UCLA Dining Services: FEAST at Rieber by UCLA HHS Marketing

Presented by

Community seating area at FEAST at Rieber. Photo Credit: Benny Chan

contents Concept & Development

Initial Goals

Primary Results & Benefits

Menu Development

Interior Redesign

Team Training

Location & Target Market

Timeline

Marketing & Branding

Culinary & Management Team

Financials & Key Statistics

An Innovative & Diverse Dining Experience

Concept & Development

“At UCLA, education takes place in many ways. The dining options we offer are one way to expand social and cultural awareness.” — PETER ANGELIS, ASSISTANT VICE CHANCELLOR, UCLA HOUSING & HOSPITALITY SERVICES

In Los Angeles, it’s possible for a visitor to take a culinary journey through all of Asia by simply visiting L.A.’s many vibrant ethnic communities. From fresh, handmade Japanese soba and udon noodles in Little Tokyo, to the sweet and smoky taste of Thai barbeque chicken in Thai Town, Los Angeles boasts a wonderful melting pot of cultures and cuisines. Situated in the middle of Los Angeles and all of its diversity, it is no surprise that the UCLA community also enjoys a wide range of different cultures and ethnicities. With UCLA’s high representation of Asian and Pacific Islander students (39% of the incoming freshman demographic in 2010/11), the Pan-Asian concept featured at FEAST at Rieber was designed to bring back memories of home-cooked meals, family gatherings, and special celebrations for many student residents. UCLA students, like much of the U.S. population as a whole, are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes, appreciating and seeking out new and bolder flavors in dining choices. This is one of the reasons for the popularity of Asian cuisines today, and FEAST’s PanAsian menu provides an easy way for UCLA students to experience new flavors and dishes. : :

Opposite Page: Self-serve soup and salad bar. Photo Credit: Benny Chan This Page: Stone Oven station at FEAST, serving oven-fired flatbreads. Photo Credit: Felicia Caldwell

Initial Project Goals The primary goal for FEAST at Rieber was to increase patron counts in its dining location, which is attached to the 850-bed Rieber Residence Hall. The previous dining hall formerly in FEAST’s current location was an aging facility that was experiencing declining patron counts and low guest satisfaction scores. The Rieber dining facility is also inconveniently located, positioned at the top of a hill and quite a distance from the core campus. This made it less desirable for students to make the trek up the hill during lunch time from central campus. Due to these factors, Rieber Dining had become underutilized and other dining facilities within the residential community were becoming overcrowded. It was decided that the new Rieber dining facility would need to be something quite special and unique, with an appealing concept in both menu and design to reinvigorate student interest and attract them to this new anchor restaurant. As a result, we developed three key objectives to drive our overall goal of increasing patron counts: menu development, interior redesign, and team training.

1. MENU DEVELOPMENT To meet the preferred tastes and desires of our student residents, authentic Asian recipes needed to be researched, developed, adapted, and tested for success in the new dining facility — success in pleasing guests' palates, as well as success in meeting reasonable food costs and service objectives. 2. INTERIOR REDESIGN To fully embrace the Pan-Asian concept and create a dining ambience that guests would respond to, a truly spectacular interior setting needed to emerge. Every detail, from lighting and finishes to seating options and serviceware, would need to be carefully selected and integrated. 3. TEAM TRAINING Extensive, focused training for the culinary staff, service staff, and operations team would be essential if we wanted to offer a quality, authentic Pan-Asian experience. The success at FEAST would not be possible with anything less than a rigorous and intensive training component. : :

Primary Results & Benefits Developing FEAST was a successful journey of creating a new type of residential student dining experience while continuing UCLA Dining Services' tradition of innovation and excellence. As a result of the opening of FEAST, the average patron counts for one meal at the Rieber dining facility dramatically increased by approximately 250%. At the former Rieber dining facility, there was an average of only 400 diners per meal period compared to the more than 1,300 patrons per meal now at FEAST. This impressive increase affirms that the new FEAST at Rieber successfully accomplished our primary goal of increasing patron counts. These positive results will be further enhanced as we expand the operating hours at FEAST. As of March 2012, the restaurant is open only for lunch and only accessible to students with meal plans. However, opening for dinner and allowing additional patrons into the

restaurant — including University staff, faculty, and guests — is planned for Spring Quarter 2012 and is expected to increase patron counts even more. The success and appeal of FEAST's Pan-Asian concept would not be possible without the accomplishment of our three initial project objectives of menu development, interior redesign, and team training. The diverse menu served at FEAST showcases the results of months of extensive research and development, student focus groups, and culinary training. Further, FEAST's bright and spacious interior, sleek serviceware, and variety of seating options reflect a restaurant-like feel and ambiance. Through these accomplishments, we rekindled students' interest in the Rieber dining facility and provided them with more than just a simple renovation and menu makeover. : :

