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Bon Appétit Management Company will provide the meals for the new university
center. |
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| Posted 02.01.07 |
Wesleyan to Begin New Dining Contract
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Wesleyan is finalizing an agreement with a new dining services provider, Bon
Appétit Management Company, to begin a new dining contract as of July 1,
2007.
The new company will provide campus dining in the new Suzanne Lemberg Usdan
University Center, Summerfields, Pi Café, WEShop and campus catering.
“This was a difficult decision to make but also an exciting one,” says John
Meerts, vice president for Finance and Administration, and member of
Wesleyan’s Dining Review Committee.
Bon Appétit says it cooks food from scratch with seasonal ingredients. The
company aims to serve a wide variety of menu items at each meal, offering
authentic and nutritious foods, even for vegetarian, vegan, kosher and
international diners.
In addition, the new dining plan provides flexibility, including longer
service hours and variety in meal plan options; and promotes sustainability
and making socially responsible purchasing decisions in regards to produce,
meat, seafood, eggs, coffee and disposable plates and service wear.
Bon Appétit’s proposal for the new campus dining program will maintain the
current level of represented dining staff.
“Much of the success Bon Appétit can anticipate at Wesleyan will depend upon
the many staff members who have been a part of campus dining for years,”
Meerts says.
As the semester progresses, the Dining Review Committee will work with Bon
Appétit to provide more detailed information about the future of campus
dining.
Bon Appétit has agreed to have longer hours of operation to meet the varied
schedules of students, faculty and staff. Summerfields will be open for
lunch and dinner. Pi Café and WEShop will continue to operate hours similar
to their current schedules.
While WesWings, Red and Black Café, Chic Chaque and Star and Crescent
operate independently from the campus dining program, they will continue to
offer alternative options in the upcoming year.
According to Rick Culliton, dean of Campus Programs and director of the
university center, the second floor of the Usdan Center, known as The
Marketplace, will offer All-You-Care-to-Eat meals seven nights a week, plus
brunch on Sunday. During breakfast and lunch for the rest of the week, the
Usdan marketplace will be open for retail dining. The café on the first
floor of the Usdan Center will be open from 8 a.m. through late night seven
days a week.
In addition, the Daniel Family Common, located on the third floor of Usdan,
will serve as a faculty/staff dining room and be available for special
events when not in use for residential dining.
“We are very excited that the Usdan Center and our campus dining program
will bring together the Wesleyan community in so many new ways,” Culliton
says. “The convergence of these significant changes will transform campus
life for all of us.”
The Dining Review Committee met for six months with student focus groups.
They relied on Wesleyan Student Assembly’s Concept for dining narrative,
which helped frame their efforts. The review committee included Meerts;
Culliton; Annie Fox '07; Chris Goy '09; Deana Hutson, director of events for
University Relations; Estrella Lopez '07; Peter Patton, vice president and
secretary of the university; Nate Peters, associate vice president for
Finance; Joyce Topshe, associate vice president for facilities; and Michael
Whaley, dean of Student Services.
Aramark Campus Services will continue to serve the Wesleyan community
throughout the spring semester. The campus community is grateful to the
Aramark management team for all they have contributed to the campus over the
years.
“We are excited about the challenges that lie ahead and look forward to
working together to make Wesleyan’s dining program the very best it can be,”
Meerts says. “Our goal is to be recognized by the campus community and by
peer institutions as having a premier dining program.”
For more information on Bon Appétit, go to:
www.bamco.com |
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