kids attendees at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s rooftop garden last fall

It’s hard to believe a full year has passed since the launch of Healthy Kids in the Bon Appétit Kitchen. In its first year, Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk and the Bon Appétit Fellows hosted a total of 46 hands-on cooking classes with 26 Bon Appétit teams in 27 cities and 13 states. They have shared their knowledge and love for food with more than 1,100 kids! (See list of participating accounts on next page.)

For example, the Bon Appétit team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology tends to a small rooftop garden on the top of a residence hall (pictured on our cover; see related story on page 16).

The young visitors got to experience true urban agriculture, with fruits and vegetables growing against a Boston backdrop. In the MacArthur Garden in San Francisco’s Presidio national park, residents as well as Bon Appétit’s restaurants The Commissary and Arguello grow food in individual plots.

The importance of community gardens in urban environments like San Francisco became part of the lesson plan shared by Bon Appétit chef-partner Traci Des Jardins and

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Presidio Foods Catering Executive Chef Nathan Clark. At Adobe - San Jose’s small but bountiful café garden, the kids discovered seven varieties of tomatoes growing in all different shapes, sizes, and colors — and giggled over the names like Chocolate Sprinkles, Green Zebra, Mr. Stripey, and Better Boy. The program curriculum has begun moving in some new directions. Inspired by a previous hangout with the beehives in the garden at SAP in Palo Alto, the Healthy Kids team collaborated with Planet Bee Foundation to develop a series of lessons and activities that teach kids about the connection between bees and our food system.

Meanwhile, kids visiting the Mills College Farm in Oakland were recruited to join Bon Appétit’s Imperfectly Delicious Produce movement and help save cosmetically challenged, under-, and/or over-sized produce from going to waste. Presented with a variety of funny-shaped fruits and vegetables, kids were asked to identify each,

...AT THE PRESIDIO, SAN FRANCISCO: Traci Des Jardins (back row, peeking over shoulder) — Bon Appétit’s chef-partner in The Commissary, Arguello, and Transit restaurants in the Presidio — teamed up with Hannah (back row, far left) and Presidio Foods Catering Executive Chef Nathan Clark (center) to welcome children of this national park’s employees to the MacArthur Community Garden for a scavenger hunt, plant lesson, cooking class, and picnic.

IN ACTION AROUND THE U.S. The Bon Appétit Healthy Kids team — Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk, Manager of Strategic Initiatives Nicole Cardwell, and Bon Appétit Fellows Caroline Ferguson, Claire Kelloway, and Peter Todaro — visited more than 20 Bon Appétit locations and nonprofit sites this summer. Read a sample of stories from these 2016–2017 Healthy Kids hosts: Adobe - San Jose Best Buy Blizzard Entertainment Case Western Reserve University Cisco Childcare Center Colorado College DePauw University Edwards Lifesciences The Garden at AT&T Park Genentech - South San Francisco Goucher College Johns Hopkins University

learning that irregular fruits and vegetables are more normal than we think, but unfortunately, they often get thrown away because grocery stores don’t think people will buy them. “Would you buy this curvy cucumber if you were shopping at the grocery store?”

Hannah asked the group. “YESSSS!!!” came the replies, as the group taste-tested and agreed that the crooked cuke was just as tasty as the straight one.

Lesley University Lewis & Clark College LifeMoves Marylhurst University Medtronic Milliken & Company Mills College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nordstrom Oracle - Pleasanton Oracle - Santa Clara Oregon Episcopal School

Plantronics The Presidio Reinsurance Group of America Roger Williams University Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology SAP Starbucks STEM Kitchen & Garden Twitter Wheaton College Williams-Sonoma

...AT MILLS COLLEGE, OAKLAND, CA: Over the summer, 26 campers from Mills College Children’s School came to the Mills College Farm for the third Healthy Kids event on campus.

Executive Chef Cynthia Motta (pictured) and Hannah introduced a new Imperfectly Delicious Produce curriculum component with great success, with the kids getting it immediately that just like people aren’t perfect, fruits and vegetables aren’t perfect either — but we’re all beautiful on the inside. “It’s kind of like the saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’” said one wise little girl. Another wild card for Healthy Kids was a new kale salad with additional vegetables chosen from the just-for-kids Mills College Farmers’ Market, which also went over surprisingly well thanks to the massaging and house-made raspberry vinaigrette!

Healthy Kids in the Bon Appétit Kitchen has evolved into a companywide act of love, with Bon Appétit teams across the country contributing to the program’s inaugural success. The Healthy Kids coaches look forward to deepening the company’s impact in year two and watching our culinary teams share their knowledge, talents, and passion for food with the next generation of eaters so that together we can continue to transform the health and values of children.

Submitted by Hannah Schmunk, Manager of Food Education for Children

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...AT SAP, PALO ALTO, CA: Partnering with Planet Bee Foundation, Hannah and the SAP team took kids on a bee-centric pollination journey through the SAP garden; checked out a traveling beehive and different types of bees; taste-tested Bay Area, orange, and “world” honeys; and then made parfaits with fruit, yogurt, and, of course, honey!

...AT MEDTRONIC, MINNEAPOLIS AREA: During the three Medtronic Healthy Kids workshops organized by General Manager Michelle Kirkwold, roughly 70 children of employees joined Hannah, Peter, Executive Chef Kristina Soyring, Executive Chef Brandon Canfield (pictured), and Sous Chef Matt Williams in food and garden activities. The composting lesson was a big hit. Excited to learn how it can be used to improve soil or shared with livestock — and motivated to put the food scraps left over from their time cooking a garden-sourced meal to good use — the little chefs collected and set aside what was compostable for Medtronic to donate to a local hog farm, even going so far as to name the pigs they pictured eating their scraps. Before parting, Brandon answered questions about life in the kitchen. He said that cooking is a way for him to show the people he cares about that he loves them, which touched and inspired smiles all around from kids and grownups alike.

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...AT ADOBE, SAN JOSE, CA: With help from Executive Chef Brian West and many others, this year’s event proved to be another memorable one, beginning with a taste test of three summer melons: Frog Skin, Canary, and a cross between honeydew and cantaloupe that the group thought should be named “honeylope.” After hesitantly biting into the melon samples — several remembered last year’s bitter lemon cucumber — many kids fell over on the floor in a dramatic expression of their love for the sweet, juicy fruits. All were especially relieved to find that the Frog Skin tasted nothing like its name. After Catering Chef Max Beaudreau (pictured) taught the group how to make heart-shaped hand pies (from dough to fresh fruit filling) and whip up a delicious hummus recipe, plus safely chop vegetables to go along with it, the day ended with a feast and hugs for the chefs big and small!

...AT ORACLE, PLEASANTON, CA: Executive Chef James Fujii and Café Manager Amy Lawrence led the children of Oracle - Pleasanton employees on a fun day of learning. Before the group got to cooking, Lara Hermanson from Farmscape, Bon Appétit’s Bay Area urban-farm administrator, led the kids through the site’s Victory Garden. They were surprised to learn that pizza, French fries, and other favorites begin their lives on a farm.

After being introduced to the six plant parts and identifying fruits and vegetables that we eat from each — they found it especially startling to learn that French fries are plant roots — they taste-tested vibrantly colored dragon fruit, kiwis, and watermelon radishes, observing their texture and flavor. Then the kids put on their imaginary chef hats and got to work on some colorful kebabs in the kitchen. They learned that eating a rainbow of colors is an important part of healthy eating. The sharp-eyed participants pointed out with concern that they didn’t have any yellow fruits for their kebabs!

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...AT LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE, PORTLAND, OR: Children from the Boys & Girls Club in Portland joined Caroline and Marylhurst University Executive Chef Jennifer Pack (pictured) at Lewis & Clark College for an afternoon of cooking and learning — and lots of fun. After learning safe knife techniques from Jennifer, one attendee excitedly announced that the kids could now help the chefs chop vegetables whenever they got too tired in the kitchen, but not without payment, since they were “real chefs now.” The day ended with a picnic, where many children expressed their interest in becoming chefs when they grew up. Jennifer advised them to never stop experimenting with food, which led to some interesting last-minute hot sauce and fruit creations.

...AT NORDSTROM HQ, SEATTLE: Caroline joined Executive Chef James Edmunds (left) in hosting 20 enthusiastic kids from a local Boys & Girls Club at Nordstrom HQ in Seattle. After taste-testing vegetables and fruits such as spicy French breakfast radishes, Sous Chef Mark Raynor (right) brought out lychees as a special treat. The kids loved peeling the thick skins off of them, though the strong floral flavor gave them pause. Without even being prompted, one girl raised her hand and said it’s important to keep taste-testing food, because “our taste buds change as we get older.” To their delight, the little chefs received gift bags to start their own culinary adventures, which included kid-safe knives, aprons, chef’s hats, and potholders.

...AT WILLIAMS-SONOMA, SAN FRANCISCO: Hosted at Williams-Sonoma for the first time by General Manager Jessica Sackler and Executive Chef Ross Browne, the Healthy Kids workshop began in the Bay Café’s rooftop courtyard, where the kids set out on a scavenger hunt in search of nine items in the small kitchen garden, including chives, thyme, basil, cilantro, red leaf lettuce, and an insect living in one of the beds.

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...AT ORACLE, SANTA CLARA, CA: After taste-testing Goddess melon and Sun Gold tomatoes freshly harvested from the Victory Garden — which received a unanimous and enthusiastic thumbs-up from the group — the kids joined Executive Chef Randy Sarbaugh, Sous Chef Eric Sundstrom, Farmscape Farmer Ashley Bowden, and Hannah on a scavenger hunt. They searched for everything from eggplants to watermelon, all the while keeping an eye out for the buzzing bumblebees responsible for pollinating flowers to produce new food. Stunned to learn that a bee only produces 1/12 teaspoon of honey in its entire lifetime, the kids were all the more appreciative of their scavenger hunt prize: a honeycomb square from local Marshall’s Farm. Following a dynamic knife safety lesson by Eric and a salsa and rainbow fruit kebab making session, the program culminated in a taco fiesta, with parents joining them in the café and tasting what the kids prepared.

...AT REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, CHESTERFIELD, MO: The children of RGA associates and Bon Appétit staff members had a blast exploring the RGA Garden (renaming it the Healthy Green Garden), trying Romanesco, and experimenting in the kitchen. Hannah and Executive Chef Stephen Shook showed the kids how to make fresh garden tacos and homemade salsa, teaching the group a few new words in Spanish while demonstrating the different ways to fold tortillas, both taquito and flauta style. At the end of the day, parents joined in for a picnic. One young participant had a taco piled high with every vegetable topping available but admitted he was scared to take a bite. After some encouragement from Hannah, he took a bite and exclaimed, “Mmm, I love it!” to his mother’s disbelief.

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THE GARDEN AT AT&T PARK CULTIVATES NEW ROMANESCO FANS

Freshly harvested Romanesco from The Garden at AT&T Park

NORTHERN CALIFORNIANS ARE THE first to admit they’re spoiled with year-round access to fresh produce. Even so, some varieties still turn heads to the delight of growers and eaters alike. Such is the case with Romanesco, one of the crops the team at The Garden at AT&T Park in San Francisco most loves to grow. It’s a vegetable with many names: Romanesco cauliflower, Romanesco broccoli, broccolo Romanesco, and even fractal fruit. Romanesco heads are prized for their edible flower buds with mathematical patterns so striking they might inspire more Instagramming than cooking.

The cool ocean breezes around AT&T Park provide the perfect climate for this crop to thrive. Before developing any flower buds, Romanesco plants spend months producing massive edible leaves, which themselves are packed with flavor. In The Garden at AT&T Park, some of the Romanesco leaves grow so large that visiting kids call them “elephant ears.” When the Romanesco flower buds finally mature, they’re so stunning it’s sometimes difficult for the team to harvest them. Luckily, visiting kids are always happy to help with the harvest.

“Today I ate Romanesco cauliflower for the first time, and it’s actually pretty good.

True fact!” shared one recent young visi-

A young visitor from the West Bay Pilipino Center harvesting Romanesco

Preparing to top garden pizzas with freshly harvested Romanesco

tor from West Bay Pilipino Center, a nonprofit dedicated to providing services to underserved populations in the South of Market District of San Francisco. During the field trip, each student harvested their own Romanesco flower bud and tried it raw. After the tasting, they were thrilled to use the freshly harvested Romanesco as a pizza topping.

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Getting children to try new fruits and vegetables isn’t always easy, so kudos to these kiddos for eating Romanesco for the first time. Now that all the Romanesco has been harvested and enjoyed, the team is eager to plant some more!

Submitted by Sam Wilder, Program Manager

CAFÉ MODERN OFFERS FEAST FOR FILM LOVERS WITH FILM FEAST 2017, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Texas served up a weekend of food-centric films. The festival offered a buffet of genres, from silent film classics and rare archival Texas vignettes to cult favorites and first-run summer blockbusters.

The Bon Appétit team at Café Modern exuberantly matched the daily cinematic offerings with inventive gourmet foods, specialty cocktails, and top-notch wines representing the different cuisines featured in the films. Executive Chef Denise Shavandy and Sous Chef Scott Kaiser’s film-inspired menus included Louisiana-style gumbo with crawfish, andouille, okra, and steamed rice; roast turkey with green pipian sauce; French-style vegetable salad with goat cheese and vinaigrette; a slew of tapas including Spanish torta (potato and egg omelet) with smoked paprika aioli, toast with Manchego, membrillo, and chorizo, salt cod–stuffed piquillo peppers, olives, boquerones (marinated white anchovies), and marinated mushrooms; and timpano (an Italian layered casserole of pasta, meatballs, spinach, cheese, and eggs baked in a crust) with tomato ragu. And Café Modern’s Head Bartender Megan Arrigunaga and guest bartenders/mixologists from Fort Worth’s most popular restaurant bars created specialty drinks featuring top-shelf liquors from the festival’s sponsors.

Their collective efforts extended beyond menus. Following Saturday night’s preview screening of The Trip to Spain, Café Modern hosted a paella party serving an array of Spanish wines. Partygoers enjoyed the lively sounds of Spanish guitars and dined al fresco, where two paellas — seafood and hunters’ — were ceremoniously cooked and served on Café Modern’s Café Terrace.

Denise ready to greet guests at the Trip to Spain event

Sous Chef Scott Kaiser, Executive Chef Denise Shavandy, and Line Cook Tina Parlas prepare a seafood paella with clams, shrimp, mussel, and squid

Submitted by Adrian Burciaga, General Manager

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LOVE FOOD

LOVE KOHLRABI

LOVE FOOD XOXO WE’RE IN LOVE...WITH KOHLRABI. Why? What’s behind our fondness for this cruciferous curiosity? It’s simple, really: This versatile and visually intriguing vegetable leaves us starry-eyed with possibilities.

That’s why Love Food, Love Kohlrabi is one of the first of many themes in a new promotion library aptly named Love Food.

Love Food is a culinary canvas on which Bon Appétiters can share their passion and creativity in regard to food, trends, art, and culture with our guests.

Kohlrabi was always foremost on the list of themes for the launch of the Love Food library. It was serendipity then when University of the Pacific Director of Catering Christine Ward Giordani reached out to share her own affection for this oft-overlooked vegetable: “My most recent adventure with kohlrabi was to make very simple kohlrabi chips. Peel, slice, toss with some great oil, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and you are on your way,” she wrote.

It’s even poetic, inspiring headquarters Writer/Editor Jenny Slafkosky to pen a haiku: Bulbous stem grows squat, turnip-like with leaves askew.

Rebel brassica!

Beyond its endearing appearance, taste, and texture, kohlrabi supplies vital vitamins and minerals — vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, and manganese. Oh, kohlrabi, you have it all!

What else do we love? Well, we can’t say too much — we like a little bit of suspense.

But as our guests will see in the future, we at Bon Appétit have a lot of creativity to share.

OPENING BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN COLLEGE JOINS THE BON APPÉTIT FAMILY been missing for some time. Students talk about the fresh vegetables they’re enjoying as much as the main dishes,” said Dean of Students Ben Newhouse. “My colleagues and I have visited the Caf more times since July 1 than we did all last year, and we have taken it upon ourselves to partake of nearly every offering at each meal.

Some call it dedication to our students. I call it a fantastic lunch.”

Birmingham-Southern’s Norton Hall, where the “Caf” is located

AS THE FIRST BON APPÉTIT account in the state of Alabama, the revamped dining operations at Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham were opened with special pride and excitement.

BSC fulfills its mission of preparing men and women for lives of significance by giving students opportunities for hands-on learning and engagement in a mostly residential setting. Dining services are a key part of the overall student experience.

Executive Chef Robert Lynn, General Manager Jason Hall, and the Bon Appétit team at the liberal arts college are now serving three meals per day to 1,280 student guests. Diners can enjoy the allyou-care-to-eat offerings at Norton Café, where the team turned a Mongolian grill station into a global features station and expanded the existing pizza station into a trattoria with many Italian favorites, including the house-made gnocchi featured on opening day. Students are special fans of the house-made bakery and dessert offerings.

Other dining options are sandwiches and salads at The Attic, convenience options at The Cellar, and grab-and-go items with hot meal options at Norton GO! Raves for the “Caf” (as Norton is affectionately known) have been pouring in from all corners.

“There is an excitement within the Caf that has

Vice President for Student Development David M. Eberhardt, Jr. has been similarly impressed. “The first day that Bon Appétit began operating our food service, we talked to several students,” he recalls. “They were all incredibly happy with the quality and variety of food they were enjoying.