Seating area at FEAST overlooking a walkway between Rieber and Sproul residential halls. Photo Credit: Benny Chan

A sample lunch at FEAST: sushi rolls, ramen noodle soup, flatbread, and a specialty drink. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Top: Housemade char siu, or Chinese BBQ pork, served with egg noodles. Bottom: Tuna sashimi bowl with shelled edamame beans. Right: A chilled basil seed and passion fruit jelly dessert. Photo Credits: Stephanie Snipes

Menu Development CREATING AN AUTHENTIC CULINARY EXPERIENCE To develop a menu that effectively represented the many diverse flavors of Asia, seven popular cuisines were chosen to be featured based on student feedback given at focus groups and tasting sessions. The menu at FEAST offers a rotating selection of over 1,000 recipes created by our Research & Development chefs and showcases cuisines from China, Hawaii, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Two cuisines are featured daily at lunch, served from six different stations within the restaurant. Two exhibition stations focus on authentic entrées and combination plates, while the Market and Grill stations serve up fusion and Asian-inspired creations. A self-service side dish bar offers a selection of fresh and traditional sides, such as Indian puffed rice or Korean kimchi. FEAST also offers a full salad and soup bar featuring authentic Asian selections and condiments. Finally, at our dessert station, our well-traveled Pastry Chef serves authentic

and Asian-influenced desserts, inspired from his travels abroad and also from local vendors around Los Angeles. Based on customer satisfaction surveys for FEAST which are gathered daily from computer kiosks at the restaurant and via an online Customer Feedback Form, it is evident that UCLA students approve of the Pan-Asian menu. Students rated the “Overall Taste of Dishes” a 4.2 on a satisfaction scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating “highly satisfied” and 1 indicating “highly dissatisfied.” Similarly, students also approve of FEAST’s diverse menu, rating the “Variety of Dishes” an average of 4.3. : :

Indian chicken and yogurt curry over basmati rice. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Grilled salmon topped with tobiko, or flying fish roe, and served over rice. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Menu Development CREATING AN AUTHENTIC CULINARY EXPERIENCE

Excerpt From FEAST's Winter 2012 Cycle Menu MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

