Those leading Penn Dining's new management company hope that after experiencing the new dining service, students will be saying "Bon Appetit."
The new dining management company, Bon Appetit, plans to bring environmentally conscious food service to the dining halls and be more receptive to student opinions.
The switch to Bon Appetit Management Company came in July after seven years with Philadelphia-based food service company Aramark.
The company had operated at Penn in the past, from 1999 to 2002.
"Bon Appetit was a smaller company then, and at the time Penn was looking to expand its relationship with Aramark," Penn's Business Services Vice President Marie Witt explained. "Again our needs have changed, and Bon Appetit is a very different company than it was."
The company currently operates with a budget of over $600 million and strives for high-quality food programs focused on customers and sustainability, according to general manager of Penn Dining Services Paul Bulau. Specifically, the company is focused on a "low-carbon diet" - one that would minimize its carbon footprint to help reduce climate change.
To get students involved in this effort, Bon Appetit will host an "Eat Local Challenge" on Sept. 29. As part of this challenge, the company will include only products grown and procured within a 150-mile radius of Penn for their cafe products to highlight its relationship with the local farming community and artisans.
In addition, on Earth Day - April 22 - Bon Appetit will hold its third annual "Low Carbon Diet Day," emphasizing lower carbon choice offerings, such as cheese-free pizza.
In addition to its environmentally conscious efforts, Bon Appetit has made it a distinct goal to work with students in every way possible. Students with dietary restrictions can talk with the management and chef team to learn which food items are available to them.
Along these lines, the dining halls will highlight vegan and vegetarian choices at each station. Specifically, dining halls will include special coolers with gluten-free choices, as well as sauté platforms offering vegetarian and vegan options.
"In the past, a vegetarian option could be mashed potatoes, but it might have been made with chicken broth," said Bulau. "With Bon Appetit, we are very careful to make sure everyone knows what our food items are made with."
He and Business Services spokeswoman Barbara Lea-Kruger both noted that the most noticeable change will be the opportunity for students to voice their opinions on menu choices. Bon Appetit plans to have focus groups, feedback comment boards in the dining halls and managers for direct feedback on dining floors.
"It still feels like the commons but with a new twist," College junior Alex Ryu described, after eating at 1920 Commons earlier this week.