They talked about how wonderful it tasted, and how fresh everything seemed. Since that time, as we have settled into the regular academic year, every student I ask about the new food service raves about it.... Our students are more than satisfied with the new food being offered.”

Submitted by Jennifer McGann, Regional Marketing Director

The Bon Appétit at Birmingham-Southern opening team, in front: General Manager Jason Hall. Middle row, left to right: Café Manager Virginia Cook, Salad Bar Prep Lottie Sampson and Dominique Hendricks, Pasta Cook Angela Gaston, Supervisors Linda Hawkins and Christine Camel, Deli Lead Twinna Brown, Prep Cook Darryl Cross, Chef Manager Jason Mullenix, and Sous Chef Nakia Fowler. Back row, left to right: Cashier Lillian McGehee, Executive Chef Robert Lynn, Utility Worker Melvin Thomas, Cook Rodney Bowman, Utility Workers Anthony Derrico and Shadarrius Manigan, Cook Shantell Rose, Supervisor Mattie Ollison, Baker Latoya Washington, and Cashier Johnnie Whatley.

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SERVING VIP JUDGES AT KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION THE BON APPÉTIT TEAM at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (EMKF) in Kansas City, MO, were already excited to have been entrusted with part of an important catering event at the conference center: hosting the judges of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards as they made their final deliberations on 2018’s winners. Then they learned that among the distinguished guests was none other than Bon Appétit Management Company CEO Fedele Bauccio, winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year National Retail and Consumer Products Award in 2014. The high stakes got even higher.

The judges were sent off with a compostable box of locally grown and made treats

For the past several years, the EY group asked to have barbecue from an iconic Kansas City barbecue joint brought in for lunch at this event. (Entrepreneur of the Year Americas Program Manager Wendy Fox is a certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judge, and as such has high standards for barbecue.) General Manager Stacy Glazer and Executive Chef Justin Cain decided to ask to serve their own barbecue, using beef brisket from their Farm to Fork supplier Oatie Beef and the incredible locally grown vegetables they get from Jirak Family Produce.

And they got their shot! “We were proud to represent Kansas City and to showcase our feast to the EY judges and staff, and the meal was very well-received,” said Stacy. “Justin, Regional Forager Jeffrey Leahy, and the EMKF team collaborated on a feast that smelled and looked so good that associates from the adjacent Foundation offices were coming into the café asking if they could purchase ‘what was being served in the conference center.’”

The next day, the Bon Appétiters served a hot breakfast including EMKF favorites such as breakfast porridge with grains, orange zest, and cranberries; local melons and berries; and a yogurt bar. They sent the busy departing judges off mid-morning with boxes of local fruit, nuts, and sweets, cutely packaged in a fully compostable VerTerra box.

“I was proud of the team for showing the EY judges exactly what makes Bon Appétit special,” said Fedele. “They worked with their local farmers and showcased the best of what Kansas City has to offer.”

Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications

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Proud Regional Forager and Field Support Specialist Jeffrey Leahy with his mighty cart of incredible fruits and vegetables from Jirak Family Produce

KANSAS CITY BARBECUE MENU SMOKED OATIE BEEF BRISKET AND SMOKED TURKEY BREAST

with house-made Good Natured sweet honey sauce and Chef ’s KC spice sauce GRILLED WILD - CAUGHT COPPER RIVER SALMON SMOKED BEANS

with Rich Hill peppers and onions Jirak Family Produce

GRILLED SUMMER SQUASH

Jet Farm

CABBAGE AND KOHLR ABI SLAW

Jirak Family Produce

SWEET CORN CASSEROLE

Ancient Grains

BREAD AND TEXAS TOAST GARDEN SALAD

with market vegetables Locally Crafted Emily Kate’s Bakery

BROWNIES, CHOCOLATE CR ACKLE COOKIES, AND LEMON BARS

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Executive Sous Chef Laura Fornari and Executive Chef Chad Melinger are all smiles at The Taste of Putnam County

Dulce de leche brownies and cannoli cupcakes contributed to the winning meal

DEPAUW UNIVERSITY WINS TOP HONORS AT THE TASTE OF PUTNAM COUNTY The first Friday of every month from spring into the fall, the Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce sponsors an event in the town square to celebrate local businesses, food, and music. One recent First Friday event featured The Taste of Putnam County, an annual event that brings together the best local restaurant talent for an evening of outdoor music, food, and judging to determine who has the best food in this part of Indiana.

This year, the menu by the Bon Appétit team from DePauw University in Greencastle took home top honors! The winning menu: porchetta sliders with roasted local pork, sun-dried tomato aioli,

and pickled Crosby Farm sweet onions; barbecued turkey lettuce wraps with house-made coleslaw, crispy rice noodles, and scallions; dulce de leche brownies with almond milk, macerated dark cherries, chocolate crumble, and mint; and cannoli cupcakes with cinnamon cake, cannoli cream, mascarpone frosting, and pistachio crumble.

Executive Chef Chad Melinger, Executive Sous Chef Laura Fornari, Catering Supervisor Chris Skrobot, Catering Manager Megan Inman, and General Manager John Hecko comprised the very happy — and deservedly proud — winning team. — Submitted by John Hecko, General Manager

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AWARDS

ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO NAMED AN IDP MVP Since it was launched in 2014, Bon Appétit and Compass’s Imperfectly Delicious Produce program has recovered more than 3 million pounds of produce: cosmetically challenged, over- or undersized fruits and vegetables that farmers would have had to throw away, but that instead are now being utilized in food service operations.

IDP has now been rolled out with the help of farmers, produce distributors, and chefs all over the country.

Midwest Produce in Chicago decided to encourage a little friendly competition among its Bon Appétit and other Compass accounts to see which could help out local farmers by buying the most IDP during the high harvest month of August. It worked — the number of IDP cases purchased from Midwest Produce went from 97 in July to 257 in August!

The Bon Appétit team at the Art Institute of Chicago was the month’s hero, purchasing the most cases (25). AIC Chef de Cuisine Charles Haracz and Sous Chef Juan Carlos Valadez featured the imperfect produce in salads and side dishes, and even at the occasional high-end catering event. Beets that are more rugged than handsome are the highlight of a citrus and beet salad, while second-cut spinach and kale star in a wilted greens side dish. The team enjoys the concept of rescuing ugly produce, which they deem “full of flavor and worth buying.” — Submitted by Maggie Kraft, Waste Specialist

BON APPÉTIT FEEDS FOUR OF THE BEST COLLEGES FOR JEWISH STUDENTS There’s a new entry in the crowded “Best Colleges” list-making space. Forward, a magazine that for more than a century has covered the issues, ideas, and institutions that matter to American Jews, has come out with its picks for the top 10 best colleges for Jewish students, ranking 171 colleges and universities all over the country. Considering more than 50 different variables in their evaluation, their methodology centers on four main categories: Jewish life, academics, Israel, and cost. Each school has the potential to receive a total score of 100 points. The Jewish life category — which includes the availability of kosher food — is a major determinant, as it’s worth 40 points. Among the top 10 colleges listed, Bon Appétit Management Company serves four of them!

NO. 1 EMORY UNIVERSITY: Emory earned a high score due to several factors, including the availability of kosher sandwiches and the large kosher section at the 24-hour grocery store (both provided by a local caterer that Bon Appétit works with).

NO. 2 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA: Penn’s food service makes access to kosher food easy throughout campus, reportedly perfectly tying kosher options into the student dining plan.

NO. 3 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS: Why should Jewish students attend WashU? Among the reasons are the readily available kosher meals on campus. Chabad and Hillel hosted Shabbat lunch and holiday meals are also offered.

And coming in at NO. 8 IS BROWN UNIVERSITY, which offers Jewish students a kosher meal plan at the Sharpe Refectory (“Ratty”) during lunch and dinner, supplied by a local kosher caterer. For Shabbat and other holidays, students can enjoy meals together in the Hillel building using meal credits. — Submitted by Sofia Sobrero, Communications Intern

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AWARDS Healthy grain bowls are popular at Washington University in St. Louis

THREE BON APPÉTIT SCHOOLS MAKE PRINCETON REVIEW’S BEST COLLEGE FOOD LIST Thousands of student surveys from around the country have revealed the 20 top-ranked colleges for Princeton Review’s Best Campus Food list — and three of them are operated by Bon Appétit Management Company. Washington University in St. Louis came in at No. 3, St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, at No. 4, and Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, at lucky No. 13!

The Bon Appétiters who helped make it all happen shed some light on what goes into making award-winning food: “It really comes down to the team as a whole. We have a solid program, we have a great partnership in our university that provides us the equipment and resources we need, and we have fantastic people,” said Patrick McElroy, executive chef at WashU. (Read more in a Q&A with Patrick on our company blog, bit.ly/patrickmcelroy.)

St. Olaf Executive Chef Matthew Fogarty, Sous Chef Ngoc Nguyen, Pastry Chef Rich Hays, General Manager Traci Quinnell, and Director of Culinary Operations Rafael Perez in the main dining room

“Even though lunch is just 35, 40 minutes out of [the students’] day, we want them to come into this environment and have it feel special. We dork out on it,” explained Matthew Fogarty, executive chef at St. Olaf. (Read more at bit.ly/matthewfogarty.)

“One theme I hear students say a lot is just how accommodating Pitzer can be to them, and also just the choice that we offer,” said Cindy Bennington, general manager at Pitzer. “My team and I have discovered that students like to be part of the decision making in terms of their food, so we make a lot of our stations interactive.”

St. Olaf student Christopher Prokosch with some best-campus chili

The Princeton Review is one of the best-known college ranking institutions, and tabulates surveys from more than 137,000 students from across the country annually on a variety of metrics. — Submitted by Sofia Sobrero, Communications Intern

Some of WashU’s award-winning team, front row: Cook Demetrius Butler, S40 Café Manager Shawn Coffel, and Cook Marvin Wingo. Back row: Cook Cartell Saffold, S40 Executive Chef Joesph Graves, Utility Worker Daveon Lee, Cashier Lillie Westbrooks, Cook Tammy Milliken, and Utility Worker Franklin Collins.

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WASH U HELPS LOCAL DAIRY FIND TASTY “WHEYS” TO REDUCE WASTE

Marcoot Jersey Creamery’s new lime-flavored whey ice

OVER THE YEARS, the Bon Appétit team at Washington University in St. Louis has visited their Farm to Fork supplier Marcoot Jersey Creamery several times to join in on their cheese-making process. (The WashU team uses Marcoot’s fresh mozzarella, Alpine Swiss, Gouda, aged cheddar, and Havarti in the kitchen and catering, and sells Marcoot’s portioned cheeses, quark, and curds in the C-store.) Executive Chef Patrick McElroy sees these visits as an invaluable learning experience — and one that has resulted in a tasty new product for this seventh-generation family-owned dairy farm to make and WashU to serve.

Patrick learned that Marcoot was disposing of tons of whey — the slightly acidic, protein-rich water left over from cheesemaking — or feeding it to livestock. Excited to help take on this foodwaste-fighting challenge, Patrick started bringing a few gallons of whey from the farm back to the WashU kitchens. He and his team braised meats with it, made specialty breads, and even tossed around the idea of a “whey-tini.” (That one didn’t happen.)

“Turning nothing into something became an ongoing quest for us all,” Patrick said.

On their latest trip to the farm, the journey gained new momentum when the concept of making a frozen dessert from the whey came up — and the Marcoot team ran with it. The Bon Appétit team stayed engaged in the development process by tasting samples and offering feedback. The final product, coming in mango, pineapple, lemonade, and lime flavors, is made in small batches from sweet whey and crushed fresh fruit. WashU will sell the 8-ounce containers in two of the campus’s C-stores.

“It’s a different and refreshing alternative to ice cream, a little tangy” Patrick said. “This is a great example of our local partners thinking outside the box.” A sweet result of their shared dedication to sustainability and innovation, the frozen treats are an exciting step forward in combatting food waste.

Submitted by Sofia Sobrero, Communications Intern

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OPENING SALT + AIR OPENS AT ILLUMINA HEADQUARTERS ILLUMINA, INC. WELCOMED BON APPÉTIT at its global headquarters in La Jolla, CA, for the first of two major openings. Illumina is a global leader in genomics — an industry at the intersection of biology and technology — that enables its customers to read and understand genetic variations. It is also known as a great place to work.

Illumina has chosen to implement Bon Appétit’s Well-Being IndicatorTM program, which offers guests at-a-glance guidance on where dishes fall on the healthy-to-indulgent spectrum, as well as calories and other nutrition information. Guests are loving the healthy and satisfying options.

The sleek Salt + Air restaurant is located on the ground level of Illumina’s newly constructed i3 campus. The name was inspired by the nearby coast. In this fast-casual concept, guests order from cashiers, take a number on a custom driftwood stand, then select their seats in the light-filled modern dining room and wait for their food to be delivered.

Salt + Air is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is quickly becoming a favorite dining destination for Illumina employees.

Executive Chef Brian Anderson created a seasonally inspired menu highlighting Southern California’s bountiful fresh produce. Signature items include the Salt + Air avocado toast and a beautiful flatbread topped with arugula and Meyer lemon dressing. Salt + Air’s coffee and juice bar features coffee from Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, a local favorite, plus juices, smoothies, and ontap kombucha.

“Our decision to partner with Bon Appétit has already begun to pay internal dividends. Our employees are enjoying and commenting on the variety and presentation of healthier food options,” said Leizl Jones, director of facilities operations. ”The food is fresh and delicious.

The 80/20 blended burger has already become a popular lunch choice and recommendation. The customer service is great and the staff is always friendly and helpful.

My team and I look forward to a long-term partnership with Bon Appétit here at Illumina!”

Submitted by Tania Alatorre, Marketing & Wellness Manager Photos: Courtesy of Beth Avant

Executive Chef Brian Anderson, General Manager Molly Glover, Regional Executive Chef Peter Alfaro, Operations Manager Leon Darley, Catering Attendant Brian McSweeney, Marketing & Wellness Manager Tania Alatorre, Daria Urchenkl, Barista Melissa Xayaphet, Catering Attendant Sherry Waters, Retail Supervisor Shayne Beamer, Cook Maria Ortiz-Calero, Regional Vice President Michael Venckus, Cook Raymond Diaz, Regional Operations Support Andrea Junca, Victorio Azucar, District Manager Jessica Reeve, Dorth Guzman, Director of IT Mario Pererra, Manager in Training Sophia Vamvakas, Cook Debbie Barrera, Regional Operations Support Nicolai Tuban, Regional Marketing Director Kari Menslage, Cook Mickyala Mullen, and Cashier Courtney Russell

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The Salt + Air avocado toast already has a following

Executive Chef Brian Anderson delivering an order of avocado toast to a guest

An Instagram post from a happy Illumina guest

Aรงai bowls include puffed grains and fresh fruit

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THE EHT THOTTEST SET TOH NITHING GNIHINT COFFEE IS SI EEFFOC 48 | BRAVO

ORACLE COUNTS ON COLD BREW...ONE, TWO, STEEP At Oracle in Santa Clara, CA, Cloud Café Manager Sara Hashemi recently hosted a cold brew class, to the great delight of the café’s many regulars. For many craving a caffeine boost, cold brew has quickly became the goto refreshment, so a chance to learn from an expert on how to make it at home drew enthusiastic attendance.

As iced coffee’s cooler, trendier younger sibling, cold brew also offers big coffee flavor — but it is brewed completely without heat, meaning the flavor compounds are slowly and gently extracted, leaving the unwanted acidic flavor behind. (Iced coffee, of course, is first brewed hot, then chilled, and further cooled with ice, which some coffee diehards feel gives it a different flavor profile altogether.)

In the class, Sara showed 15 guests just how easy it is to make a great batch of cold brew at home. She shared step-by-step brewing methods, answered mythbusting questions, and gave class members mason jars with coffee from Farm to Fork partner Black Oak Coffee Roaster, as well as a recipe handout, to take home.

Guests left better informed — and buzzing with excitement over their new skills! — Submitted by Cara Brechler, Enterprise Marketing Director

Cold brew class participants listen intently to Café Manager Sara Hashemi

GENENTECH TAPS INTO COLD BREW CRAZE The B34 Energy juice and smoothie bar on Genentech’s South San Francisco campus features a creative selection of blended, muddled, and hand-shaken drinks for the Fitness Center — where the juice bar is located — and for guests passing through the main campus. With the launch of the Chilled Coffee off-the-shelf promotion, Assistant Manager Valerie Ollada took the opportunity to increase revenue by offering a wide variety of cold brew options.

Using the cold brew on tap from Joyride and the promotion’s recipe inspiration (thanks to Nicolai Tuban from Regional Ops Support!), B34 Energy has been highlighting weekly specials like The Attitude (cold brew, sparkling water, and a lemon twist) and Salted Mocha (cold brew, vanilla extract, chocolate syrup, cream, and sea salt). Both drinks are served over ice.

These offerings are really creating a buzz! — Submitted by Jenem Martin, Executive Chef

Salted Mocha special made with cold brew

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GIANTS GARDEN TEAM SHARES A NEW SIDE OF MODERN FARMING

Giants Pitcher Johnny Cueto high-fives fans in the Giants Garden

WHAT BETTER REPRESENTATION OF “modern farming” than an edible urban garden located in a major league baseball stadium?

When the team at The Garden at AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, was invited by the ag-lifestyle quarterly Modern Farmer to take over the magazine’s Instagram feed for a weekend, the Bon Appétiters jumped at the opportunity to share their story with @modfarm’s 86,000 followers across the country.