VIETNAMESE CHINESE

CHINESE JAPANESE

HAWAIIAN JAPANESE

BRUIN BOWL Stir-fried Noodles with Chicken Stir-Fried Noodles with Baked Tofu

Buddha's Delight with Mung Bean Noodles

Pork Hawaiian Royale with Calrose Rice Pineapple Tofu Stir Fry with Calrose Rice

SPICE KITCHEN Spicy Shrimp Roll BBQ Pork Buns

Curry Udon Noodle Soup

Radish Cake

Seaweed Salad Bowl with Calrose Rice

Ginger Beef Flatbread

Green Onion & Beef Bao

Asparagus & Shiitake Mushroom Bao

Vegan Beef Katsu Bao

Vegetable Teriyaki Tofu Flatbread

Mekong Delta Fried Fish Sandwich

Pork Cutlet Sandwich

Hawaiian Chicken Katsu Sandwich

STONE OVEN Spicy Tuna Ahi Poke Flatbread

IRON GRILL

BBQ Chicken Bao

Shiitake Mushroom Burger with Salted Plum Aoli

Japa Dog

GREENS 'N MORE "Crackling" Rice & Chicken Soup

Kabocha Pumpkin Soup

Hazukai Cabbage & Pork Soup

Chinese Ginger Pear Cake

Chinese Almond Cookies

Japanese Chocolate Mochi

Shik Hye Rice Drink

Mango Lassi

Pandan Drink

SWEETS

BEVERAGES

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

INDIAN VIETNAMESE

THAI KOREAN

CHINESE JAPANESE

JAPANESE HAWAIIAN

Chicken Vindaloo Curry with Basmati Rice

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken

Cantonese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry

Chicken Yakisoba Noodles

Saag Paneer with Basmati Rice

Spicy Thai Basil Vegan Chicken

Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles

Yakitori Bean Curd Donburi

Pork & Shrimp Summer Roll

Seafood Pancake with Calrose Rice

Crispy Calamari Salad

Loco Moco Sandwich

Vegetable Summer Roll

Chive Pancake with Calrose Rice

Savory Egg Custard with Calrose Rice

Vegan Loco Moco Sandwich

Chicken Tikka Masala Flatbread

Green Onion & Beef Bao

Spicy Tuna Ahi Poke Flatbread

Chicken Katsu Curry Flatbread

Bhindi Okra Curry Bao

Miso Shrimp Flatbread

Vegetable Teriyaki Tofu Flatbread

Sautéed Vegetable Flatbread

Tandoori Lamb Burger

Fish Sausage on a Stick

Yakisoba Noodle Sandwich

Pork Okonomiyaki Sandwich

Cassava Fries

Thai Sweet Potato Fries

Black Pepper Steak Bao

Tilapia & Mustard Greens Soup

Ground Pork & Egg Soup

BBQ Pork & Noodle Soup

Japanese Clam Soup

Basil Seeds with Passion Fruit Jelly

Thai Pandan Chiffon Cake

Korean Orange Castella Cake

Japanese Sweet Red Bean Soup

Calpico Yogurt Drink

Mock Piña Colada

Hibiscus Iced Tea

Thai Passion Fruit Drink

Vegetable Tempura

Menu Development CREATING AN AUTHENTIC CULINARY EXPERIENCE

Chicken tikka flatbread

Sweet azuki red bean mousse

Chrysanthemum flower tea

Black pepper steak bao

Chickpea curry over basmati rice

Dumpling soup with rice cakes and shredded egg omelette

Japanese curry and chocolate mousse

Vietnamese caramel flan

Coconut-crusted tofu with macaroni potato salad Photo Credits: Stephanie Snipes

Interior Redesign CRAFTING A MODERN, PAN-ASIAN RESTAURANT The main goal of FEAST’s redesign was to increase patron counts. Within UCLA’s large and hilly student residential area, FEAST is located on a steep incline, away from most other residence halls. It was especially important to create a unique, high-quality restaurant dining experience that would encourage diners to visit from around the residential community and revitalize the patron counts at the FEAST location. To smoothly integrate its interior design with its Pan-Asian cuisine, FEAST features an Asian-inspired ambience that highlights the restaurant’s bright and contemporary dining experience. Design elements embrace warm, earthy tones, textured stone, natural woods, and bamboo accents, with ample natural lighting shining through floor-to-ceiling windows. Delicate, vibrantlycolored orchids placed throughout the restaurant and a Japanese Red Maple tree add to the freshness of the atmosphere at FEAST. Separate serving areas for vegan/vegetarian and meat entrées were integrated into the design to accommodate students’ preferences and dietary requirements, and to encourage a more streamlined flow of service in the restaurant. An 18-person community table, comfortable booths that seat up to six, and counter-style seats for solo diners were also incorporated into the interior to accommodate the various dining habits and preferences of students.

The carefully chosen materials and design elements of FEAST support eco-friendly and sustainable commitments to the environment. These elements include a wide usage of bamboo — a rapidly renewable resource, as well as floor tiles made from epoxy terrazzo — a long-lasting, recycled material. Naturally bacteriostatic and recyclable quartz was used for the tabletops and counters. The carpet is sustainable and made within a 500-mile radius of UCLA in an effort to reduce the environmental impact of cross-country transportation. Finally, FEAST also utilizes a special low-energy, programmable lighting system that is variable to adapt to the time of day and ambience desired, and can also be manually controlled via a handheld tablet. FEAST was submitted for a LEED Silver Certification in Spring 2012. Overall, FEAST’s interior redesign has been highly successful with UCLA students. For restaurant cleanliness, ambiance, and décor, scores were exceptionally high with an approval rating of 4.9. Additionally, patrons were “highly satisfied” with the digital menu screens displayed on LCD screens at each station, rating the menus at 4.6 on a 1 to 5 scale. : :

FEAST offers diners a state-of-the-art audio-visual setup which features an extensive digital menu system to ensure the best overall customer experience. The menus, which are displayed at each serving station on flat panel LCD screens, are programmed to directly pull key nutritional information from an integrated database. This configuration allows our registered dietitian and nutritionist to provide students with timely and accurate nutritional information during each meal. The digital menus display a short description about each dish being served and also identify potential food allergens as well. In the kitchens, FEAST showcases the latest in culinary technology. Features include a stone oven for baking flatbreads, high-quality rice cookers, a commercial rice washer, and beverage bubbler machines for concocting specialty beverages. A six-foot char broiler, induction cookers, and germ-eliminating UV-lit hoods at every station complete the kitchen setup.

