Participants in dining hall forum call for better variety, more organic choices
Magen to host monthly meetings
by Robin Caskey | Llama Ledger Staff
Issue date: 9/17/08 Section: News
"I guess things are really great, because nobody has anything to tell me," Max Magen, of Sodexo Campus Services, said on Friday in the Dining Hall.
He was supposed to be hosting a Dining Hall Forum in the new "Dining Room," also known as the overflow dining room.
Theoretically, the forum, which will be hosted every month, is replacing the student-formed dining hall committee, active throughout last year.
"I try to be accessible around campus," Magen says, "but there are a lot of students that don't take advantage of that accessibility."
It's been almost a year since Magen has taken his post overseeing the Dining Hall and the Snack Bar in the Livingston Hall Student Union.
"I feel that since I've come aboard, we've been able to get more consistency, more variety, better quality," Magen says. But monitoring these issues is a constant battle, and a reality of serving meals "steam table style," to a dining hall that seats 192 at a time.
"The two main comments I hear are healthier options and more variety," Magen says, although he is quick to comment that both are being addressed.
"We work on a four week meal plan cycle," he says, and he actively tries to find regional produce. "I'm limited in what I'm allowed to buy for the college because of food insurance issues," but "the peaches, apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, plums and pears that have been out come from within a sixty mile radius."
The few students that attended the forum offered comments that mostly matched the calls for variety and more organic choices. "I'd like to see healthier stuff, but not necessarily new products," sophomore Chanese Forte said.
"Grain breads, more fruit, boiling or steaming instead of frying." Forte also pressed for more spinach in the salad bar and urged Magen to acquire a panini press.
Freshman Colby Horn suggested expanding the pizza menu to include weekly dinners, and senior Nikki Tennermann seconded the request for an equalization of the menu.
"I really don't think the dining hall is too bad, I think it's really improved since I've been here," Tennermann said. "I'd really like to see the good choices spread out, other than come to one meal and stuff myself. I'd rather see one delicious item, one good item at every meal."
"We come up with three or four different entrees at every meal, I want to simplify that. Shift the focus to making fewer items but making them better," Magen said.
This concept ties into Magen's fondness of weekly specials, including make-your-own pizza night and stir-fry night.
Students too, are looking for special dishes. "What about recipes from home," Forte asked. "You could say this is Chanese's mom's special sweet potato pie."
Magen responded enthusiastically. "That's a great idea," he said, "and I'll tie it into parents' weekend."
Some comments had nothing to do with food at all, but rather with the dining hall's conduct and management. "I'd like to see more information of where the food comes from," freshman Emma Ehrlich said.
Meanwhile, freshman Kevin Faries had a greater request. "I was thinking there could be something or someone at the salad bar to prevent animalism, to prevent tongs and spoons of falling into the containers."
One request Magen will never honor is to make friend chicken quesadillas, a best seller in the Snack Bar, available in the Dining Hall. Instead, Magen has given the Snack Bar more attention and has started "to play with specials and healthy options."
The Snack Bar, and the new afternoon Coffee Bar, which will be opened soon, were designed to round out food options on campus and offer a convenient, social spot for a snack when the Dining Hall is closed.
Meal replacement however, is not currently in the works. "There aren't any immediate plans, but meal replacement is a theory," Magen says.
Contact the author: rcaskey@llamaledger.com
He was supposed to be hosting a Dining Hall Forum in the new "Dining Room," also known as the overflow dining room.
Theoretically, the forum, which will be hosted every month, is replacing the student-formed dining hall committee, active throughout last year.
"I try to be accessible around campus," Magen says, "but there are a lot of students that don't take advantage of that accessibility."
It's been almost a year since Magen has taken his post overseeing the Dining Hall and the Snack Bar in the Livingston Hall Student Union.
"I feel that since I've come aboard, we've been able to get more consistency, more variety, better quality," Magen says. But monitoring these issues is a constant battle, and a reality of serving meals "steam table style," to a dining hall that seats 192 at a time.
"The two main comments I hear are healthier options and more variety," Magen says, although he is quick to comment that both are being addressed.
"We work on a four week meal plan cycle," he says, and he actively tries to find regional produce. "I'm limited in what I'm allowed to buy for the college because of food insurance issues," but "the peaches, apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, plums and pears that have been out come from within a sixty mile radius."
The few students that attended the forum offered comments that mostly matched the calls for variety and more organic choices. "I'd like to see healthier stuff, but not necessarily new products," sophomore Chanese Forte said.
"Grain breads, more fruit, boiling or steaming instead of frying." Forte also pressed for more spinach in the salad bar and urged Magen to acquire a panini press.
Freshman Colby Horn suggested expanding the pizza menu to include weekly dinners, and senior Nikki Tennermann seconded the request for an equalization of the menu.
"I really don't think the dining hall is too bad, I think it's really improved since I've been here," Tennermann said. "I'd really like to see the good choices spread out, other than come to one meal and stuff myself. I'd rather see one delicious item, one good item at every meal."
"We come up with three or four different entrees at every meal, I want to simplify that. Shift the focus to making fewer items but making them better," Magen said.
This concept ties into Magen's fondness of weekly specials, including make-your-own pizza night and stir-fry night.
Students too, are looking for special dishes. "What about recipes from home," Forte asked. "You could say this is Chanese's mom's special sweet potato pie."
Magen responded enthusiastically. "That's a great idea," he said, "and I'll tie it into parents' weekend."
Some comments had nothing to do with food at all, but rather with the dining hall's conduct and management. "I'd like to see more information of where the food comes from," freshman Emma Ehrlich said.
Meanwhile, freshman Kevin Faries had a greater request. "I was thinking there could be something or someone at the salad bar to prevent animalism, to prevent tongs and spoons of falling into the containers."
One request Magen will never honor is to make friend chicken quesadillas, a best seller in the Snack Bar, available in the Dining Hall. Instead, Magen has given the Snack Bar more attention and has started "to play with specials and healthy options."
The Snack Bar, and the new afternoon Coffee Bar, which will be opened soon, were designed to round out food options on campus and offer a convenient, social spot for a snack when the Dining Hall is closed.
Meal replacement however, is not currently in the works. "There aren't any immediate plans, but meal replacement is a theory," Magen says.
Contact the author: rcaskey@llamaledger.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Olivia S.
posted 9/17/08 @ 10:58 AM EST
I really think that the problem with the dining hall is not so much lack of variety but lack of taste and nutrition. When I go to the dining hall, I fill my plate with food, hoping some of the taste has survived, but I always end up throwing away half of my plate, unsatisfied. (Continued…)
Anon
posted 9/17/08 @ 12:33 PM EST
What about addressing the management issues that lead to a nearly constant turnover in dining hall staff and the loss of good employees, such as Selena, Tim, and various hosts?
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