Each weekend, the Modern Farmer Instagram invites a farm, butcher, dairy, or food production operation to share behind-thescenes stories of where their food comes from. For the Giants Garden team, it was an exciting opportunity to showcase a different kind of farming and engage with a new audience.

In order to make their takeover a success, The Garden at AT&T Park Program Manager Sam Wilder and Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk created a detailed storyboard to plan their takeover. Their goal was to share as much of the Garden

story as possible: from being a one-of-a-kind gathering place for baseball fans to being an outdoor classroom for kids and the birthplace of Healthy Kids in the Bon Appétit Kitchen (see page 30). The team wanted to visually represent the guests who visit The Garden at AT&T Park and the full spectrum of events that take place, and illustrate in images how they empower guests to make healthy food choices and become stewards of our environment — no small task to accomplish in just 16 images!

Sam and Hannah launched their takeover with a post of the aerial view of the garden, teasing the location to Modern Farmer’s followers. They introduced the Garden team and farmers, shared images of cooking classes, and timed their posts to sync up with the San Francisco Giants’ real-time baseball schedule. As the home team was preparing for a game, the Instagram posts showed Bon Appétit chefs preparing to feed baseball fans. The Giants Garden team incorporated Giants players into their posts to show the important support these role models provide, like pitcher Johnny

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Nineteen aeroponic towers maximize the use of space and minimize water use

Cueto high-fiving fans in the Garden and right-fielder Hunter Pence speaking about the importance of Garden education programs. Giants mascot Lou Seal even made an appearance in a “thanks for watching” video that received 2,384 views.

Not surprisingly, the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. The @giantsgarden Instagram account gained 200 new followers over the weekend, and a YouTube video illustrating the Garden’s programs received 1,800 new views! More importantly, Sam and Hannah gathered great positive feedback and enthusiastic comments: “Do you guys understand how big of deal it is, that you have a garden there. That’s unprecedentedly awesome and legendary! My word!” said one, while another commented, “This is so incredible and beyond inspiring @giantsgarden.

If more sports heroes endorsed plants instead of sodas and junk food I’m willing to bet more kids would think it was pretty cool to eat healthy!!”

Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager

The post showing Executive Chef David Button harvesting arugula for the Garden’s bistro items was a popular one

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CULINARY TEAMS GATHER AT DEPAUW FOR INAUGURAL MIDWEST CHEFS’ COLLABORATIVE AND COMPETITION Resources Manager Charise Reid Skyped in to talk about the results of recruiting, retention, and employee engagement surveys.

Left to right: DePauw Sous Chef Angeline Martin, Wabash Executive Chef Tim Murray, Oberlin Chef/Manager Kevin Chaney, and Case Western Reserve Chef/Manager Art Ishman, who snagged the first-place win, with Regional Vice President Randy De Mers, one of the day’s guest judges

WHEN BON APPÉTIT CHEFS from Ohio and Indiana recently converged on DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, for a Bon Appétit Midwest Chefs’ Collaborative, inspiration and good spirits abounded.

These events are opportunities to bring a region’s talented and creative minds together to discuss companywide initiatives, build relationships, and brainstorm the next big thing in the culinary industry. “We are consistently challenging complacency within our accounts and pushing the boundaries to create excitement for our guests. What better way to do this than to get all our chefs together in one room, one kitchen, and let them be creative?”

District Manager Jason Rose told the group.

The first day’s agenda consisted of a State of the Region address

by District Manager Dan Farrell, Jason’s outline of the culinary competition, and an overview of operational best practices from Case Western Reserve University Executive Chef Vincent Gaikens.

Operations Manager Kecia Tatman, based at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN, presented next, offering the chefs new tools and information to increase team safety. Senior Purchasing Manager Theresa Chester then presented a live purchasing webinar from her perch hundreds of miles away in New Jersey. Oberlin College Director of Operations John Klancar reviewed culinary initiatives such as Farm Promise’s pork (raised without antibiotics or dependence on gestation crates), the Imperfectly Delicious Produce program, and Eat Local Challenge 2017, and purchasing issues such as the bottled beverage program. Ohio/Indiana Human

Day two kicked off with a culinary competition, themed “simplicity.” Teams of four chefs (who had never worked together before) were given free rein of the DePauw kitchen, coolers, and storage rooms. The rules themselves were simple: Create two entrées, one of them vegan; four sides; and one dessert — all using no more than five ingredients per dish. “The chefs outdid themselves in the culinary competition!” said Dan. “Many stayed up collaborating late the night before to win. The flavor profiles and creativity were outstanding!”

Wabash College Executive Chef Tim Murray, Case Western Reserve University Chef/Manager Art Ishman, Oberlin College Chef/ Manager Kevin Chaney, and DePauw University Sous Chef Angeline Martin snagged first-place trophies for their menu featuring Velvet Viking lamb over cold cucumber noodles with quinoa tabbouleh and edamame, accompanied by Crosby Farms corn succotash with sweet potato latkes. For dessert: ice box ice cream with à la minute blueberry sauce. Clients from DePauw University and Crossroads Café (Carmel, IN) joined Dan and Regional Vice President Randy De Mers in judging.

“DePauw University was honored to host the Bon Appétit culinary competition at our new state-of-the-art Hoover Dining Hall,” said DePauw Director of Community Initiatives & Auxiliary Services Bruce Clute, echoing the positive sentiments of the Bon Appétit team. “The chef creations were culinary masterpieces conceived from fresh ideas and inspiring techniques.”

The chefs themselves really appreciated the chance to get together.

“It was great to meet other chefs in the region and go over important information,” shared Tim. “It helped me forge new relationships.

Here in rural Indiana, sometimes it feels as though you are an island.

Now I feel as though I have colleagues I can bounce ideas off of, and see what works best at other locations.”

The attendees look forward to repeating the collaborative and the competition annually in their ongoing commitment to push themselves creatively and culinarily.

Submitted by Jason Rose, District Manager

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The winning menu featured a lamb entrée over cold cucumber noodles and quinoa tabbouleh salad, edamame, and succotash with sweet potato latkes

Ingredients for the winning team’s menu

Front row, left to right: District Manager Dan Farrell, CWRU Executive Chef Vincent Gaikens, Parker Hannifin Chef/Manager Tenisha McKay, DePauw Executive Sous Chef Laura Fornari, Crossroads Café Executive Chef Karla Hoyos, Regional Executive Chef Jordan Hall, DePauw Prep Cook Scott Alexander, and Wabash Executive Chef Tim Murray. Middle row: Denison Sous Chef Eric Beier, CWRU Chef/Manager Art Ishman, Regional Vice President Randy De Mers, CWRU Executive Chef Constantine Vourliotis, DePauw Prep Cook Darryl Kirkham and Sous Chef Brandon Townsend, Market Café Chef/Manager Eric Petrus, Cleveland Clinic Chef/Manager Sean Dull, and State Auto - Indianapolis Chef/Manager Richard Shimizu. Back row: Oberlin Operations Director John Klancar, CWRU Manager Lawrence Blummel, Oberlin General Manager Wayne Wood, DePauw General Manager John Hecko and Sous Chef Exar Calderon, Oberlin Chef/Manager Kevin Chaney, Denison Executive Chef Jonathan O’Carroll, and Oberlin Executive Chef Matt Krasnevich.

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OPENING BON APPÉTIT FORGES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH GORDON COLLEGE

The Gordon College campus

Gordon College student enjoying the new made-to-order pasta station

MANY BON APPÉTIT CLIENTS join the family thanks to word of (satisfied) mouths — and Gordon College is now part of that group.

entrées; new stations for international cuisine, taqueria, salad toss, and pasta; and a relationship with a local coffee roaster. Expanded vegetarian and vegan options, as well as a space for items made without gluten-containing ingredients, are also now in place. In the summer of 2018, the main café will undergo additional renovation.

Founded in 1889 as the Boston Missionary Training School and located just north of Boston on 485 acres (with woods and ponds) in Wenham, MA, Gordon College is one of the nation’s premier Christian colleges. After admiring the dining program at peer institution Wheaton College in Illinois, Gordon President D. Michael Lindsay began discussions to bring Bon Appétit to Gordon as well. President Lindsay saw in Bon Appétit a partner that would align well with Gordon’s commitment to wellness, sustainability, ethical practices, environmental stewardship, and social justice, all values the college holds dear.

Following focus groups and surveys with community members, General Manager Debbie Kapetanopoulos joined forces with Gordon’s Director of Dining Services Jack Lawrence to implement new dining plans, as well as physical improvements such as new seating and fireplaces courtesy of a generous donation from a benefactor.

The Bon Appétit team has also enhanced the food and beverage offerings in Gordon’s main dining venues and opened a new venue in the athletic center. And of course there have been culinary transformations, such as cook-to-order

Bon Appétiters will work with students to develop a Food Recovery Network chapter and support their interest in missionary work by helping those less fortunate in the local communities.

One of the hallmarks of Gordon’s dining program is that nearly 10 percent of students work in dining services. They bring a sense of ownership and enthusiasm that comes through when serving guests.

All parties are thrilled with the new collaboration. “Bon Appétit is a perfect fit for the positive energy of the campus, and has been warmly embraced by Gordon’s community fellowship,” Debbie noted.

Gordon’s Vice President for Finance and Administration Michael Ahearn agrees. “The newly formed relationship between the Bon Appétit team and Gordon College is a true partnership in every sense of the word.”

Submitted by Larry Simpson, Project Manager

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TOUR OF GREEN CITY GROWERS OPENS EYES

Inside Green City Growers’ vast expanses

CWRU Assistant Director of Sustainability Erin Kollar and Oberlin Director of Entrepreneurship Bara Watts greet a worker at Green City Growers

FIELD TRIPS ARE UNPARALLELED opportunities for stakeholders to understand a complex operation firsthand. Often they can spur new ideas for ways to improve a partnership. Recently Regional Marketing Director Jennifer McGann, Community Programs & Sustainability Support Manager Piper Fernwey, and Bon Appétiters and guests from Oberlin College, Case Western Reserve University, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden were inspired by touring Green City Growers (GCG), the largest urban greenhouse in the nation.

Farm to Fork vendor, Brian Gura, president of International Specialty Produce and Cleveland Tofu, also came, and gave the Bon Appétiters a presentation about the advantages of their bulk tofu. This was followed by a cooking demonstration led by Oberlin Executive Chef Matt Krasnevich, who whipped up three different tofu dishes featuring GCG lettuce and Farm to Fork pork from New Creation Farms.

GCG hires only from its own economically stressed Cleveland neighborhood. Its 35 employees have access to amazing programs like credit matching and car- and house-buying assistance. (With the house-buying program, employees can own a home in five years.) Employees include refugees from Haiti, Bhutan, and Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as nonviolent ex-offenders re-entering the workforce after successfully completing employment training.

The chance to see GCG’s operations and discuss these products and relationships in person was invaluable.

Submitted by Piper Fernwey, Community Programs & Sustainability Support Manager

GCG is a member of Evergreen Cooperatives, where profit-sharing possibilities kick in when the organization reaches profitability. It’s closer than it’s ever been to achieving this status, so the site visit served as a chance to see whether increased purchasing from the Bon Appétit partners might help GCG meet that goal.

Bon Appétit currently buys GCG’s salad mix, head lettuce, and soft-stemmed basil (even the bunches that are Imperfectly Delicious). The site visit included a weight and pricing comparison of GCG products versus lettuces from other suppliers. Another

A variety of leafy greens grow side by side

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SAINT MARTIN’S OUTDOES ITSELF WITH NEWLY RENOVATED DIGS

Students have plenty of room to move in the fresh, modern space

THE MOTTO OF SAINT MARTIN’S UNIVERSITY in Lacey, WA, is “Think with heart” and that’s just what District Manager Buzz Hofford, General Manager Carole Ann Beckwith, and Executive Chef Beth LaFond — along with a tremendous support team — did when they renovated the beloved café Saint Gertrude’s.

When school began, the students, faculty, and staff were all smiles as they walked through the new entrance into the renovated space now filled with natural light, modern accents, and new food concepts.

The café now offers meats and vegetables roasted on a vertical rotisserie, a new global station featuring authentic cuisines from around the world, and longstanding favorites like the market deli, salad bar, soup, pizza, and, of course, the grill. A new espresso bar in the café featuring local Caffé Vita coffee inspired some “wows.”

As cheerful baristas prepared popular coffee drinks and topped lattes with impressive flourishes, guests flocked to the freshly reopened space, which offers pastries, sweets, snacks, and graband-go offerings all day long. Warm and inviting, these gathering spots create an ideal backdrop for students seeking a healthful meal and a big dose of community.

Submitted by Tonya Flashey, Regional Marketing Director

Students relishing the natural light and time together

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UCHICAGO HOSTS STUDENT COMPETITION FOR RISING STARS READY, SET, GO! These three words kicked off a recent culinary competition through the Chicago Careers Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP).

The peer-to-peer competition, called the Rising Chef Challenge, was hosted at the University of Chicago’s Bartlett Dining Commons and drew high school students interested in culinary careers from across the Chicago area.

Lead Cashier Pearl Richardson ready to welcome guests to the new space

Flavorful Indian dishes are among the tempting new offerings

Teams comprised several students and a mentor. Each team was charged with writing a recipe for, and then preparing, an airplane meal featuring a “secret ingredient.” (United Airlines sponsors the event.) Before the competition, Bon Appétit Marketing Manager Ashley Phillips and Resident Dietitian Nora White accompanied the students on a field trip to Green City Market with chefs from The Trotter Project, a mentorship-based nonprofit designed to educate and inspire talented students with an interest in the culinary arts. (It is named in honor of the late Chicago luminary, Chef Charlie Trotter.)

Students Swahdreeznya Rosier, Deja Dorns, and Jada Harris, with chefmentors Bill Kim and Marcel Taylor, beamed after their Rising Chef Challenge

During the competition, Bon Appétit’s UChicago team helped the students gather their ingredients and organize their equipment. As the clock counted down, the teams moved quickly to make meal components such as cucumber salsa, peach lemonade, and blistered tomato remoulade, to name a few. Teams learned to work quickly and to adjust their recipes on the fly.

United Airlines Executive Chef Gerry McLoughlin and other United employees judged the students on taste, presentation skills, and professionalism. Students were also judged on their recipe writing.

The winning team, which had tomatoes as their secret ingredient, prepared roasted crown tomatoes stuffed with seasonal greens, pan-fried chicken cakes, grilled ratatouille, and sweet blisteredtomato-and-peach tart.

After the competition, the students then visited local restaurant bellyQ for an elegant dinner. The restaurant’s executive chef, Bill Kim, was among those who provided mentorship and guidance during the competition. “When I first started cooking, I wish there were competitions like this for me to stay out of trouble and have direction,” Bill told the students. “You have a step ahead of professionals like me.

Keep at it and love food.”

Saint Martin’s Caffé Vita offers snacks as well as great coffee

Submitted by Ashley R. Phillips, Marketing Manager

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Some examples of how Bon Appétit teams around the country practice — and celebrate — “Safe In/Safe Out.”

BATTING 1,000 AT WABASH COLLEGE The Bon Appétit team at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN, celebrated the amazing milestone of more than 1,000 days accident-free with a summertime staff appreciation party. Every team member was invited, along with their families. Executive Sous Chef Laura Fornari, Catering Manager Erin Gillum, Operations Manager Kecia Tatman, and Senior General Manager Mary Jo Johnston spent the day preparing a full barbecue dinner menu for nearly 50 guests, which they enjoyed with games and good company. The Wabash team is proud to celebrate their safety-first culture, which comes through leadership from managers, empowering supervisors, and encouraging staff to really embrace the importance of sending everyone home in better condition than when they arrived. — Submitted by

The Bon Appétit team at Wabash, front row, left to right: Operations Manager Kecia Tatman, Cook Casey Benge, Cook Tammy Jones, Utility Worker Vivian Bartley, Salad Prep Cook Rosa Vega, Cashier Coty Adkins, and Catering Manager Erin Gillum. Back row: Cook Gabe Mayberry, Cook David Miller, PM Supervisor Liesel Arthur, AM Supervisor Travis Felix, Utility Worker Mark Anderson, Cook Jason Rush, Cook Josh Manker, Executive Chef Tim Murray, and Bookkeeper Jessica Kunkel.

Mary Jo Johnston, Senior General Manager

FOR SAFETY, CALL THIS NUMBER There’s a lot of great messaging coming from Integrated Safety Director Steve Samuelson and other safety champions, but Regional Manager Michael Aquaro was worrying that “it just wasn’t getting through the white noise of our in-boxes.” So this spring, he began requiring his district managers and general managers to call in once a week to a brief early-morning Monday safety call. “We go down through every account, and they give their number [of accident-free days]. We talk about any near-misses or medical situations, and how they plan to follow the week’s training agenda.”

At first, not everyone who joined the call could recite their number off the top of their heads. That didn’t go over well. (“If you don’t know it, you’re not tracking it,” growls Michael. “Not good.”)

It took some time for people to engage, and sometimes he had to force it by calling on people.

Now, he’s pleased to report, the 20 to 45 people who call in freely share information and are having conversations on- and offline about best practices. Different people now take the lead on the call, including chefs and district managers. The call has never once been skipped since it started, even when Monday is a holiday.

“Safety never takes a day off, why would we?” says Michael.