Opposite Page, Top: FEAST seating area near the Spice Kitchen station. Photo Credit: Benny Chan Opposite Page, Bottom: Main FEAST at Rieber seating area near the front entrance and Sweets station. Photo Credit: Benny Chan

The FEAST team on a walking tour in Little Tokyo. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Team Training MASTERING AUTHENTIC CULINARY TECHNIQUES & INGREDIENTS “Asian cuisine” in America is often thought of as an assortment of basic meat and vegetable stir-frys and boiled or pan-fried noodles, sometimes cooked in a wok for a hint of authenticity. At FEAST, however, authenticity is a necessary and vital component of the menu, as students indicated at focus groups and tastings that they preferred the flavors of family home-cooking over Asian Fusion cuisine. Thus, in addition to creating an authentic and diverse menu, the FEAST culinary team also needed to be trained properly to learn how to cook each of the featured cuisines correctly. With an extensive six-week summer training period and an innovative and interactive teaching plan, the culinary team at FEAST mastered the art of authentic Pan-Asian cooking, including the understanding of the different cooking techniques from each cuisine. The team learned how to cook with vegetables normally not used in a typical dining hall — such as cassava, taro, or galangal. They also mastered using the contents of the “Spice Cage,” a large rack in the storeroom containing a cornucopia of Indian spices, Chinese herbs, and a variety of curry and pepper powders.

During the summer training period, the team attended a mandatory week-long session which featured cultural lectures by sous chef Joachim Weritz, who has traveled extensively throughout East and Southeast Asia during his culinary career. During this training, Chef Weritz shared his vast collection of travel photographs and spoke at length on his experiences at the boat markets in Vietnam, eating a traditional kaiseki dinner at one of Japan’s oldest establishments, and venturing deep into the rustic countryside in China. Executive Chef Mark Kim also contributed to the daily lectures by introducing and lecturing on traditional and commonly-used spices, vegetables, and ingredients. In addition to the lectures, the culinary team also participated in walking tours of three prominent ethnic communities in Los Angeles — Thai Town, Little Tokyo, and the San Gabriel Valley where many Asian and AsianAmericans reside. The guided tours covered historical, cultural, and culinary highlights from each of the three communities. Many team members had never been to these communities before, and the tours proved to be a great introduction to these new cuisines and cultures.

Warm, formal greetings are an essential part of many Asian cultures, and the entire culinary and service team learned how to greet diners in the languages of the seven different countries featured at FEAST. Using flashcards and Youtube video clips filmed of other team members and UCLA students fluent in the languages, the team soon learned how to say “Welcome,” “Thank You,” and “Come Again” in Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Vietnamese, and Hawaiian. : :

Top: Executive Chef Mark Kim teaches a wok technique to a team member. Photo Credit: Felicia Caldwell Bottom Left: FEAST team members serve lunch during a summer culinary training session. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes Bottom Right: Executive Commissary Chef Marco Rios evaluates plating with FEAST team members. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Location & Target Market

FEAST at Rieber is an “anchor” restaurant attached to Rieber Residence Hall in the UCLA’s student residential community. It is part of the residential dining program managed by UCLA Dining Services which offers four anchor restaurants and four quick-service boutique restaurants. FEAST’s primary customers are UCLA student residents who live in on-campus housing and have meal plans as part of their room and board package. While the restaurant plans to open up to UCLA faculty, staff, and visitors in the near future, it currently only serves student residents. FEAST currently serves only lunch, but plans to open for dinner in Spring Quarter 2012. : :

Top: Entrance to FEAST at Rieber. Photo Credit: Sephanie Snipes Bottom: Booth and table seating at FEAST. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Concept Timeline The Initial Idea The original concept of exclusively featuring Asian cuisine at a residential anchor restaurant was first conceptualized by UCLA Housing & Hospitality Services Assistant Vice Chancellor, Peter Angelis. The idea was part of a discussion in 2008 on how to mitigate the problem of the underperforming and unpopular Rieber dining hall that was operating at a loss every month. Through feedback obtained under the leadership of Daryl Ansel, Director of Food & Beverage for UCLA Dining Services, the menu concept evolved from Asian Fusion to authentic Pan-Asian. Focus Group Input Validated the Concept In 2010, UCLA Dining Services and the Marketing & Communications team created a “Test Kitchen” campaign to gain students’ feedback on the dishes and tastes they preferred. In addition to holding student focus group meetings throughout the year, Ansel also organized additional focus group activities with student leaders from the Office of Residential Life (ORL), key Housing & Hospitality Services administrators, and Faculty-In-Residence (FIR) program participants.

Timeline of Events

2008

• Rieber dining facility redesign and concept development begins

2010

• Pan-Asian theme conceptualized • Renovation construction begins • “Test Kitchen” and “Lucky 8” campaign and focus groups organized for students, faculty, and staff

2011

• Renovation completed in September 2011 • Grand opening in October 2011

Transition from Concept to Reality With ample feedback gathered, Ansel and the FEAST management team identified students’ taste and recipe preferences. The feedback showed that students preferred authentic, traditional Pan-Asian cuisine over Asian Fusion. Based on this preference for Pan-Asian cuisine, Ansel began recruiting professional chefs experienced in cooking a variety of authentic Asian cuisines. These chefs began work on researching and developing the menu concept in early 2010. Renovation construction for the dining facility space adjacent to Rieber residential hall began in 2009 and was completed in September 2011. In October 2011, FEAST at Rieber had a “soft” opening and celebrated its grand opening the following month. As of March 2012, the restaurant has been open for five months and offers service during the lunch meal period. FEAST plans to open for dinner in Spring Quarter 2012. : :

Audio-visual setup plans for FEAST. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Marketing & Branding FEAST at Rieber is UCLA Dining's first anchor residential restaurant that has its own theme. As a result, a special marketing and branding effort was required for the restaurant's graphic and web design, feedback and marketing campaign, and publicity. “Lucky 8” Teaser Campaign A subtle, low-key “teaser” marketing approach was used for the campaign as the Pan-Asian concept was already on target with our student resident audience. Rather than create flashy, immediate, and short-lived interest in the concept, we wanted to cultivate a long-term campaign that would build interest and anticipation in the facility. As a result, the Marketing & Communications team in conjunction with UCLA Dining Services, developed a pre-opening marketing campaign months before FEAST’s launch in order to identify students’ taste preferences and promote the arrival of a unique, Asianthemed dining facility. The campaign, titled “Lucky 8,” ran for a sevenmonth period in two dining locations and featured the FEAST R&D chefs’ recipes created in test kitchens. Students were encouraged to order the “Test Kitchen” entrées and provide immediate tasting feedback using a computer kiosk set up in the restaurant. To incentivize the promotion, students who completed the survey were entered in a daily drawing (eight winners per day) to win $8.88 to use on their UCLA student ID/debit cards. The $8.88 amount was specifically chosen due to the number 8 being considered “lucky” in many Asian cultures. Nearly 6,000 students completed the feedback forms for the test recipes, giving the R&D chefs the input they needed to fine-tune the menu for FEAST. Overall Restaurant Branding To showcase the restaurant’s fresh, Pan-Asian culinary fare and contemporary environment, the Marketing & Communications team for UCLA Housing & Hospitality Services created an integrated branding campaign. The campaign included the development of a modern, Asian-inspired logo in the strong color scheme of black and orange. The logo and color scheme were used in all materials associated with FEAST, including signage, table tents, and other marketing, communication, and promotional materials. Banners & T-Shirts FEAST cuisine banners were designed and placed on lamp posts along the exterior walkway leading up the

restaurant’s entrance. The banners included a selection of beautiful food photography featuring the various cuisines at FEAST and a short paragraph explaining more about the countries and their cultures. The cuisine banners supported the cultural and educational component of FEAST as they helped teach students about the diferent Asian cuisines featured at the restaurant. A special t-shirt was also created to celebrate FEAST’s opening and was featured as the “prize” in a weekly raffle held for students who completed a feedback survey. With the tagline “DON’T JUST EAT... FEAST!” printed on the front of the t-shirt, they proved to be an eye-catching, walking bit of free advertising as students wore them around campus. Web Branding & Social Media A website for FEAST, developed by the Marketing & Communications Department, also helped increase the buzz about FEAST on campus. The website showcased full-screen, high-quality photography of the dishes that diners could expect to enjoy and presented key information about the restaurant’s redesign and its culinary team. The website proved to be a viral marketing success amongst the students, reaching over 1,690 visitors during its very first week of launching in late October 2011, with the majority of its traffic arriving from Facebook. Between its launch date and March 2012, FEAST’s website has been viewed in 61 countries around the world and boasts over 5,450 visitors overall. Domestically, FEAST’s website visitors have also arrived from at least 122 schools and universities around the nation. Soft Opening Event When FEAST was ready for its soft opening, the Marketing Department developed exclusive invitations for targeted student and staff groups. The exclusivity of the soft opening, which was accessible by invitation only, helped generate even more buzz and anticipation for FEAST’s grand opening. Students who were able to attend the soft opening events used social media networks — such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Yelp — to tell their friends about the restaurant and “boast” about their special sneak preview meals. While social media was not part of the initial marketing plan, FEAST found itself at the center of many social media outlets due to the popularity and uniqueness of the restaurant. Two days after FEAST’s website launched, a Yelp page was created by UCLA students,