“It’s a short call, very simple, but it sets expectations powerfully,” agrees Steve, Bon Appétit’s safety guru. “A great way to start off the week.” He adds that the numbers show it’s working: Michael’s region has been way ahead of its projections for several months now. — Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications

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EMMANUEL COLLEGE HAS A BALL WORKING SAFELY

Bon Appétit at Emmanuel College employees pose at their safety celebration

Blindfolded Pizza Cook Ulises DaSilva tries to pin the name tag on a photo of General Manager Robin Furtado held by Chef/Manager Sean Mason and Sous Chef Michael Reddin

Employee safety is a top priority for Bon Appétit at Emmanuel College in Boston so even though the safety record wasn’t completely perfect, General Manager Robin Fortado and the rest of the management team wanted to recognize how hard the employees had endeavored to work safe during the past school year.

They decided to throw a Black & White safety celebration party shortly before school began, featuring music, food, games, and prizes. Everyone pitched in. Director of Operations Pedro Fernandes and Sous Chef Michael Reddin prepared a delicious buffet for the employees to enjoy, including baked chicken wings, shrimp tempura, and scallops wrapped in bacon. Head Receiver Edson Cardoso DJed, while Office Manager Alissa Curcuru ran a photo booth. Everyone had fun playing Pin the Name Tag on the Manager using large pictures of Robin, Pedro, and Executive Chef Carl Marchione. There were also loads of prizes to be won, including a mountain bike, 32-inch TV, Beats headphones, and gift cards. The employees were very appreciative of the recognition the management team showed them, and were motivated to do even better this school year. — Submitted by Pat Sevy, Dining Manager

Prep Cook Juana Morris won a 32-inch TV in a drawing

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BEST BUY GROWS SAFETY AND AMBITION WITH WORK FAMILY TREE Every year, General Manager Susan Davis at Best Buy in Richfield, MN, creates a safety board with a “work family” tree and the theme promoting “keep our safe days growing.” She asks everyone to bring a photo of themselves at 18 or younger, numbers the photos, passes out a sheet with the staff’s names, and asks everyone to guess who’s who.

There are prizes to be had, and it’s just good fun. “They LOVE this exercise,” says Susan. “It’s a great lesson in diversity. It creates a tremendous amount of empathy, which is good for our safety culture.”

This year, inspired by Bon Appétit’s 30-year anniversary webcast, she included old photos of CEO Fedele Bauccio, President Michael Bauccio, Regional Vice President Mark Lachance, and District Manager Paul Adams, and those who manage to identify all of them will receive a bonus prize. “I want our team to know that they are cared for right from the tiptop,” explains Susan. “At the same time, I also want to impress upon them that someday they could be in senior management positions. We all start somewhere — and that somewhere looks a lot like where they are now.” — Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director

Best Buy’s “work family” tree with everyone’s pictures of their younger selves and their number of days accident-free

of Communications

IAIA APPROACHES THE 2K CLUB The Bon Appétit team at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM, hasn’t had an accident since May 28, 2012.

Let that sink in a moment.

“We have a small staff with some long-term employees, so it does make it easier to oversee,” says General Manager Guido Lambelet, but he’s being modest. Guido, General Manager Melody Lambelet, and Executive Chef Josh Anglin lead by example, and they’re their own toughest critics, always trying to improve. They also act as coaches, giving examples why team members should wear their

personal protective equipment, never just ordering them to do what they’re told. And they approach every situation with a positive message, thanking employees for doing it right and then guiding them toward improvements.

This staff cares about each other and it shows. Safety callouts can be heard throughout the day, and team members correct each other on safety without worrying about hurting someone’s feelings. They understand the value of safety. — Submitted by Lou Lathon, District Manager

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CAPITAL CAFÉ COUNTS DOWN TO ALMOST THREE YEARS ACCIDENT-FREE

The Capital Café team, left to right: Head Cashier Michele Smith, General Manager Matthew May, Grill Cook Mark DelGreko, Assistant Chef Clarence Marner, Dish & Utility Worker Michael Johnson, Salad Prep Cook Pam Freeman, Deli and Grab-and-Go Cook Faye Gorham, Cashier Lisa Rochelle, Grill Cook Mark Johnson, Chef/Manager Ar Nemes, and Break Rooms Worker Diane Symes

Salad Prep Cook Pam Freeman and General Manager Matthew May

You might think that with more than 1,000 days accident-free, Capital Café in Norfolk, VA, has always been a model of safety culture. But it wasn’t always so. It took a concerted effort to start working together as a team, through daily or weekly safety meetings, and constant reminders to use cut gloves and to lift with their legs, not their backs.

tently monitoring the state of the floors around her, including any spills or tripping hazards. Pam was recently awarded a safety certificate, a bouquet of fresh flowers, and a gift card for a local restaurant in recognition of her being proactive and always going out of her way to communicate the issue, as well as remove the hazard or spill.

Now the safety committee, made up of five team members including Chef/Manager Ar Nemes, helps tackle any concerns throughout the operation and recognizes the Safety Stars. The latest of those is Salad Prep Cook Pam Freeman, who is consis-

The Capital Café team now all takes responsibility for maintaining a safe work environment. Through constant awareness, they keep their Bon Appétit family safe! — Submitted by Matthew May, General Manager

HURRAY FOR EA! Bon Appétiters at Electronic Arts in Redwood City, CA, are first-rate safety aces. This team has gone two full years accidentfree, a cause for true celebration.

Team members sported “Stop, Think, and Act” shirts with pride to show everyone on their campus just how important safety is to them, and some were signing emails with the hashtag #twoyearsnotears. — Submitted by Ariana Tanimura, Assistant Catering Manager

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GALLAUDET’S “GALLY GARDENS” GROWS INTO EXEMPLARY SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Gally Gardens’ signature rainbow-painted brick-lined beds sit atop a former volleyball court, getting plenty of heat from the parking garage below and the sun above...perfect for growing basil and amaranth

ON A WARM FALL day in Washington, DC, Gallaudet University Garden Manager Jalisa Barnett ’18 was watering rows of brightly colored greens in the campus community garden. As she talked about the evolution of the space, she stopped to point out the garden’s new water tanks, a small grove of peach trees, a stretching fig tree, rows of corn, and a plot of strawberries.

The Gally Gardens’ roots are deeply entwined with Bon Appétit.

Back in 2009, then–Bon Appétit Fellow Carolina Fojo spearheaded a project in which Gallaudet students and Bon Appétiters transformed an abandoned volleyball court into 14 garden beds.

(That project eventually sparked Bon Appétit’s Campus Farmers project, which connects growers on university and corporate campuses all over America.) Since then, Gallaudet’s garden has also gone through different management structures, all leading up to a major transformation this season.

Last school year, Gallaudet forged a relationship with a local DC nonprofit called Cultivate the City (CTC). CTC works with more than 25 garden sites across DC, including elementary schools and the Washington Nationals stadium. It supports educational urban gardens and aggregates produce to supply a citywide CSA program.

At Gallaudet, CTC Education Coordinator Victoria Mirowski advises four Gallaudet interns on best growing practices, taking them to local urban farms to learn from experts. Jalisa and the other interns have been able to transform Gallaudet’s modest plot into a highly productive garden nearly year-round. Interns commit to working the garden for two years, tending its large

variety of produce — everything from asparagus and amaranth to mountain spinach and potatoes.

The partnership with Cultivate the City provides Gallaudet interns with incredible learning experience. In addition to learning production techniques, interns also gain entrepreneurship and management skills. They focus on making the garden financially sustainable through biweekly produce markets and a CSA. CTC also pushes Gally Gardens interns to think about the garden’s long-term growth. They advise interns on grant writing, and successfully so: Interns have secured funding for a year-round grow room to be installed this year, a rainwater-capture system, and even hydroponic basil-growing towers.

“I do not have enough adjectives to describe how awesome [this] is,” said General Manager Gio Caporicci. “Over the past two years, Cultivate the City and the interns have really taken the garden to a whole new level. They are so empowered and entrepreneurial.

They control their own destiny now.”

Even though the garden has been transformed into a self-sustaining enterprise, Gally Gardens’ biggest goal is still building community. “We want the garden to feel like home, like family,” explained Community Outreach Intern Stephanie Niaupari.

As the garden approaches its 10-year anniversary in 2019 with even more ambitious projects in store, its impact will grow right along with it.

Submitted by Claire Kelloway, Fellow

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MIM CHEF TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH HOUSE-MADE HOT SAUCES

Chris’s colorful hot sauces add heat and flavor to many of the café’s dishes. Clockwise from top left: preserved local lemons, a flask of habanero hot sauce made with local habaneros from Maya’s Farm; local serrano chilis fermenting in a vinegar solution; fresh-picked Maya’s habaneros; Indian-inspired hot pepper mustard pickle relish; guajillo chili sambal.

EXECUTIVE CHEF CHRIS LENZA of Café Allegro at Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) is known for his exhibitinspired global cuisine with a hyper-local bent — he is Bon Appétit’s regional forager for Arizona and New Mexico, after all.

Chris and his culinary team have even begun making their own condiments with local ingredients, showcasing Farm to Fork vendors and making use of Imperfectly Delicious Produce.

kick. He partners with Farm to Fork vendors like Maya’s Farm to purchase excess or Imperfectly Delicious chili peppers, which he and the team craft into a sauce. Working with Line Cook Martin Valdez, the team transformed 100 pounds of excess habaneros into what’s now a staple habanero hot sauce for the café, while serranos are currently in the kitchen fermenting with star anise, sugar, salt, and vinegar for what will become a milder green sauce.

For years, Chris has been participating in Bon Appétit’s Eat Local Challenge. Even though ELC can be even more challenging to do at a specialty venue, Chris has sometimes gone above and beyond to create a 100 percent local menu — some of which he personally harvested! One year, he harvested wheat berries in Yuma, AZ, then drove them to Great Harvest Bread Company in Phoenix to mill the wheat berries into flour for the café’s grab-and-go sandwich bread. Another year, the team hosted a three-course onion dinner with onions that Chris and the team pulled themselves at Desert Roots Farm, including caramelized onion ice cream for dessert. In fact, it was the Eat Local Challenge that inspired the first of Café Allegro’s house-made hot sauces as a way to showcase chilis indigenous to the Phoenix region.

Beyond everyday condiments, Chris flexes his creative muscle by creating sauces and relishes to pair with global dishes as well.

For an exhibit highlighting musical instruments of India, he and the team created a hot pepper mustard pickle relish made with local Hungarian hot peppers, full of bright turmeric, cardamom, and cumin flavors. Combining global inspiration with local ingredients, Chris also created a prickly pear and guajillo chili sambal (hot sauce) using prickly pears he foraged on the MIM grounds. He also makes Moroccan preserved lemons with spices and chilis, which he uses to flavor everything from soups to salads.

These days, Chris and his team are focusing on recipes for hot sauces made with local chilis for guests who like their lunch with a little

“It’s nice to offer unexpected recipes you won’t normally find in a museum café,” says Chris. “The hot sauces, pickles, and sambals create a positive buzz and great conversation with our guests.”

Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager

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FROM THE FELLOWS | PETER TODARO

FROM FARMING TO FELLOWSHIP “My deep dive into the business behind local food convinced me of the power of purchasing to support local farmers, preserve farmland, and provide fresh produce to the community.”

I

was raised in an area of eastern Pennsylvania undergoing a profound transformation. Throughout my childhood, thousands of acres in our little valley were being converted at an alarming rate from prime farmland into strip malls, residential neighborhoods, and massive warehouses. It was a classic case of property values rising, developers and corporations moving in, and farmers finding it hard to resist the urge to sell their land when they were just barely scraping by.

on average 6,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables weekly to CSA members, farmers’ market customers, and restaurants. I quickly learned that the harvest can be redemptive and that human activity can be a healing force.

By the time I enrolled at Lafayette College — a stone’s throw from where I grew up — I had caught the farming bug. I started working under Head Farmer Sarah Edmonds at Lafayette’s college farm (LaFellow Peter Todaro at the Lafayette College Farm winter market with Farm, as it’s affectionately known), our Farm Manager Sarah Edmonds, Lafayette Sustainability Fellow Miranda Wilcha, and student Molly Leech efforts made all the more important by At the time, I was blissfully unaware of these issues, not knowing Bon Appétit’s policy of sourcing produce directly from LaFarm. that in just a few years, redeveloping the area’s local food system Halfway through my sophomore year, I was back at Alambria, this would become my driving passion. When I was a kid, the extent time taking a semester away from school to experience five full of my everyday encounters with local food was limited to the line months of work. This longer stint of farming, combined with many of lovingly tended raspberry bushes in our backyard, where in the an evening spent reading the work of Wendell Berry, inspired a height of the summer I’d stop to unceremoniously stuff plump fundamental shift in the way I approached sustainability. I found myself focusing on the importance of place, on what was tangible berries into my mouth before scrambling off again. and immediate, such as the health of the ducklings I was raising FALLING IN LOVE WITH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and the customers with whom I interacted at farmers’ markets.

My environmental awakening occurred during my senior year of high school, when I took an environmental science class. As the THE POWER OF PLACE (AND OF PURCHASING) year progressed, I grew increasingly concerned about the state of As I transitioned back into life at Lafayette, I committed myself our world and the political culture that allowed for such destruc- to contributing positively to the local food system in as many tion. After graduating, feeling inspired and rebellious, I interned ways as I could. I never strayed far from LaFarm, but also began for the summer at Alambria Springs Farm, a biodynamic farm and to broaden my interests beyond the practice of sustainable agartisanal bakery owned and operated by my aunt and uncle in riculture and into campus sustainability and local food system upstate New York. It was here — enduring the raw exhaustion of development. An internship with the Easton Farmers’ Market farm labor, but simultaneously in awe of the beauty of the land — (EFM) introduced me to what would become my second family, a tight-knit community oriented around its local farmers and prothat I fell in love with sustainable agriculture. ducers. I was lucky enough to take part in the planning, launch, If it sounds like a religious experience, it might as well have and operation of the Easton Public Market Farmstand, a project been one. The place literally buzzed with life, biological activity of EFM’s parent organization. Our mission was twofold: to source abounding alongside an intensely productive farm that provided from our local farmers while providing a full array of produce and

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other pantry items to a city with multiple areas defined by the USDA as “low income and low food access.”

My entrepreneurial drive was ignited. Between homework and club meetings, I’d pore over wholesale availability lists. I eventually authored a report analyzing the Farmstand as the potential site for a food hub. As our team traveled to area farms, hoping to source their products, my brain whirred with a stunning revelation: The marketplace, which I had long blamed for abetting industrial agriculture’s excesses, could be leveraged for good. Less than a year after the Farmstand launched, 52 percent of the diverse array of produce and goods we offered were sourced locally, generally from within 30 miles, and another 22 percent of products were sourced regionally. My deep dive into the business behind local food convinced me of the power of purchasing to support local farmers, preserve farmland, and provide fresh produce to the community.

When I first heard of Bon Appétit’s open Fellow position, I was astonished by how perfectly it combined so many of my passions; it felt like a natural extension of the work I had engaged in over my college career, particularly my work with the Farmstand. I’m honored to be joining a team with values that so closely match my own, and am looking forward to aiding in Bon Appétit’s drive for a more just and sustainable food system.

Potato planting at Alambria Springs Farm

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EDUCATION FIRST TAPS STUDENTS TO CO-HOST WEEKLY GLOBAL DINNERS

Argentinian students making empanadas

Russian students making golubski (stuffed cabbage rolls)

EDUCATION FIRST, AN INTERNATIONAL language education company with an outpost in San Diego, takes what it calls World Wednesdays very seriously, since at any time, the campus is home to a resident student population from more than 30 countries.

In solidarity, the Bon Appétit team highlights one country each Wednesday at dinner. Recent dishes have included helstekt persiljekyckling (roast chicken with parsley) from Sweden, kabsa (a meat and rice dish) from Saudi Arabia, cassoulet (slow-cooked pork and white bean casserole) from France, ayran (salted yogurt drink) from Turkey, draadjesvlees (shredded braised beef) from Holland, kuyrdak (stewed mutton) from Kazakhstan, and hand-formed empanadas (fried stuffed pastries) from Argentina.

It takes a collaborative effort to ensure authenticity. Executive Chef Anthony Simpson enlists students from the featured country to help write the menu, decorate the café, translate the signage into the country’s language, and pick music to play over the school sound system. Past celebrations have included pasta-making demonstrations (Italy), fresh boba milk tea (Taiwan), and traditional dancing (Turkey).

By writing menus with the students, the team endeavors to showcase food that feels as much like home as possible. Sometimes exact ingredients (especially spices) or cooking methods are hard to replicate, so adjustments to recipes have to be made to render them more affordable and approachable for the entire student body. But overall the team has successfully showcased some of the lesser-known dishes from the featured countries — not just the American adaptations seen at chain restaurants.

Taiwanese students making boba, a popular tapioca-based drink

Students love the dinners, saying it’s their favorite night of the week. And the Bon Appétiters are excited to continue their cultural celebrations, expanding their own knowledge of global cuisines and encouraging student involvement with the food program along the way.

Just as Bon Appétit’s food is alive with flavor, the café on Wednesday nights is definitely alive with energy and national pride!

Submitted by Molly Johnson, General Manager

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STEM LAUNCHES SATURDAY LUNCH WITH SUMMER GARDEN PARTY

Oysters on the halfshell with rhubarb mignonette and charred peppers

SAN FRANCISCO’S SUMMER MAY not be known for its patio weather, but the Bon Appétit team at STEM Kitchen & Garden took advantage of a beautiful weekend to host their first garden party of the season and launch the restaurant’s new Saturday lunch service.