FEAST at Rieber cuisine banners designed by UCLA H&HS Marketing & Communications. Photo Credit: Felicia Caldwell

including uploaded photos and extensive reviews. FEAST now averages a 4.5 star review on Yelp. It also has its own fan page on Facebook, created by UCLA students, and cell phone pictures of meals often find their way onto students’ Tumblr blogs or Twitter feeds. Traditional Media FEAST was featured in the Los Angeles Times on November 7, 2011 in an article titled, “At UCLA, Asian-style diversity on the menu.” The article, written by reporter Larry Gordon, highlighted FEAST’s “innovative, ethnic fare that’s more healthful” and helped garner outside interest in the restaurant. Two articles about FEAST were also written in UCLA’s campus magazine for staff and faculty, UCLA Today, and focused on the depth of the FEAST team’s training and the diversity of the restaurant and its fare. There were also several feature stories in the Daily Bruin student newspaper during the period leading up to the opening of FEAST and once the doors opened for business. : :

On the Web Los Angeles Times “At UCLA, Asian-style diversity on the menu” http://goo.gl/YW4Tu UCLA Today “UCLA's innovative FEAST at Rieber" http://goo.gl/GQmqK UCLA Daily Bruin “First Feast” http://goo.gl/yizxy FEAST at Rieber Website: http://www.feastatrieber.org

Marketing & Branding “Lucky 8” Campaign TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!

PAN ASIAN “TEST” DISH LUNCH SCHEDULE AT HEDRICK – MARCH 2011

Taste-test Pan Asian recipes for the new Rieber Restaurant!

TEST DATES

DISH #1

Monday, February 28

Vietnamese Steak Salad

Vietnamese Grilled Tofu Salad

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at the Euro Kitchen

Tuesday, March 1

Beef Teriyaki

Vegan Beef Teriyaki

Wednesday, March 2

Hawaiian Fried Chicken

Hawaiian Fried Seitan

Thursday, March 3

Stir-Fried Shrimp & Asparagus

Stir-Fried Vegetables

Friday, March 4

Indian Butter Chicken

Indian Black Chick Pea Curry

Tuesdays & Thursdays at the Exhibition Station » LUNCH ONLY «

WIN “LUCKY $8” ON YOUR BRUINCARD Try a daily “test” dish Complete a survey & be entered to win $8 Eight lucky winners each day!

DISH #2

Monday, March 7

Thai Crispy Pork

Thai Fried Vegetables

Tuesday, March 8

Chicken Biryani

Vegetable Biryani

Wednesday, March 9

Korean Beef Short Rib Soup

Galbitang

Tofu in Dashi Broth with Sweet Potato Noodles

Thursday, March 10

Shrimp Chow Fun

Vegetable Chow Fun

Friday, March 11

Japanese Chicken Teriyaki

Japanese Tofu Teriyaki

Monday, March 14

Indian Lamb Chilli Fry

Indian Toor Dal

Tuesday, March 15

Vietnamese Chicken

Vietnamese Vegan Chicken

Wednesday, March 16

Thai Chu Chee Curry Salmon

Vegetarian Thai Red Curry with Tofu & Jasmine Rice

Thursday, March 17

Szechuan Chicken Chow Fun

Vegetable Chow Fun

Friday, March 18

Hawaiian Spam Fried Rice

Tofu & Vegetable Fried Rice

Dining Services

FEAST at Rieber Table Tents

03/11

FEAST at Rieber T-Shirts

FEAST at Rieber Website

www.feastatrieber.org 21

Marketing & Branding Outdoor Cuisine Banners

Three banners shown out of a total of eight. 22

Digital Menu Screens

Two screens shown out of a total of eight. 23

FEAST at Rieber Executive Chef, Mark Kim, and UCLA Dining Services Executive Chef, Roger Pigozzi. Photo Credit: Stephanie Snipes

Roger Pigozzi UCLA Dining Services Executive Chef

Alex Macias UCLA Dining Services Assistant Director

Mino Bhathena FEAST at Rieber General Manager

Culinary & Management Team KEY PLAYERS: TURNING THE CONCEPT INTO REALITY

A tight-knit operations team was formed by UCLA Dining Services Food & Beverage Director, Daryl Ansel, and consists of Alex Macias, UCLA Dining Services Assistant Director; Mino Bhathena, FEAST General Manager; Roger Pigozzi, UCLA Dining Services Executive Chef; Oliver Del Rosario, Food Service Manager; Tony Phan, Food Service Manager; and Kunal Sinha, Food Service Manager.