Piggybacking on the success of last summer’s series, the STEM team focused on teasing STEM’s new lunch menu and on getting guests excited about spending their Saturdays on STEM’s dog-friendly outdoor patio with sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay. Executive Chef Brian Bowen set to planning a more weekend-focused lunch menu, while Onsite Event Manager Taylor Boss stepped up to spread the word to the local community, working with the team to create a promoted Facebook ad, in-restaurant signage, an email invitation, and a banner on the STEM website.

The team invited friends and neighbors to enjoy complimentary bites from the new

Guests enjoyed seasonal mimosas in the garden

menu, $5 seasonal mimosas and sangria at the outdoor bar, live music, and bocce ball on the patio. Guests were also able to order full dishes from the new lunch menu, and every purchase was rewarded with a ticket for a chance to win a STEM gift card.

The garden party turnout was even higher than anticipated, and the team was excited to see a lot of new faces. “The guests raved about the space and our incredible view — there was not a person in the garden that didn’t have a drink in hand and a smile on their face,” said Taylor afterward. “Brian created an awesome menu that incorporates all the elements you hope to see for a weekend brunch or lunch; it perfectly complements our garden ambiance.”

STEM’s new Saturday lunch menu is in keeping with the same garden-to-table style as the weekday menus, with elements that nod to a brunch style of dining. Dishes include oysters on the halfshell with rhubarb mignonette and charred peppers; shakshuka with baked eggs, tomatoes, pep-

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Executive Chef Brian Bowen’s smoked salmon tartine with scrambled eggs, goat cheese, garden tomatoes, and basil

pers, and black kale; and a bacon-and-egg pizza with candied bacon, arugula pesto, farm-fresh egg, and rosemary. For Mission Bay residents, there’s now no better place to spend a Saturday!

Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager

WHEATON TRIO TAKES EYE-OPENING FARM TOURS

Executive Chef John Krickl and Sous Chef Omar Rocha at Twin Oak Meats

Farmer Tim Ifft holding a Freedom Ranger at TJ’s Pastured Free Range Poultry

LONG CURIOUS ABOUT THE people, soil, and effort that go into producing the Farm to Fork products the Wheaton College team in Wheaton, IL, enjoys, Executive Chef John Krickl and Sous Chefs Omar Rocha and Mike Godlewski decided to tour three local farms to learn more.

are a breed prized for their low fat and high flavor profile. The 1,000-acre owner-operated farm recently won two major conservation awards, in part for their no-till/ strip-till practices, which protect the soil from erosion by wind and water as well as enhance its fertility.

They began at Heartland Meats in Mendota, IL, approximately 80 miles northwest of Wheaton. Owners John and Pat Sondgeroth greeted the trio and began touring them around the cattle farm. The farm has roughly 200 head of half-blood Piedmontese cattle. The Sondgeroths receive the cattle as yearlings, when they weigh about 600 pounds each. Over the ensuing 24 to 26 months, the cattle are brought to roughly 1,100 pounds market weight. Piedmontese

John, Omar, and Mike were all incredibly impressed by the amount of effort the Sondgeroths put into their animals’ care and well-being. The Heartland Meats tour revealed how closely their entire operation aligns with Bon Appétit’s standards and values.

proximately 250 hogs, breeding Red Duroc boars with Yorkshire females, known for their good mothering abilities. The animals are given no antibiotics, hormones, or animal byproducts, and are fattened on corn grown on the 20-acre farm. The Iffts work tirelessly to produce premium pork with care and compassion, always trying to put the animals’ best interests before their own. As the Bon Appétiters left the farm, they had a greater appreciation for the amount of work that goes into the product they serve to the students and faculty.

The group then traveled on to Twin Oak Meats in Fairbury, IL, where farmers Tom and Amy Ifft and their children raise ap-

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TJ’s Pastured Free Range Poultry in Piper City, IL, was the final stop of the day. Tim and Julie Ifft (Tim and Tom from Twin Oaks Meats are brothers) along with their four children own and operate this farm

ORACLE - REDWOOD SHORES HOSTS PHO-NOMENAL STAR CHEF COOKBOOK AUTHOR ANDREA NGUYEN has been widely hailed as one of the world’s foremost authorities on Vietnamese food.

When she was scheduled to appear at Oracle headquarters in Redwood Shores, CA, for a recent Star Chef visit, guests and the Bon Appétit culinary team were thrilled.

The Pho Cookbook is Andrea’s fifth and most recent release. In it, she dives deep into pho’s liveStar Chef Andrea Nguyen with 600 Café ly past, visits its birthplace, and Chef/Manager Trang Huynh and Oracle Culinary Director Tim Hilt teaches readers how to make pho successfully at home. Chef/Manager Trang Huynh at Oracle’s 600 Café prepared a northern Hanoi-style beef pho, one of The Pho Cookbook’s 50 wide-ranging recipes. The sold-out event drew 90 pho fans — with some guests placing a second order to take home more pho!

Submitted by Cara Brechler, Enterprise Marketing Director

Tom Ifft inspecting his livestock before sorting them for market

devoted to two breeds of chicken: Cornish Cross and Freedom Ranger. Roughly every six weeks, a new shipment of 500 to 1,500 one-day-old chicks arrives at the farm. The chicks are placed in a holding pen for three weeks, then put out to pasture on four acres with abundant food, shelter, and water. They remain outdoors until they reach their market weight, about six weeks for the Cornish Cross and eight weeks for the Freedom Ranger. The Iffts also raise Freedom Ranger laying hens, producing free-range eggs that the farm sells.

As they reflected on their informative journey, John, Omar, and Mike realized just how hard each of these families has to work to produce food of such astounding quality. They truly respect the farmers’ collective dedication to their animals and the hardships they endure to produce the top-notch products the Bon Appétit team proudly serves to theirs guests.

Submitted by John Krickl, Executive Chef

Andrea’s popular cookbook with a steaming bowl of Trang’s version of her pho

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BON APPÉTIT TAKES A TRIP DOWN

FOR DECADES NOW, THOSE WITH WANDERLUST HAVE VALUED THE SIMPLE PLEASURES OF THE ROAD TRIP. WITH LONG STRETCHES BEHIND THE WHEEL — WINDOWS DOWN, RADIO ON — ROAD TRIPPERS REVEL IN THE FREEDOM TO DISCOVER AND EXPLORE THEIR SURROUNDINGS, INCLUDING SAMPLING REGIONAL DISHES. With the debut of the new Route 66 off-the-shelf promotion, which took inspiration from a similar, popular promotion SAS ran in 2015, guests could travel the historic Main Street of America without ever leaving the café.

Although the official Route 66 highway was decommissioned in 1985, the nostalgia and lore (and old-fashioned eats!) along this quintessential American roadway live on. Participating cafés offered classic dishes from the eight states along the route (Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California) to the delight of nostalgia-loving guests.

STRAIGHT FROM THE CHEF: KINGSWELL CAFÉ ROUTE 66 MALT SHOP DELIGHTS Chef/Manager Kelly Anderson sent this dispatch from Route 66 from Kingswell Café in Los Angeles: Just wanted to share how much fun I had during the Route 66 promotion this year! As someone who was born and raised in Kansas (though I’ve lived in Los Angeles for almost 20 years), I was excited to bring one of my favorite sweet treats from the heartland — malts! — to our guests here. As a kid, there was nothing I loved more during hot summer months than a chocolate malt. So for one of our Route 66 promotion days, I set up my very own malt shop and offered made-to-order malts to our guests. They loved it! Everyone commented that they’d forgotten how delicious malts could be and how much the taste reminded them of their childhood. I sold out before lunch was even over.

Chef/Manager Kelly Anderson at her Route 66 Malt Shop

It was such a success. Not only because the malts were so delicious, but also because they gave me a great opportunity to interact with guests one on one and really build those relationships so key to Bon Appétit’s customer-focused culture. I can’t wait for another Route 66. Maybe next year I’ll do root beer floats. — Submitted by Kelly Anderson, Chef/Manager

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George Fox Senior Gift Officer Dave Adrian with his Route 66 gift basket

Executive Sous Chef Valeria Piccini Benjamin and Sous Chef Franco Rojas slicing brisket

GEORGE FOX OFFERS CULINARY PIT STOPS AT EIGHT FEATURED STATES

The team at George Fox University in Newberg, OR, went full throttle with their Route 66 promotion. Every Wednesday, Bon Appétiters “visited” a different state, with Executive Sous Chef Valeria Piccini Benjamin and Sous Chef Franco Rojas cooking up menus popular in a featured state. Starting in California with a “wagon wheel” bacon burger, they then traveled to Arizona for Navajo fry bread tacos, New Mexico for smothered adovada (pork with red chilis) burritos, Texas for smoked beef brisket, Oklahoma and Kansas for pulled pork and grilled andouille sausage, Missouri for classic Kansas City–style ribs, and finally to Illinois, where the journey ended with Chicago-style hot dogs. Of course, sides, desserts, and beverages complemented each featured entrée.

Senior Gift Officer Dave Adrian from the University Advancement office was the lucky winner! He was surprised and thrilled with his prize basket: “Took my winning basket home last evening and Pat was excited for the Route 66 cookbook. I will, of course, enjoy using my new Bon Appétit utensils while grilling and wearing my Route 66 hat!” he emailed the team. “Thanks for the fun and delicious Route 66 lunches throughout the summer. As always, your staff is creative, engaging, and prepares outstanding meals for us to enjoy. Hope and trust you’ll do something similar again next summer. Sure appreciate you all.”

To up the fun factor, Regional Marketing Director Tonya Flashey created road-trip punch cards for every guest who purchased a Route 66 lunch special. Those who visited the café four or more times were eligible for a prize to be drawn at the end of the road (well, promotion).

Operations Manager

The feeling is mutual. The George Fox team is already looking forward to next summer’s trip along Route 66! — Submitted by Lisa Miles,

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TASTE EVOKES JAPANESE FLAVORS WITH ARTISTIC DISHES FOR KUSAMA EXHIBIT

Kusama salad with mizuna, chive, carrot, radish, and fried lotus chips. Guests could select from yuzu, green tea, or wasabi dressings.

ART YOU CAN EAT is always the goal for Bon Appétit’s museum cafés and restaurants, to extend the experience of visiting these cultural centers. When the team at TASTE Café heard that contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s widely celebrated Infinity Mirrors exhibition was coming to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), they knew they had an exciting opportunity to create some memorable culinary tie-ins.

Executive Chef Josie Urbick and Pastry Chef Lucy Damkoehler devised Kusama-inspired menu items for all aspects of the TASTE experience, from savory café specials and grab-and-go items to sweet treats and an entire exhibit-themed catering menu. The chefs took inspiration from Japanese ingredients and traditions, as well as visuals from the art itself. Dishes like a Japanese barbecued chicken sandwich with tonkatsu-style sauce, and a financier flavored with matcha powder and studded with locally sourced peaches, combined elements of Japanese cuisine with the seasonal flavors TASTE is known for. Lucy’s “funfetti” puffed rice treats studded with rainbow sprinkles emulated the artist’s Obliteration Room, a pristine white room transformed by the addition of colored dots through the run of the exhibition.

For special events, the team created an entire exhibit-themed menu of passed bites, entrées, and sides including edamame custard tartlets, onigiri (rice balls) with pickled plum and sesame seeds, miso-marinated cod, and yuzu cream puffs. Media representatives who attended SAM’s Infinity Mirrors press preview were treated to soy-marinated eggs with fava bean mayo and black sesame, soy-glazed tsukune (Japanese chicken meatballs)

Yayoi Kusama–inspired sweet red bean cream puffs with coconut polka dots

with Japanese sansho pepper, sweet red bean cream puffs, and other delectable bites.

The exhibit has been a huge success among locals and visitors alike — advanced tickets completely sold out through the show’s run, and hopeful guests have lined up by the hundreds every morning to gain access to day-of timed tickets. To give them a pick-me-up during their wait and promote the new espresso bar, the TASTE team walked the line passing out business card–sized coupons offering 50 percent off coffee beverages. And to encourage guests to try TASTE after their visit to the exhibit, the team also shared coupons for a complimentary shiso iced green tea or lychee lemonade with the purchase of lunch.

From waiting in line to lunch after viewing the exhibit, the TASTE team created artistic tie-ins at every step of the guest experience.

Submitted by Waverley Aufmuth, Public Restaurant PR & Marketing Manager

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FOR A LOVE OF LEEKS: A VISIT TO RALPH’S GREENHOUSE IT DOESN’T MATTER IF you’re in California, Florida, or Maine. If you buy an organic leek at the grocery store, there’s a good chance it came from a single farm in Washington — one that, at 280 acres, is a little over half the size of the average American farm.

In 1980, Dutch émigré Ralph de Vries retired from dairy farming to start an organic vegetable garden in Washington’s Skagit Valley, a rural region north of Seattle best known for its annual tulip festival. The family started selling produce once they were growing more than they could eat, and leeks became their specialty. The supposedly retired Ralph invited his son Ray to help him out with some of the bigger orders...and Ray still works there to this day, alongside Farm Manager Tim Terpstra and a seasonal crew of up to 110 people.

Not long ago, Bon Appétit Fellows Caroline Ferguson and Peter Todaro and Waste Specialist Maggie Kraft were treated to an informative tour from Tim himself.

The farm has become the biggest organic leek supplier in the United States, and it now ships to Whole Foods Markets nationally. But even though they’re growing on a larger scale than ever before, the Ralph’s Greenhouse team still makes time for side projects. When the Fellows team visited, they were conducting carrot-seed tests with High Mowing, an organic seed purveyor based in Vermont. They also provide space for their employees to grow their own fruits and vegetables. The “greenhouse” in the name, it turns out, refers not to a growing structure but to a farmhouse that happens to be green — but they do have a few actual greenhouses now, too.

Not only has Ralph’s Greenhouse been a steady supplier of picture-perfect produce to Bon Appétit’s Washington accounts, they also occasionally supply cafés with lovably imperfect produce. By participating in Bon Appétit’s Imperfectly Delicious Produce program (a joint venture with Bon Appétit’s parent company, Compass Group), Ralph’s Greenhouse has been able to find a home for its under- and oversized, crooked, or otherwise cosmetically undesirable — but still delicious — leeks. The IDP program works well for Ralph’s, which is almost entirely a wholesale farm and conducts many of its sales through local aggregators and distributors like the Puget Sound Food Hub and Charlie’s Produce.

Caroline, Peter, and Maggie had met with Food Hub Operations Manager Scott Morris and Marketing Coordinator Jade Vantreese at the Food Hub headquarters earlier, where they learned that

the Food Hub is a cooperative, owned by the participating farmers themselves. This cuts out the middleman and ensures that more of the sale price of each item goes straight into farmers’ and farmworkers’ pockets. The Food Hub also works in tandem with big farms that sell cheaper products and smaller farms that sell more expensive specialty items, so that the former can absorb some of the distribution and operation costs of the latter and both can reach the consumer.

As the Fellows toured the farm, Tim pointed out that they cover growing leeks with extra soil to hide them from the sun; this keeps the stems white and tender. Though IDP produce represents a relatively small portion of Ralph’s sales, they still have been able to sell thousands of dollars’ worth of produce through the program that otherwise would have been composted. The leeks that go into IDP tend to be either crooked or oddly shaped; some have had their leaves or roots trimmed incorrectly.

“Leeks obviously still taste the same whether they’re crooked or not,” Tim said. “But grocery stores have a certain standard they’re expecting.”

They also sell IDP fennel, generally bulbs that have grown larger than the grocery store standard. The kale for IDP comes from stripping the outer leaves off the plant, which they have to do anyway to let the smaller leaves grow. It’s nice to get paid for produce they’d otherwise have to throw out, Tim said.

So next time you eat an organic leek — perfect or deliciously not — take a second to think about where it came from. It just might have been from Ralph’s.

Submitted by Caroline Ferguson, Fellow

Puget Sound Food Hub Marketing Coordinator Jade Vantreese, Waste Specialist Maggie Kraft, Fellows Caroline Ferguson and Peter Todaro, and Operations Manager Scott Morris at the Food Hub headquarters

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FILIPINO FOOD CULINARY WEBCAST Mayet Cristobal Executive Chef, Disney

Pork sisig (sizzling sour pork). Chicken adobo (chicken simmered in soy sauce and vinegar). Ube (purple yam).

While these foods might sound unfamiliar to many right now, you can expect to hear more about them in the coming years.

Why? Filipino food is developing plenty of buzz, from Washington, DC, restaurant Bad Saint’s spot on Bon Appétit magazine’s 2016 list of Best New Restaurants in America, to all those purple ube-flavored desserts in your Instagram feed.

Jenem Martin Executive Chef, Genentech

Elvin Lubrin Assistant General Manager, St. Edward’s University

Jason Rosvall Executive Sous Chef, Oregon Episcopal School

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But what is Filipino food? Dubbed by some as “the original fusion,” the cuisine includes Malay, Spanish, Chinese, and American influences, meaning that a meal might consist of steamed rice, kare kare (beef and peanut stew), lumpia (spring rolls), and leche flan (caramel custard). To provide a deeper background on the topic, we invited Bon Appétiters from multiple regions to share their expertise in our first all-company culinary webcast. Led by Director of Specialty Culinary Programs Jim Dodge, the Filipino food lineup featured Bon Appétiters who had previously served Filipino food in their cafés and/or have a background in the cuisine.

The chefs (pictured, left) and other presenters covered numerous topics: tips for purchasing common Filipino ingredients, guidance on making vegetarian substitutions, recommendations for staples best suited to a café setting, and one of the latest trend-focused Love Food marketing promotions (see page 39), highlighting Filipino food. Everyone left with tools for preparing their own Filipino dishes and a deeper sense of camaraderie with their Bon Appétit family.

Missed the webcast?

Visit the extranet to watch the recording at bit.ly/bamcowebcasts.

EVENTS IN BRIEF

Catering Manager Tina Nguyen had fun setting up the macarons and candy bars

YAHOO OFFERS FULL MONTH OF PRIDE SPECIALS Rainbows and inclusiveness were on display during Pride Month at Yahoo in Sunnyvale, CA, where the Bon Appétit team served coffee bar specials like a purple Pride mocha and rainbow strawberry lattes all month long. A Rainbow Candy Bar — with gumballs, jelly beans, cupcakes, fortune cookies, chocolates, and rock sugar — offered a vast array of colorful options during Pride FYI. And that’s not all. At Yahoo’s Pride on the Green BBQ, guests enjoyed a DJ, photo booth, and mixed fruit agua fresca, as well as a chance to learn more about and get involved with LGBT support groups, the San Francisco Pride parade, and the SF AIDS Foundation. — Submitted

by Samantha Reyes, Café Manager

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EVENTS

Left to right: Catering Director Jesse Smith, Catering Lead Adrian Richardson, and Interim General Manager Douglas Venditti

Executive Chef/Manager Cheyenne Luck presents a luau-worthy whole hog

FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS HELPS MARK FARMWORKER NONPROFIT’S 25TH YEAR

Left to right: Sous Chef Ben Sollosy, Entrée Cook Mike Onate, Executive Chef/Manager Cheyenne Luck, Cook Kaylie Rust, General Manager Alban Newton, Server Paisley Hunter, Cook Kaye Magalei, Cook Missy Kay, Dishwasher Tyson Lawrence, Server Alicia Latin, Lead Cook Daniel Larsen, Server Laurine Amundsen, and Grill Cook Becki Slade

VIVINT SMART HOME BRINGS HAWAIIAN ISLANDS TO UTAH With the constantly gleaming sun and majestic mountains in the background, the headquarters of Vivint Smart Home in Provo, UT, is the ideal setting for al fresco meals. Executive Chef Cheyenne Luck and Sous Chef Benjamin Sollosy jumped at the chance to move the café outdoors, creating an upbeat luau for guests.

After weeks of planning and engaging with several employees from the Hawaiian islands, they pulled off a feast replete with authenticity, fun, and good cheer. Guests enjoyed whole roasted hogs on the grill and their choice of kalua pua’a (roast pork), sweet and salty shoyu (soy sauce) chicken, and huli huli chicken (similar to teriyaki) with freshly baked taro rolls and a choice of traditional macaroni salad or sticky rice. Dessert included fruit tossed in li hing mui powder (ground salted dried plums), guava cake, and haupia (coconut custard), with plenty of non-alcoholic mai tai smoothies to wash it all down.

The mild 80-degree weather and soft canyon breezes offered an ideal atmosphere for feasting at outdoor tables as Hawaiian music played in the background. The team was especially grateful to Cook Tapaaulefano (Kaye) Magalei and Vivint Smart Home employee Joe Macatiag for their input on the menu and efforts to ensure the luau’s cultural authenticity. — Submitted by Cheyenne Luck,

For 25 years, Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) has worked diligently to improve farmworkers’ lives and raise awareness of their condition across America. Based at Duke University in Durham, NC, the student-run group has inspired Bon Appétit Management Company’s annual Farmworker Awareness Week materials and activities for many years. To celebrate the group’s impact, the young activists who drive the organization, and the community partners that support it, the Bon Appétit team at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business recently donated catering services and labor to an end-of-summer celebration at the Power Plant Gallery at the American Tobacco Campus. (A laboratory for documentary and experimental art practices at Duke University, the Power Plant provides ongoing opportunities for the Duke and Durham communities to consider the essential role and transformative capacity of the arts in society.)

Catering Lead Adrian Richardson, Catering Director Jesse Smith, and Interim General Manager Douglas Venditti gladly spent a Saturday helping to work this worthy event and ensure its success.

The group set up tables, donated food displays (including assorted freshly baked cookies), provided décor, and assisted with bartending and end-of-night clean-up for the 150 guests who attended.

The program included live music, a theater performance, SAF documentaries, and remarks by SAF’s board members as well as hors d’oeuvres, drinks, cake, and dancing. The Bon Appétiters were honored to lend their efforts to celebrating SAF’s 25 years of good work! — Submitted by Jesse Smith, Director of Catering

Executive Chef/Manager

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EVENTS Executive Chef Blas Baldepina and Cook Adolfo Leger readying the whole suckling pig

Cooks Adolfo Leger and Flora Downes serving roasted pork

ROYAL CARIBBEAN TEMPTS WITH CUBAN-STYLE BARBECUE For the team at Royal Caribbean Cruises in Miami, the best kind of barbecue is Cuban-style! Though summer in Miami can be scorchingly hot, it wasn’t too hot for Executive Chef Blas Baldepina and his fellow Royal Caribbean Bon Appétiters. The team roasted a whole suckling pig, Caja China–style. (A Caja China is a type of roaster; the name translates to “China box.”)

Blas and his team marinated the pig overnight in a classic mojostyle marinade very popular in Miami. They then woke up before

dawn to start the charcoal. Once it was hot enough, the team placed the pig in the box and let it roast, turning it once to evenly crisp the skin. They served the pork with guava barbecue sauce and classic Latin sides including tostones (green plantain slices, smashed and fried), arroz blanco (white rice), maduros (sweet ripe plantains), black beans, and roasted root vegetables.

The barbecue was such a hit that the Royal Caribbean Cruises guests requested it at least once a month! — Submitted by PJ Kern, Catering Manager

YAHOO ENCOURAGES MINDFULNESS WITH HOLISTIC DIY TEAS For a recent Food for Your Well-Being lunchtime promotion on Nourishing Your Mind and Body, the Yahoo team gave guests a chance to customize their own holistic tea blends. Loose-leaf tea varieties included black, green, and chamomile. Herbs and spices including cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and mint were also on offer, along with orange peel, lemon zest, and honey.

The team came up with some especially popular blends, such as green tea with mint and black tea with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Signage provided guidance on customizing the blends to suit guests’ flavor and aroma preferences. The event was hugely popular, with guests raving about making their own tea and stocking up on the offerings! — Submitted by Samantha Reyes, Café Manager Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, and lemon zest provide the ultimate in teatime customization

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EVENTS

Target team members taking a break from the Dog Days fun to listen to CEO Brian Cornell

TARGET HOSTS MASSIVE CAMP-THEMED PARTY Target headquarters in downtown Minneapolis transformed into a summer camp of sorts for its annual Dog Days, a celebration for more than 1,000 attendees featuring games, live music, great food, and a chance to support local charities. Craveable camp-themed snacks included fresh watermelon on a stick, s’mores in a cup with gooey toasted marshmallows, “bug juice,” ice cream, and for those summer hikers, an energy-boosting trail mix. Even Bullseye the dog made an appearance and joined the fun! — Submitted by Kathy Vik, Operations Manager

Fun summer refreshments included “bug juice” in true summer camp fashion

LESLEY UNIVERSITY THRIVES DURING BUSY SUMMER CONFERENCE SEASON “Happy stomachs = happy students,” said Grab the Torch’s founder Dave Aldrich, whose organization held its summer program at the Lesley University campus in Cambridge, MA. In a letter to Lesley’s President Jeff Weiss, Dave raved, “Bon Appétit’s General Manager Ed Fogarty and his entire team provided us with extraordinary meals, unwavering hospitality, and a welcoming and inviting experience.”

Grab the Torch delivers a commonsense approach to the future of giving, volunteering, and philanthropy by the next generation.

They conduct learning institutes at colleges, universities, special events facilities, and boarding schools from Maine to Colorado.

Dave noted how the high quality of Bon Appétit’s food service helps them create amazing experiences for students, speakers, and staff as well as the philanthropic leaders with whom they interact.

Apart from Grab the Torch, Ed’s team of dedicated Bon Appétiters also fed participants in six international programs from China and India, and also domestic summer programs. At times, the team was feeding more than 400 students daily in their relatively small café. Ed commented that the beautiful summer weather helped by allowing the team to have guests sit outside on a number of occasions. Groups included the Harvard Debate Council, Jindal Global University, and Moses Biological Computational Lab. By grabbing the torch and running a successful conference season, the Bon Appétit team at Lesley generated additional summer revenue and provided their campus dining program with a burst of momentum heading into the fall semester. Grab the Torch’s Dave Aldrich may have said it best, exclaiming, “Bravo! Congratulations, your food service is head and shoulders over many others.”

— Submitted by Larry Simpson, Project Manager

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EVENTS

TRINE OFFERS TASTES...OF OPPORTUNITY At a special event cohosted by Bon Appétit and Trine University in Angola, IN, the dining services team got to showcase their catering program as well as job opportunities with Bon Appétit, while Trine showed off its continuing education services — all in a seamlessly integrated way to students, community members, and anyone who learned about the event through the radio and social media ads that they placed.

Left to right: Catering Supervisor Heather Fetter, Kitchen Supervisor Jake Carpenter, Sous Chef Kyle Mumma, Executive Chef Todd Downs, and Sous Chef Joe Moncada joined forces for Trine’s Taste the Opportunity event

An abundant display of marinated roasted vegetables draws attention to job opportunities in cold production and deli

Each of the seven food stations at the Taste the Opportunity event featured a specific job or continuing education opportunity alongside delicious food. The charcuterie station, for example, served vegetable antipasto, artisanal cheeses, condiments and crackers, and jars of house-pickled vegetables, while also highlighting job information for the cold production and deli station.

The hot appetizer station offered Thai curry chicken meatballs, prosciutto-wrapped figs stuffed with buttermilk blue cheese and a balsamic glaze, shrimp and crab cakes with a Cajun rémoulade sauce, and cheese-glazed rosemary polenta with red pepper relish. This station also included employment information about and opportunities for the cook, utility, and cashier positions. At the Local Proud station, Greg Gunthorp of Gunthorp Farms in Spring Township, IN, was on hand to personally serve his Cajun chaurice sausage.

Interested candidates received instructions on how to apply for the positions online — and could even submit an application right then if they wished, using one of the computers at the event.

— Submitted by Joe Gentile, General Manager

SAS SPOTLIGHTS STONE FRUIT: What better way to spend a summer Friday than with an abundance of gorgeous stone fruits? The Bon Appétit team at SAS in Cary, NC, had a blast highlighting the sweet versatility of these colorful warm-weather fruits. Guests enjoyed house-made peach jam, grilled peach salad with prosciutto, panini featuring macerated nectarines and local cottonseed cheese (a variety of local cheese made by Boxcarr Handmade Cheese in Cedar Grove, NC), apricot and rosemary aqua fresca, peach and habanero scones, and delicious stone fruit–forward desserts, including roasted plum and pistachio tartlets, nectarine cardamom cake, and plum crisp with walnut streusel.

— Submitted by Courtney Botbyl, Café Manager

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EVENTS

Left to right: Executive Chef Brandon Canfield, Café Manager Tracy Haraldson, and Regional Marketing Director Bob Johndrow

MEDTRONIC MOTIVATES HUNDREDS TO MOVE AT ANNUAL 5K For the second year in a row, the Bon Appétit team at Medtronic in Minneapolis served as a participating vendor for the 7th Annual Move It Medtronic 5K, a race designed to increase employee wellness. Motivating 735 people to lace up their sneakers on a hot Minneapolis day is no small feat, especially when many of the participants are first-time racers.

Café Chef Oscar Matute slicing brisket

GENENTECH OFFERS BARBECUE BONANZAS In recent months, Genentech’s B82 Café in South San Francisco has enjoyed going all out when it comes to barbecue. From cooking demos to patio celebrations, Café Chef Oscar Matute has (figuratively) been on fire. During a midsummer cooking demo, Oscar showed guests how easy it is to prepare garlic-molasses tri-tip, pan-roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus, and citrus salad with tahini vinaigrette. At the end of the demo, guests were treated to goodie bags containing a bottle of his signature barbecue marinade and fresh produce from ALBA Organics.

In addition, B82 hosted a weekly barbecue on the patio. No matter whether it was sunny or unseasonably cool and windy, the team fed 200 to 300 barbecue lovers each week. With changing styles and themes, and inspiration drawn from Thailand to Memphis to Argentina to Hawaii, Oscar stoked his guests’ craving for barbecue again and again. — Submitted by Jenem Martin, Executive Chef

Bon Appétiters treated the runners and supporters to healthy house-made treats such as nut-and-seed bites and black-bean brownie bites. The race had a secondary benefit beyond fitness, too: Organizers collected two large bags of used sports equipment and hundreds of pairs of used athletic shoes to be shipped to folks who endured the recent double hurricanes.

All participants were extremely grateful for the support of the race’s sponsors, volunteers, and vendors like Bon Appétit. One racer commented, “Thanks again for the motivation, encouragement, and tips as I started to dabble in running this year!” For their part, the Bon Appétiters were proud to play a role in supporting such a worthwhile contribution to personal fitness and wellness.

The smiles on the racers’ faces were priceless! — Submitted by Tracy Haraldson, Café Manager

HOLEY TEAM SPIRIT! When it comes to National Donut Day, there’s no doubt that the team at Yahoo in Sunnyvale, CA, knows how to get right to the center of the action!

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HUNTINGTON HOSPITALITY SHOWCASES NEW CATERING AND SPECIAL EVENTS OFFERINGS

Huntington Hospitality transformed the Scott Gallery Loggia into an elegant and inviting space

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART COLLECTIONS, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS in San Marino, CA, is famous for its spectacular grounds, including the Desert Garden, Rose Garden, and Chinese Garden. Dozens of Hollywood movies have been filmed there. And yet the 207-acre campus still has many buildings and spaces that are unknown and underutilized as event spaces. As part of an effort to begin attracting more corporate events to The Huntington, the Bon Appétit catering and events team known as Huntington Hospitality threw a summer party for Huntington staff.

Members from every department, from curators to botanists, thronged to a catering showcase at the open-air Virginia Steele Scott Gallery Loggia. Upon entering, guests were wowed by the transformation of the loggia, commenting on the breezy summer décor and vintage color palettes inspired by the Pinkie and Blue Boy paintings, jewels in the The Huntington’s collection. Tufted white sofas, elevated bar tables, and plush apricot velveteen chairs added laid-back elegance to the affair, while floor-toceiling curtains adorning tall white columns at each end of the gallery created a feeling of intimacy.

Welcomed by Huntington Hospitality Marketing and Culinary Program Manager Rebecca Farraj, guests enjoyed selections from Executive Catering Chef Sukie Sum’s newly revamped catering menu. The items included tender za’atar lamb chops with chimichurri sauce, stone fruit salad, and grilled avocado elote, which highlighted local seasonal produce. Attendees were also treated to a full bar, where they sampled wines from the catering menu and a specialty blackberry bramble cocktail served in vintage jewel-toned glasses. Huntington Hospitality General Manager Sarah Geana introduced members of the newly expanded team and thanked The Huntington for its valued partnership.

Since the event, Huntington Hospitality has received numerous compliments, thank-you notes, and event inquiries. One guest wrote, “Thank you for everything you are all doing to make The Huntington a food destination. We really need the food and event planning to be as spectacular as our art and gardens!” Members of Huntington Hospitality are proud to work with The Huntington and were thrilled to lay the foundation for more successful events in the future.

Submitted by Hannah Katalbas, Director of Marketing and Social Media

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A new menu offering of summer string bean salad

Various catering menu items shine at the Scott Gallery Loggia

Za’atar-crusted lamb with chimichurri sauce won raves

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WILLAMETTE ECLIPSES EXPECTATIONS WITH SPECIAL CELESTIAL EVENT

Members of the Bon Appétit team getting their eclipse on

THOUSANDS OF ECLIPSE CHASERS drove countless miles for a better view of late summer’s blockbuster solar eclipse. For those in the Willamette University community in Salem, OR, however, there was no need to travel: Willamette is located smack dab on the path of totality. Anticipating the appeal of its geography, the university made arrangements to have about 2,000 extra people on campus, including major news groups, scientists, and even members of NASA! The Bon Appétit team knew they had to prepare for this event of a lifetime. Executive Chef André Uribe and Executive Sous Chef Chris Jones crafted an out-of-this-world barbecue menu. Guests enjoyed Martian scrambled eggs, Shadow of the Moon pancakes, and Blackout smoothies for breakfast. For lunch, the team served Sunrise and Star-fire pizzas, along with Dark Side of the Moon subs and Cosmic cupcakes. There were even concessions in the form of star-shaped biscuits and gravy! For celebrants with a sweet tooth, the team borrowed Bon Appétit’s Seattle-based Mobile Mavens ice cream trike to sell Vovito gelato and pops.

Cook Josh Shields and Kitchen Supervisors Hopeton Sharpe and Eric Hilverda oversee the eclipse-themed barbecue

Fifteen minutes before the total eclipse, all the employees went outside to join the thousands of people who had gathered to watch the celestial show. Donning special eclipse glasses, the Bon Appétit team gathered together to witness the spectacular event.

It was a singular experience — and a splendidly communal one.