The recipe research and development (R&D) team plays a vital role at FEAST as the quality and authenticity of the recipes is as important as the quantity of recipes created. The R&D team consists of Executive Chef Pigozzi, Executive Chef Kim, Sous Chef Weritz, as well as chefs Jorge Noriega and Norberto Llamas. : :

The Executive Chef at FEAST is Mark Kim, an alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu and the prestigious kitchens of the French Laundry and Chez Panisse. Kim has also served as Executive Sous Chef, Executive Pastry Chef, and Executive Chef for prominent establishments in Los Angeles, such as Tanzore Restaurant, Bleu Sage, Gingergrass, and Bottlerock. Chef Kim is supported by Sous Chef, Joachim Weritz, who also holds a wealth of culinary experience domestically and overseas. Weritz has worked as an Executive Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine for a number of fine-dining restaurants, including Il Grano, Patina, Menemsha, and Moonshadows. Executive Pastry Chef, Anthony Nigro, serves as the culinary mind behind the traditional and Asian-inspired desserts served at FEAST. Nigro uses his extensive travel experience throughout Asia to bring UCLA students a sweet taste from each of the featured countries, and he often works in collaboration with local Los Angeles specialty vendors, such as a traditional mochi shop in Little Tokyo.

Mikel Mark Kim FEAST at Rieber Executive Chef

Joachim Weritz FEAST at Rieber Sous Chef

Anthony Nigro FEAST at Rieber Executive Pastry Chef

Financials & Key Statistics As part of the residential housing and dining service (room and board) package offered at UCLA for student residents, FEAST at Rieber does not operate like a typical retail restaurant in which increasing profits are the primary goal. The goal for FEAST was to increase patron counts at the Rieber Dining facility. Thus, FEAST at Rieber’s renovation was not motivated by a mission to improve financial results and make profit. FEAST’s unique and innovative concept was created in an effort to turn an aging and unpopular facility into something refreshing and appealing that the students would embrace again. The Budget & Payback Due to FEAST’s hilltop location, it was crucial to create a “destination” restaurant for students to make the trek up to FEAST. Part of the strategy to accomplish this included ensuring a high-end, contemporary “restaurant” look, which required a capital budget of $5.2 million. An ROI target was not used — instead, design criteria determine the overall budget. Cost factors were mitigated by the current construction environment due to the lower costs and higher supply of available contractors as a result of the 2008 recession. When adjusted for inflation, the budget of approximately $280 per square foot was in line with previous completed dining facility renovations.

year. With an invested capital of $5.2 million, FEAST will require only 4.86 years for payback. Student Feedback Results Student response to FEAST has been exceedingly positive, as measured by voluntary customer feedback surveys with a total sample of 3,541 responses and using a scale of 1-5, with 5 indicating "very satisfied" and 1 indicating "very dissatisfied." : :

Customer Feedback Results FEEDBACK TOPIC

AVERAGE SCORE

Presentation of Dishes

4.7

Variety of Dishes

4.3

Overall Taste of Dishes

4.2

Courtesy of Host/Hostess

4.8

Courtesy of Restaurant Staff

4.7

To support the concept of a higher-end design and menu, operating costs were expected to be higher. Standards were increased for chinaware, silverware, supplies, ingredients, as well as labor since a higher-end concept would require greater culinary and service talent.

Time Spent Waiting in Line for Food

4.1

Restaurant Cleanliness

4.9

Ambiance & Decor

4.9

Food, Labor & Operating Costs While raw food, labor, and operating costs were higher for FEAST in comparison to the former Rieber dining facility, the combination of increased room and board package rates and vastly improved patron counts led to overall improvements in variable operating profit. Over a sample month (28 days) for one meal period, FEAST’s total operating expenses were $406,250 as compared to $142,752 for the former Rieber dining facility. However, with a patron gain of approximately 250%, FEAST’s variable operating profit was $88,764 while the former facility operated at a loss of $453 a month. On average, FEAST has produced $89,217 in variable operating profit per month. Over a 12-month period, we expect it will produce approximately $1,070,598 for the

Digital Menus

4.6

Selection of Music

4.0

Overall Satisfaction with Dining Experience

4.5

N = 3,541 FEEDBACK SURVEY USED A SCALE OF 1-5, WITH 5 INDICATING “VERY SATISFIED” AND 1 INDICATING “VERY DISSATISFIED”

Financial Comparison Between FEAST at Rieber and Former Rieber Dining

FEAST AT RIEBER MONTHLY, PRO-FORMA 1 MEAL

FORMER RIEBER DINING MONTHLY, 2009/10 1 MEAL

$ 495,013 38,162 28 1363 $ 12.97

$ 142,299 11,881 28 424 $ 11.98

$ 126,017 $ 3.30

$ 34,759 $ 2.93

$ 138,889 $ 92,662 $ 231,510 $ 6.07

$ 68,317 $ 31,535 $ 99,852 $ 8.40

$ 48,722

$ 8,141

$ 406,250 $ 10.65

$ 142,752 $ 12.02

$ 88,764 $ 2.33

$ (453) $ (0.04)

TOTAL REVENUE

Total Revenue Patrons — Total Month Days for the Month Average Patrons per Day Average Revenue per Patron COSTS

Net Raw Food Average Cost per Patron DINING SERVICES — LABOR

Salaries & Wages Benefits Total Labor Average Cost per Patron DINING SERVICES — OTHER DIRECT COSTS

Supplies & Expenses TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

Total Operating Expenses Average Cost per Patron VARIABLE OPERATING PROFIT (VOP)

Total VOP Average VOP per Patron IMPROVEMENT IN VOP (AVERAGE MONTH)

Average Month Extended for 12 Months

$ 89,217 $ 1,070,598

INVESTMENT & PAYBACK

Capital Invested for Renovation Payback (Years)

$ 5,200,000 4.86

An Innovative & Diverse Dining Experience When a dining facility begins to operate at a loss and diners are only trickling in to visit, there are many options a management team can consider. One option could be to work with what is available and existing, such as attempting to revamp a menu or choose new decorations. Or, pushing the bar even higher, another option could be to redo the facility and choose a safe, classic theme that would at least provide a small guarantee of a steady customer flow. But what about trying something completely different? A refreshing concept that hasn’t yet been tackled at any university in the nation. A forward-thinking concept that can reflect and teach a community about itself. An ambitious concept that embraces the challenge of bringing its diners a new palette of flavors, textures, colors, and aromas. Here at UCLA, our Pan-Asian residential restaurant, FEAST at Rieber, accomplishes all of these ideals and more. When you dine at FEAST at Rieber, your meal is interactive and engages all of your senses. From the diverse menu concept of over 1,000 recipes specially developed by our R&D chefs to the selection of cultural programming on the flat panel televisions around the restaurant, FEAST is a cohesive learning and dining experience. For students at a world-renown research university in the middle of a hugely diverse city, FEAST is another opportunity for students to learn about the different cultures around them in a comfortable and delicious way.

By taking advantage of Los Angeles’ diverse ethnic community, we were able to source many local ingredients which allowed us to create an authentic, “homecooking” experience for our students residents. An intensive and innovative training program, which included culinary tours throughout Los Angeles and lectures by our chefs, taught our team the necessary cooking skills and cultural knowledge needed to enhance the overall dining experience at FEAST. Our higher objective for FEAST was to provide students with a way to celebrate diversity at UCLA through the most universal cultural experience — the sharing of food. Through delicious, authentically-prepared food and a welcoming environment, we plan to continue educating our students in the rich history of Asia at FEAST. FEAST is more than just a university dining facility with an Asian concept. FEAST is an Asian concept that integrates all elements — menu, décor, staff, and service — and makes for a truly outstanding and successful dining experience. : :

Financially, FEAST shows that it is feasible and even profitable and cost effective to undertake an entirely new concept with an end result of great success and customer satisfaction. When the previous dining facility in FEAST’s current location began losing revenue and customers, a new and refreshing concept was required to bring back and win over diners. Through its impressive customer satisfaction ratings, a patron count increase of 250%, and high monthly average variable operating profit of $89,217, FEAST demonstrates that its unique Pan-Asian concept is a winning path for revitalizing an old business. What makes FEAST stand apart from other dining facilities across the nation is the effort and commitment in providing students with an authentic and diverse Pan-Asian experience. Some facilities may offer a wok station or the occasional special entrée to highlight their Asian cuisine efforts, but FEAST’s Pan-Asian concept is of a different caliber and scope.

Opposite Page: Counter-style seating across from the Stone Oven station at FEAST at Rieber. Photo Credit: Benny Chan