Submitted by Bonnie Von Zange, Front of House Supervisor

Cashier Angela Knight and FOH Supervisor Bonnie Von Zange in custom T-shirts made especially for the event

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MOUNT ANGEL ABBEY ENJOYS TOTALITY AND COMMUNITY

Father Alexander Plasker, Executive Chef/General Manager Paul Lieggi, and Dishwasher Steve Drescher marvel at the sky

Eclipse watchers came well-prepared for the main event

THE BON APPÉTIT TEAM at Mount Angel Abbey in St. Benedict, OR, found themselves at the very heart of the late summer total solar eclipse. In close collaboration with the Benedictine monastery and seminary, Executive Chef/Manager Paul Lieggi and his team fed more than 250 guests, astronomers, seminarians, monks, and employees. Eclipse watchers were treated to an al fresco buffet featuring freshly harvested local plums, cookies and pastries from the monastery bakery, and refreshing spa waters, along with Paul’s ever-popular iced coffee.

Participants agreed that experiencing a total eclipse was even more thrilling than they’d expected, due not only to the celestial event itself but to the friendly social environment among those who gathered to enjoy it together. The chance to suspend the regular duties of life, even for a short while, was both fleeting and precious.

Submitted by Paul Lieggi, Executive Chef/General Manager

These plums sport an almost otherworldly hue

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FURMAN DEBUTS NEW CAFÉ WITH AN ASSIST FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS THE NEW LIBRARY CAFÉ at Furman University in Greenville, SC, is truly a collaborative effort between the Furman and Bon Appétit teams, from the design to the signage. Construction began the day after the 2017 commencement, and only a few short months later, Bon Appétit Director of Operations Koren Nappi held the keys in her hand.

The new café was constructed from the floor up in the James B. Duke Library, including a kitchen, counter, and seating area with six tables, and a 24-hour study room with about 15 tables behind the coffee shop.

In preparation for the opening, Due South Coffee Director of Operations Ryan Hall provided three days of training to the Bon Appétit baristas who will proudly serve the Taylors, SC, company’s coffee. UpCountry Provisions of Travelers Rest, SC, is supplying freshly baked pastries including scones, croissants, sandwich cookies, cinnamon rolls, and muffins made without glutencontaining ingredients. The Bon Appétit team boils, tops, and bakes fresh bagels using dough from Dawn Foods. Additional menu items include bagel sandwiches, smoothies, coffee, cappuccino, and nitro cold brew coffee.

The Library Café opened to rave reviews.

About 450 guests on average daily have been availing themselves of the new space, taking advantage of the student-friendly hours, 7:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. to midnight on Sunday.

Submitted by Ashley Greene, Marketing Coordinator

The Library Café gleams

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UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC STARTS THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH HOLISTIC HEALTH EDUCATION

Vice President for Student Life Patrick Day, naturopathic physician and guest speaker Dr. Daemon Jones, and Bon Appétit Resident District Manager Sia Mohsenzadegan

Dr. Dae leads a lunchtime cooking demonstration on preparing quick and easy snacks

WHILE SERVING NUTRITIOUS, BALANCED meals is an everyday focus for Bon Appétit teams, many are just as passionate about promoting wellness outside of the café. At the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, Resident District Manager Sia Mohsenzadegan and his team were excited to accept a proposal from Vice President for Student Life Patrick Day to cohost a series of health-focused events with Dr. Daemon Jones (who goes by “Dr. Dae”), a Washington DC–based naturopathic physician and author.

Shortly after the new school year began, students and faculty had several opportunities to attend an “Eat & Live Well” event led by Dr. Dae on a number of topics while enjoying snacks and dishes corresponding with the talk’s themes, provided by the Bon Appétit team. On day one, during Dr. Dae’s lunchtime cooking demonstration of quick and easy snacks that can be made any time (even in the residence hall), participants sampled healthy smoothies and black-bean chili with guacamole. In the afternoon, Dr. Dae talked about organic eating in the outdoor setting of the Robb Family Garden on campus, and in the evening, guests tasted black-bean quesadillas and kale Caesar salads with vegan dressing while learning about special dietary considerations one might have to make based on one’s heritage, gender, or personal medical issues. The next day, faculty and staff were invited to a fun, healthy lunch of build-your-own mason-jar salads, vegetarian and chicken wraps, and gazpacho while listening to Dr. Dae’s techniques for increasing energy, harmony, love, and joy in their lives. Throughout both days,

Faculty and staff enjoy a healthy lunch at one of the “Eat & Live Well” events

participants received copies of Dr. Dae’s book Eat More Plants when they answered a question correctly.

In addition to her emphasis on eating whole foods, drinking lots of water, and sleeping well, Dr. Dae talked about the importance of connecting with nature and community, as well as with the body and mind, to achieve optimal health and happiness. It was a timely reminder for the students and faculty of how health, gratitude, and purpose will help propel them to success in their studies and careers — a message that the Bon Appétit team wholeheartedly supports!

Submitted by Sia Mohsenzadegan, Resident District Manager

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KNOX RENOVATION OFFERS GREATER CONVENIENCE AND IMPROVED FLOW

With improved flow, Knox students can now make their way from station to station with ease

Students enjoying the new bar-style window seating that looks out to their picturesque campus

AT KNOX COLLEGE IN Galesburg, IL, the Hard Knox Café got a revamp over the summer, making the student dining hub even more convenient than before. The new layout opened up the space, allowing students to move more quickly and easily from station to station and staff to safely replenish the serving lines as needed, and creating a better overall dining experience. The improvement project also transformed and greatly simplified the path for diners walking between the Hard Knox Café and the adjacent Oak Room.

The remodel led to conveniences and improved safety for both students and members of the Bon Appétit team as well. For example, team members no longer have to walk through students waiting in line to transport hot food from the kitchen to the dining area. With the addition of new pass-through hot boxes, which have doors on opposite sides, cooks in the kitchen can insert hot food and those working in the serving area can remove it safely and efficiently. Plus, the new salad area now allows for food prep right at the station.

New floors and carpeting were installed, walls torn down, and energy-efficient LED bulbs placed in lighting fixtures. The remodel’s other highlights include a brick oven for preparing pizza, a new soup/salad/deli bar (with many more salad options than the previous salad bar), and the restaurant-style arrangement of tables and chairs. The addition of new dining counter space and stools along the café’s outside-facing windows provides diners a scenic view of the campus as they eat. The beverage station was also moved to make it more accessible to thirsty students.

“I think that the changes are beneficial overall,” commented 2017 Knox College graduate Tevin Liao, who served as Student Senate President during the 2016–17 academic year. “I was impressed by all of the changes that addressed past foot-traffic concerns.” Tevin said he is a fan of the new seating arrangements, especially the barstyle window seating, a suggestion that came from Knox students.

Submitted by Diane Welker, General Manager

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UNIVERSITY OF REDLANDS SPRINGS INTO FALL SEMESTER WITH CONVENIENCE AT THE FORE TRENDS COME AND GO, but Americans’ thirst for greater mealtime convenience seems to have staying power, for both working adults and busy students. In response to University of Redlands student feedback, General Manager Pam Franco and Executive Chef Anastacio Rodriguez created new fall menu items focused on health, freshness, and convenience for the Redlands, CA, campus.

At the same time, Marketing Supervisor Malisia Wilkins has been lining up events to increase engagement, including cooking demonstrations in the University Club restaurant and a monthly farmers’ market in the Irvine Commons. Fresh produce from the Sustainable University of Redlands Farm (known as SURF) and house-made baked goods are among the items available for purchase.

New In Balance grab-and-go lunch and dinner entrées are available, too. Students can choose from spiced tofu and lentil salad; wild salmon and quinoa; quinoa, spinach, and portobello; tri-tip and greens; and more.

This Meals in Minutes chicken piccata with angel hair pasta and lemon caper butter sauce was prepared in under 30 minutes

For students, faculty, and staff who enjoy cooking but are pressed for time, Pam and Director of Operations Mark Bibbey have begun providing a menu of meal kits called Meals in Minutes. The kits provide directions and ingredients to prepare a dinner that will serve two or four people. All meals can be cooked in under 60 minutes.

Meals in Minutes nods to the national trend of popular mealkit programs, but offers guests a super-convenient in-house version they can pick up on-site. With six options to start, offerings may expand seasonally once the program is further established. Guests make their selections via an online order form accessed through the university’s Cafebonappetit.com website. Inaugural options include chicken piccata with asparagus and angel hair pasta; steak quesadillas with fajita-style vegetables; chicken Marsala with baby potatoes and carrots; and skewers of marinated tri-tip and seasonal vegetables, with coleslaw and fresh fruit.

Meals in Minutes steak quesadillas with fajita-style vegetables kit

Submitted by Pam Franco, General Manager, and Mark Bibbey, Director of Operations

Grab-and-go wild salmon with quinoa

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GAUGUIN TAKES THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO BY TAHITIAN STORM

La Belle Angèle cocktail, featuring Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé, Lillet Blanc, passion fruit, tarragon, and lime

MASTER PAINTERS INSPIRE FELLOW creatives, whether in the visual arts...or the culinary arts! French post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin — a trailblazer best known for painting women in idyllic Tahitian settings — lit the fires for Bon Appétiters at the Art Institute of Chicago, which recently mounted an exhibition called Gauguin: Artist as Alchemist. Team members at both the Museum Café and Terzo Piano devised artistic ways to tie their menus to the exhibit, whose theme of “defy definition” involves questioning the norm.

The Museum Café menu offered three Gauguin-inspired dishes: banana leaf–wrapped sole, French duck salad with Armagnac and citrus, and French navy bean soup. Museum Café Lead Cook Susan Schoon conjured a perfect Tahitian storm of tropical ingredients, including a coconut, curry, and lemongrass butter deployed as a marinade for the sole. For the soup, the team took inspiration from Gauguin’s Yellow Christ painting, which relies on heavy use of that color in its dramatic single-hued palette. Terzo Piano Lead Bartender Devin Rubino felt similarly inspired when she created the refreshing La Belle Angèle, a cocktail combining Lillet Blanc and Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé. She added colorful passion fruit and lime for a tropical twist.

Scallop crudo with cucumber, green chili, lime, avocado, and salmon caviar

Additional menu items invoking the Tahitian waters included citruscharred octopus with smoked eggplant, tomatoes, and white beans and scallop crudo with cucumber, green chili, lime, avocado, and salmon caviar. Chef di Cucina Carolina Diaz even experimented with plating her dishes just as Gauguin might have. Her scallop crudo used bright and bold color contrasts to give the plate extra pop.

The special menu was a wonderful way for museum guests to extend their aesthetic experience into a sense-pleasing lunch.

Even the donuts go Gauguin

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MUSEUM CAFÉ JAZZ NIGHT DRAWS LARGE CROWD

Creativity reigned at the Museum Café’s Jazz Night as small plates filled the Art Institute’s McKinlock Court. For two years, guests have flocked to the weekly summertime evening event.

This year, Lead Cook Susan Schoon, Pastry Lead Bobby Steckline, and the team featured dishes using even more ingredients sourced from regional farmers, foragers, and producers, including Windy City Harvest Youth Farm and D’Artagnan from Illinois, Scheeringa Farms from Indiana, and Keewaydin Farms from Wisconsin. The different small plates — including potato gnocchi with vodka sauce, spicy lamb sliders, fresh caprese salad, and Tahitian vanilla cheesecake — really showed off the seasonal and local products.

Jazz Night’s potato gnocchi, vodka sauce, and microgreens

ART INSTITUTE FÊTES BASTILLE DAY WITH SOUTH-OF-FRANCE MENU

Despite the sweltering Chicago heat, more than 360 guests flocked to Terzo Piano at the Art Institute for the Bastille Day prix fixe. Chef di Cucina Carolina Diaz and her team looked to classic French recipes for the sold-out three-course meal, with a special nod to the South of France. The first course featured vichyssoise with chives and crème fraîche, and brandade (puréed salt cod) croquettes with lemon-garlic aioli. The second course showcased fresh squash, tomato, zucchini, and eggplant in a summery ratatouille. Sous Chef Manuel Uribe’s fond memories of cooking coq au vin at culinary school with

The colorful summery ratatouille

pearl onions, bacon lardons, and wild mushrooms inspired him to re-create this classic chicken dish for the celebration. A classic seared tuna niçoise tempted guests as well.

Lead Pastry Cook Rachel Erceg baked a blueberry galette, incorporating dried lavender from the fields of Provence into the crust. The floral notes of the lavender and orange blossom crème anglaise upped the elegance of the delightful French pastry.

Blueberry galette in lavender pastry

Submitted by Nicole Nicolas, Marketing Coordinator

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COLBY SERVES UP WORKS OF ART AT COLLEGE MUSEUM OPENING COLBY COLLEGE IN WATERVILLE, ME, boasts one of the top college art museums in the country. In midsummer, the Colby College Museum of Art welcomed more than 500 alumni, parents, and friends for its signature Summer Luncheon event to celebrate an art exhibit by a storied Mainer, American painter Marsden Hartley.

Despite torrential rain, guests stayed dry under a tent while the Bon Appétit team served up some of their own works of art. Attendees dined on Maine crab salad on cucumber rounds with shaved radish; scallop cakes with lemon aioli; goat cheese with blueberry garnish on crostini; heirloom cherry tomatoes stuffed with sunshine lentil hummus; lobster salad with corn, white bean, and pea shoot salad; a trio of tomatoes with feta crumbles; and a duet of stuffed squash blossoms with toasted millet summer squash salad and zucchini quinoa. The masterpiece of a meal concluded with mini lemon millefeuilles, flourless chocolate cakes, and lemon tarts.

According to General Manager Marietta Lamarre, “Traditionally, this summer event is held for 250 to 300 people, but this year [it] grew to 500 guests. Despite the rain, the event was a huge success.”

Beyond special events like July’s art exhibit opening, Bon Appétiters operate the Café at the Colby Museum of Art as a fast-casual but upscale operation that features quick service and great hospitality. Open during museum hours, it’s viewed by the community as a great option for both quick and leisurely meals.

Lobster with corn, white bean, and pea shoot salad with champagne vinaigrette, accompanied by a trio of tomatoes with feta crumbles

Submitted by Larry Simpson, Project Manager

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COLORADO COLLEGE UNVEILS NEW COFFEE BAR IN AWARD-WINNING BUILDING

With its late night hours and plentiful grab-and-go offerings, Susie B’s draws students from across campus

COLORADO COLLEGE IN Colorado Springs, CO, sits on a beautiful campus at the base of a park called Garden of the Gods. When the university renovated its Charles L. Tutt Library, winner of a 2017 Innovation Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers for its energy efficiency, it knew that students would need a refueling station worthy of its setting.

The new coffee bar is called Susie B’s — named in honor of a member of the Colorado College board of trustees — and was developed in collaboration with the college by District Manager Lou Lathon, General Manager Randy Kruse, and Director of Operations Austin Kumm, along with a fantastic support team.

Students are eagerly devouring Susie B’s freshly made sandwiches and soups, and love sipping specialty coffees featuring beans from Switchback Coffee Roasters. Susie B’s has become the best place on campus to study and hang out late with classmates.

Submitted by Tonya Flashey, Regional Marketing Director, and Randy Kruse, General Manager

Baristas Dillon Miller and Nicolette Baldwin pull shots in happy harmony

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ST. JOHN’S DOUBLES DOWN ON BUY-LOCAL MESSAGE AT GOVERNOR’S COOKOUT

Left to right: Bon Appétit Director of Specialty Culinary Programs Jim Dodge, Campus Chef Monica Becks, Governor Larry Hogan, General Manager Michael Cleary, and Director of Operations Sylvia Wilkerson

THE EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE happens just once a year, but Bon Appétit teams love extra chances to spread the same message year round. At St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, the Governor’s Buy Local Cookout, an annual summer event sponsored by the State of Maryland, headlines the week-long Buy Local Challenge Week.

At this year’s celebration, Specialty Culinary Programs Director Jim Dodge joined in the fun.

A committee from the Maryland State Department of Agriculture evaluates recipes and selects those it deems worthy of being featured. This year, the St. John’s Bon Appétiters submitted a recipe for Persian-style lamb kofta barbecue with mujaddara (rice and lentil pilaf) and tomato shirazi salad, inspired by the Persian food trainings Jim had spearheaded with Star Chef Hoss Zare earlier in the year. The theme might have been local ingredients, but the team creatively wanted to bring more attention to the traditional foods of Iran at the same time. Bon Appétit joined 46 restaurants, schools, breweries, caterers, farms, and local producers from across the state for the event.

Persian-style lamb kofta barbecue

Director of Operations Sylvia Wilkerson, Campus Chef Monica Becks, District Manager Michael Corradino, General Manager Michael Cleary, and Jim (who made barbari flatbread) served more than 500 attendees at the outdoor bazaar-style, invitation-only gathering. Many guests, even some who at first claimed not to be lamb fans, commented that the team’s dish was their favorite.

Submitted by Michael Cleary, General Manager Photos courtesy of the Executive Office of the Governor

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DENISON FRESHENS UP WITH COMPLETE DINING REMODEL

The new Curtis Café serving area

Just outside the café, Denison’s new lounge has a gas fireplace and remains open after hours as a community area

FRESH ACADEMIC YEAR, fresh offerings, fresh remodel! Students returning to Denison University in Granville, OH, were delighted to discover that the Curtis Café remodel that began in the spring was completed before their August arrival.

In addition to offering new digital signage, the space now accommodates more guests. And the front of the dining hall now remains open after hours as a community area, offering seating for studying, hanging out, meeting, and the like. This area has the new, popular gas fireplace wall, which makes late-night study sessions more appealing — or just relaxing in front of the fire with friends.

The student seating areas and the entire kitchen were fully revamped. There’s even a gas fireplace wall now, which students particularly love. The new stations include Pure Fare, Deli, Hearth, Kettles, Sizzle, and Seasons, as well as a Sweets station and one for agua frescas. (Pure Fare is a “made without gluten-containing ingredients” station; Sizzle, the grill station; and Seasons focuses even more directly on seasonal fare.) The food prep itself is more visible, too, with more prep happening at the stations themselves rather than in the back of the house.

There’s also a nutrition kiosk that complements the digital signage and menus. A computer located directly inside the dining halls, the kiosk allows students to pull up menus and check the nutrition information of all items served in the dining hall that day. It also allows students to see upcoming dining services promotions and events on the Cafebonappetit.com website.

Several engaging promotions have been planned for the first few months following the relaunch. These include student cooking competitions with a sustainability bent, in which students are given a stipend to spend on local products, then produce a three-course meal and discuss its environmental impact; cooking classes centering on wellness and healthy eating; dueling dessert challenges; and a bluegrass fest.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, but the Bon Appétit team has been touched to read that students are happy with one particular feature above all else: the familiar faces of their favorite Bon Appétiters at Curtis!

Submitted by Kaity Vorbroker, Human Resources Admin Assistant Photos: Scott Pease

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THANK YOU, BON APPÉTIT

... FOR PLEASING OUR STUDENTS

ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, TERRE HAUTE, IN The first year on a new campus is usually a getting-to-know-you period, but sometimes things just click between the Bon Appétiters and their new clients and guests, and the relationship starts humming along like they’re long-lost family members. That seems to be the case at Rose-Hulman, where Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Erik Z. Hayes sent this note to Regional Vice President Randy De Mers praising the efforts by General Manager Deb Robinson, Executive Chef Justin Durand, and the rest of their team as their second school year together started.

The proud Bon Appétit team at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Randy, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate Debbie, Justin, and the rest of the Bon Appétit team here at Rose. Debbie is great to work with, and we are always able to come together to provide the best for our students.

All of the staff are committed to Bon Appétit and what your company stands for, while also meeting the very individualized attention that we promise our students. I heard dozens (literally, dozens) of compliments this weekend from freshmen parents. Things really are going exceptionally well.

In addition, this summer we received results from our annual benchmarking survey. This survey compares us to many other schools around the country in regards to many aspects of living on campus (one of which is dining services). I thought you would find the numbers interesting.

As you know, the 2015–2016 school year was our last year with [Bon Appétit’s predecessor], and last year (2016–2017) was our first year with Bon Appétit.

In 2015–2016, our students rated their overall satisfaction with dining services as a 4.69 (out of a possible 7). This ranked us as 128th out of the 288 schools that participated that year.

Last year, our students rated their overall satisfaction as a 5.73. Over a full point jump! This ranked Rose as second out of 262 schools that participated last year.

Additionally, our “quality of food” scores went from a 4.04 to a 5.75 (our ranking jumped from 145th to second). All of the other scores related to dining had similar increases. Clearly our students are pleased with what is going on.

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Finally, I think that it is important to note that we were not even open to full capacity last year.

This year we will have the new coffee shop as well as the lower level dining, Chauncey’s. We expect that our students will continue to be very pleased with how things are going.

As we are moving through our second year as partners here at Rose, I just wanted to thank you and your team for such a great experience with Bon Appétit. What Debbie and the rest of the Bon Appétit workers had to do this spring and summer with the limited kitchen space, serving area, and seating was not insignificant. There were a lot of logistical challenges, but the entire team pulled it out with smiles on their faces. I know we are all excited to get this year going!

Sincerely, Erik

... FOR EXCELLENCE YOU BRING TO THE CAFÉ EVERY DAY

STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, STANFORD, CA

CARLSON COMPANIES, MINNETONKA, MN

Director of Catering Melissa Hegel and General Manager Daniel Salk were touched to receive this note from a departing catering client: Hi Daniel and Melissa, I’ve so enjoyed working with you both at Bon Appétit and getting to know you over the past few years. You both are so knowledgeable, helpful, and always went above and beyond with your catering and customer service. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that! I could always trust you both, and always enjoyed seeing you at Arbuckle. (I am very sad that that won’t be a lunch option every day anymore...) Thank you both for being such wonderful colleagues and I wish you all the best!

The Bon Appétit team at Carlson has a secret admirer! A “happy guest” sent the team an Edible Arrangement in gratitude for their friendly faces and general excellence, shared Product Support Specialist Alexander Tang. “We have a wonderful group of customers within the Carlson organization and tenant companies with offices in the complex,” says Chef/ Manager Chris Gumm. “Bon Appétit has enjoyed partnering with Carlson Companies for more than 20 years, and many Bon Appétiters have been here for most of that time. It feels like we get to host our friends every day in the café.” The gift and note show the feeling is clearly mutual!

Kind regards, Emily P. Donahue Assistant Events Manager Office of Special Events & Protocol And when Executive Chef Jon Sodini and his team prepared a threecourse luncheon on a tight timeline for a group of visiting dignitaries with the Secret Service in tow, Melissa was honored to get this thank you: Thank you so very much to you, Chef Jon, and everyone else on your incredible team for the absolutely wonderful lunch you all provided for the Prime Minister of Estonia and his delegation at Green Library today. I was completely overwhelmed by the quality of the food and presentation, professionalism in service, and attention to detail. All of it was extremely impressive. Everyone made the event a fantastic success and I and my colleagues at the Libraries are so grateful. Thank you, thank you for your hard work and tremendous efforts.

Sonia M. Lee Associate Director for Development Stanford University Libraries

Back row: Robbie Merry, utility worker; Scott Anderson, cook; Deb Borisevich, cashier; Eddy Rudolph, cook; and Chris Gumm, chef/manager. Front row: Brian Dillon, cook; Mark Lundquist, cashier; Jennifer Gooderum, admin/cashier; and Debbie Sowada, utility worker.

A salad served to the Prime Minister of Estonia: Riverdog Farm baby romaine, grilled Manas Ranch stone fruit, Stepladder Creamery chèvre, and candied pecans with Genovese basil-sherry vinaigrette

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THANK YOU

... FOR BEING SO KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HELPFUL

THANK YOU

... FOR YOUR EFFICIENT CALM AND FOR SERVING WITH GRACE

... FOR YOUR FORESIGHT IN OFFERING SUCH OPTIONS

OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY, WESTERVILLE, OH

DENISON DINING, GRANVILLE, OH

General Manager Amanda DeWitt submitted two letters of thanks from members of Otterbein’s Center for Teaching and Learning. As part of the fall faculty conference, faculty were asked to share a positive observation about an Otterbein colleague. In two cases, the faculty members chose Bon Appétiters as recipients of praise!

The women serving staff and students [at Roost Express] are some of the nicest individuals. They serve us with grace and positive feelings and almost always have something nice to say about the university or who they are talking to.

Human Resources Administrative Assistant Kaity Vorbroker submitted this lovely note from Communication Professor Suzanne Condray thanking the team after a successful event hosted for the National Communication Association (NCA) Institute for Faculty Development conference, which drew attendees from all over the Midwest:

and I want to give a shout-out to all the people who work in the Otter Bean and the Roost Express, who provide service, good food, and coffee with a smile and a chat, who talk with faculty and students alike, and who deal with long lines and pressure with efficient calm. They deserve our thanks every day.

... FOR HOW WONDERFUL, KIND, AND SIMPLY OUTSTANDING YOUR STAFF IS CROSSROADS CAFÉ, CARMEL, IN

The team at Bon Appétit’s corporate headquarters received expressions of deep gratitude from the wife of a Bon Appétiter who suffered a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting. She also emailed the HR Service Center a second note!

My name is Veronica, and my husband Aquil Nunn works for Crossroads Café in Carmel, IN. The reason I am reaching out to you is to share my thoughts on how WONDERFUL, KIND and just simply put OUTSTANDING your staff is at this establishment. My husband was stung by a bee on Sunday and ended up in the ICU due to an allergic reaction. Carey Durand, your general manager, contacted me on several occasions to check on his condition. She was genuinely concerned about his well-being, not just when he could return to work.... To have his new boss stop by and check on him with food, a card, and warm wishes from his coworkers was nothing short of amazing. I am in the hospitality field myself, and people like her and her crew are hard to find. I just wanted you to know how grateful my husband is to work for such an awesome group of people.

Veronica Barrett

She was genuinely concerned about his well-being, not just when he could return to work....

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... FOR ALWAYS LISTENING TO WHAT THE CUSTOMER NEEDS

Project Manager Ruben Sanchez spent just over a year working at RGA’s U.S. office on a special assignment. Before returning to his European home base, he shared some inspiring praise for the café with General Manager Thomas Dixon:

Guest Ying Ying Chen submitted words of enthusiastic thanks through the customer feedback form on Oracle - Santa Clara’s online portal. She cited four reasons why Cloud Café Cook Jared Auker merits such high praise. (The following note has been lightly edited for clarity.)

REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, CHESTERFIELD, MO

ORACLE, SANTA CLARA, CA

Pretty much everything about the café is outstanding: the variety of stations and choices within each one, the freshness and quality of the products, the variety of the menu, how clean and perfectly presented everything is...I could go on and on.

Although I have enjoyed every station, I have to say my favorite one is global, by far. The variety of the dishes/countries has been refreshing and fun. I am from Spain, a Mediterranean country whose people love cooking and healthy food, and...enjoying this food on a daily basis has been a real pleasure for me.

But on top of everything else is the team. Everyone working there — from the chef and the cooks to the folks checking out — have always been so nice that I will miss chatting with them…. Overall, everyone enjoys what they are doing, and it shows.

I’d like to report that Jared Auker did a great job at the Cloud Café during the past two weeks, on everything from poke bowls to bread buns.

First of all, he gives great service. He always smiles, is friendly, and he gets my order right. Second, he is so patient and makes the food’s presentation so nice. Food presentation is just as essential to the success of a dish as its taste and flavor. It is good to have a variety of textures on the plate, but how these textures are combined is just as important. Third, he always listens to what the customer needs, and he will adjust or rearrange the food for customers if needed. And fourth, he is humble as he listens to customer suggestions. Then he’ll make changes based on these suggestions the next time around.

Overall, I’d just like to thank Jared for high quality food and great service.

I have been in several companies in St. Louis with cafés...and this one comes out at the top by far. My congratulations to the entire café team and RGA.

... FOR YOUR INFECTIOUSLY POSITIVE ATTITUDE EMMANUEL COLLEGE, BOSTON

Café Manager Patrick Sevy submitted this photo of Cashier Randy Birden and his thank-you poster from members of the National Student Leadership summer program. Although the students were only on Emmanuel’s campus for a few weeks, they really appreciated all of Randy’s hard work in the dining room and his infectiously positive attitude. Adds Patrick: “He is an essential employee at the Marian Dining Hall and Atrium Café, and we are lucky to have him!”

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THANK YOU

... FOR 13 MONTHS OF VARIETY, FRESHNESS, AND CONVERSATION

BON APPÉTIT MVP

NERDING OUT ON THE NUMBERS WITH PENN CONTROLLER BOBBY VERMETTE Once he hung up his apron, Bobby’s rise through Bon Appétit’s administrative ranks was swift. He became the office manager at the corporate location, then controller/office manager at the much bigger Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), then regional accounting support for Bon Appétit’s other Boston-area accounts. Pretty soon he was traveling to openings in the region and beyond to assist in setting up accounting processes.

He had the help of several mentors. Elaine and District Manager Kelly McDonald pushed him to keep moving outside his comfort zone, while Marietta Lamarre (then general manager at MIT, now GM at Colby College), who shared the MIT office with him, helped him learn the office manager tasks and begin to understand what being a controller meant.

TAKING THE PLUNGE AT PENN

Controller Bobby Vermette in his office at Penn

BON APPÉTIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY is a food company, first and foremost, so it’s not surprising that chefs get most of the attention around here. But there’s a small army of nonculinary people who are just as important in making “food service for a sustainable future” possible. Bobby Vermette, Bon Appétit’s controller at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, is one of those key players.

“Bobby has learned how to tell the story behind the numbers,” says Stephen Scardina, Bon Appétit’s Resident District Manager at Penn. “He understands how every variable fits together, and he works with our teams and our client to help them understand the analytics behind a profit-and-loss report — what’s behind food cost, or what’s behind the indirect expenses. It’s a rare skill, and a really important one.”

FROM BAKING TO COOKING THE BOOKS (NOT!) Strangely enough, Bobby’s path to controller started in the kitchen — of his own bakery, no less. In his early 20s, in a small town in Massachusetts, he parlayed an internship at a catering company into running a catering bakery with a retail storefront. He loved it, but craving more work-life balance, he left and joined a local corporate account as a cook. A year later, in January 2002 when Bon Appétit Management Company took over food service there, he officially joined Bon Appétit.

Not long after, he told Regional Vice President Elaine Smart that he wanted to move into a more office role, that he had really liked doing his own books at the bakery, and she was supportive. Some were skeptical. “The office manager told me she was going to train the grill cook to do the books,” recalls Regional Controller Angela Howk. “I am very grateful that my response was something along the lines of ‘Um, OK — let’s see how that goes for a while!’”

And then came Penn, in 2009. Bobby and his partner were about to put their boat in Massachusetts’ Merrimack River when Elaine called to ask him to be the controller. “It was very intimidating — such a large account, so high profile. I said, ‘I don’t know if I can do this,’” recalls Bobby. But he went. “My feet hit the land in Philly, and I never did get back on that boat again.”

He may have been nervous, but at Penn, Bobby quickly grew into the controller he is today. He now oversees 16 profit centers, including not only the university’s residential and retail dining halls but also the two new Pret A Manger locations (see page 26), the Beefsteak joint venture with José Andrés, and the Tortas Fronteras joint venture with Rick Bayless.

“We’re all passionate about food and flavor and hospitality, but we do have financial obligations that we have to meet,” explains Bobby. “Penn has so many different locations, with different needs.” Having come from operations, he enjoys working with the chefs and managers to analyze which things are (or aren’t) working and why — and tweak them: “It’s one of the parts that I love most.”

He delves into check averages and transaction counts, tracking the most successful times of the day and days of the week and applying those offerings and labor mixes to other operations that may be struggling. He talks to the chefs about balancing their program offerings at the all-you-care-to-eat facilities. No variable is too small: “We look at to-go container sizes. We look at how we stock our grab-and-go coolers.”

Then he laughs. “Wow, I am sounding like such a nerd right now, but I will own that. I love every detail of this job!”

Submitted by Bonnie Powell, Director of Communications

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INDEX

Adobe 33 Art Institute of Chicago 43, 90-91 Best Buy 60 Birmingham-Southern College 40 Brown University 43 Capital Café 61 Carlson Companies 97 Case Western Reserve University 4, 14-15 Colby College 92 Colorado College 93 Crossroads Café 98 Denison University 95, 98 DePauw University 6, 42, 52-53 Eckerd College 10 Education First 66 Electronic Arts 61 Emmanuel College 59, 99 Emory University 10-11, 43 Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation 41 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 20-21 Furman University 86 Fuqua School of Business 77 Gallaudet University 62 Genentech 49, 81 George Fox University 71 Gordon College 54 Illumina 46-47 Institute of American Indian Arts 60 Kingswell Café 70 Knox College 88 Lesley University 79 Lewis & Clark College 34 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 16-17, 30 Medtronic 32, 81 Mills College 31 Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 37 Mount Angel Abbey 85 Musical Instrument Museum 63 Nordstrom 34

Oath 15 Oberlin College 4, 55 Oracle 6, 33, 35, 49, 69, 99 Otterbein University 98 Phillips 66 8-9 Pitzer College 44 Regis University 18 Reinsurance Group of America 29, 35, 99 Restaurant 917 19 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 96 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 9, 78 Saint Martin’s University 56-57 SAP 32 SAS 80 Savannah College of Art and Design 10 Seattle Art Museum 72 Stanford Graduate School of Business 97 STEM Kitchen & Garden 67 St. John’s College 94 St. Olaf College 5, 44 Target 79 The Garden at AT&T Park 36, 50-51 The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens 82-83 The Presidio 30-31 Trine University 80 University of Chicago 26-27, 57 University of Pennsylvania 26-27, 43, 100 University of Portland 12-13 University of Redlands 89 University of San Francisco 25 University of the Pacific 87 Vivint 77 Wabash College 58 Washington University in St. Louis 5, 43, 44, 45 Wheaton College 68-69 Williams-Sonoma 34 Willamette University 84 Yahoo 76, 78, 81

BRAVO WAS PRINTED ON PAPER MADE FROM 100% RECYCLED FIBER INCLUDING 75% POSTCONSUMER WASTE. THIS SAVED...

45 fully grown trees 20,386 gallons water 20 million BTUs energy 1,394 pounds solid waste 3,910 pounds greenhouse gases

2017 VOLUME 3 | FALL

BRAVO IS THE ALMOST QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF

BON APPÉTIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY | A MEMBER OF THE COMPASS GROUP

MIT ’S ROOF TOP FARM

100 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 400 Palo Alto, California 94301 650-798-8000 www.bamco.com

| PAGE 16

ALSO IN TH IS ISS UE

LEARN HOW FOOD CHOICES AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY, AND YOUR WELL-BEING AT

STOR IES F ROM TH E STOR MS | PAGE 08 E X P E RI E N C I N G A C U LT UR E TH ROUGH ITS F OOD | PAGE 2 2

www.eatlowcarbon.org

17-6962

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