A
round the
Campus
Harvard Restaurant Certified by GRA
S
ebastian’s Café at Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. recently received two-star
certification from the Green Restaurant Association (GRA).
The restaurant, operated by Harvard University Hospitality & Dining Services
(HUHDS) and located at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), had previously received charter certification. Sebastian’s is one of only four restaurants in
Massachusetts with a two-star or better rating.
“Sustainability is a core value for HUHDS,” said Executive Director Ted Mayer. “Throughout our operations, we take great pride in reducing our environmental
impact – with our physical plant, the food we serve and with the way we engage
our staff and customers. Sebastian’s two-star certification is a testament to their
dedication and the work of our entire team.”
Restaurants are awarded points in seven environmental categories:
1. Water Efficiency
2. Waste Reduction and Recycling
3. Sustainable Furnishings and Building Materials
4. Sustainable Food
5. Energy
6. Disposables
7. Chemical and Pollution Reduction
HUHDS and HSPH work in close coordination to make Sebastian’s Café representative of both the sustainable and nutrition goals embodied in their collective
research and practice. Key initiatives of Sebastian’s sustainability efforts include
compostable disposables; 100 percent recycled or unbleached papers; bio-based or
recyclable take-out containers; faucet aerators; LED lighting; occupancy sensors;
29 percent vegetarian or vegan products; green cleaning products; pre- and postconsumer waste composting; co-mingled recycling; reusable mugs and trays; and
dual-flush toilets.
UWSP Holds
Caribbean
Carnival Dinner
W
ith the sounds of Bob Marley, Jimmy
Cliff and Peter Tosh in the background,
more than 1,400 students at the University of
Wisconsin – Stevens Point (UWSP) enjoyed the
tastes of a Caribbean Carnival Dinner.
“The recipes that we used were adapted from
‘Jerk – Barbecue from Jamaica,’ by Helen Willinsky,” said Mark D. Hayes, director of University Dining Services. The menu included
traditional island foods such as jerk chicken, island shrimp, rice and peas, Jamaican cole slaw,
Jerk pork pizza and bread pudding.
Hayes said the decision to do a Caribbean
Carnival was made by the students. “On the fall
student satisfaction survey that we conducted,
we provided five theme options — suggested by
students — to vote for spring semester theme
dinners. Caribbean Carnival was No. 1.”
6 MAY 2010
ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY
A
round the
Campus
“Joe For GIs” Benefits Troops
S
tudents and other customers at West Chester University
(WCU) and Lock Haven University (LHU), both in Pennsylvania, were able to perk up the troops through coffee donations on their campuses.
When dining services, operated by Aramark on both campuses, learned that coffee is a prized commodity among U.S.
troops, they felt a simple gesture might have a big impact. So
both dining programs decided to do their own campaign for
the troops, which they referred to as “Joe for GIs.”
For a two-week period including Veteran’s Day 2009,
WCU and LHU students, staff and dining service employees
bought and donated Starbucks VIA instant coffee to be sent to
active troops already overseas and those being deployed from
Pennsylvania.
“I’ve heard that good coffee is hard to come by for the
troops and thought this would be great,” said Residential District Manager for WCU Dining Services Dan Burns. “With
that in mind, we decided to team up with Jane Rice from the
Liberty USO (United Service Organizations), stationed at the
Philadelphia International Airport, and start a coffee collection, which was a good way to help out those serving in the
armed forces.”
A similar response from the foodservice director at LHU
came through. “I have heard for years that the item active
troops most often request from home is quality instant coffee,” said Ken Amspaugh. “With that in mind, we decided that
this collection was a good way to give back to those serving
overseas.”
S
WCU Dining Services received a total of more than 700
3-packs of the instant coffee from university students, faculty
and staff. LHU Dining Services collected 264 3-packs of the
same instant coffee. The amount was increased by Aramark,
which matched donations up to 300 3-packs per campus. The
final tally was more than 1,500 3-packs of instant coffee, or
the equivalent of 4,500 cups of coffee, donated to the troops.
A soldier responded to the program’s generosity. Staff Sgt.
Erik Wunder of Company E, who has returned from service
in Iraq, expressed what it meant to receive mail during his
stay. “It was always great to receive a package from home,”
he said. “No matter how big or small, it was nice just knowing
that it came from home, where people care about what you
are doing.”
ElizabEthtown CollEgE hosts PiratE FEst
tudents from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania were treated to an exciting
night of nautical fun when the Dining Services staff, in cooperation with their
main food supplier John Gross and Co., presented Pirate Fest 2010 in late February.
Each February for the last five years, the supplier has worked with the dining
staff to create an elaborate themed dinner/food show for students to enjoy. This is
the second event with a pirate theme.
The Marketplace main dining rooms and serving areas were decorated with a
pirate theme. The main serving area
depicted what it might have been
like to be in the hull of a pirate ship,
with barrels and bags of booty and
treasure scattered throughout.
Each station featured a different
nautical-themed menu and many new
items were rolled out for the evening,
giving the students a chance to taste
those items and choose which ones
they would like to see included in the
regular cycle menus.
In the main dining area, a tattoo
parlor was erected where students
were able to get a temporary tattoo to
remember the evening. Many of the
full-time and student staff, as well as
—Continued page 11, Elizabethtown College
8 MAY 2010
Pirate Fest Menu
Turkey drum sticks
Coconut shrimp
Seaweed pasta
Cannon balls (meatloaf shaped
into balls) w/gravy
Bistro mashed potatoes
Key West Blend veggies
Seafood quesadilla
Beer-battered haddock
Jerk chicken sandwich
Chicken Caesar wrap
Cuban sandwich
Jalapeño cheese corn bread
Caribbean jerk chicken pizza
Hawaiian pizza
Fresh mussels w/marinara
Greek salad
Rum chocolate cake
Piña colada bread pudding
ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY
A
round the
Campus
UWGB Crowns
Iron Chefs
T
the volunteers from John Gross and Co. who helped prepare
and serve the food, dressed in full pirate costume.
Phalanx, the Elizabethtown College all-male student a
cappella group, strolled throughout the seating areas, dressed
as pirates and behaving that way as well, snatching food from
student plates and loudly singing that a pirate’s life was definitely for them.
Reclining on her throne made of a giant seashell was a
beautiful mermaid, ready to have her photo taken with anyone
who wished.
Students were encouraged to venture from the Marketplace to the Kav, a large event space downstairs, where the
showpiece of the evening was on display – a 40-foot pirate
ship, built by members of the Dining Services catering staff
from recycled materials and from which the captain, his assistant and his crew launched the “Plunder Down Under,” a
battle between dormitory teams. As pirates fired air cannons
and Styrofoam cannon balls at the teams, the students had to
find pieces of a treasure map color coded for their dormitory
that were hidden under the 400 square cubic feet of packing
peanuts spread within the specially built wooden docks surrounding the sea in front of the pirate ship.
The first team to find all of the pieces of their map and assemble it correctly, bringing it to the captain for review, won
a pizza party for their entire dormitory. Desserts were also
served during the “Plunder Down Under,” including a giant
treasure map consisting of 16 sheet cakes and aquariums full
of blue Jello with gummy fish and sharks suspended inside.
“Many months of planning and hard work went into the
creation of this special event for the students, who seemed to
really enjoy the night of good clean pirate fun,” said Lynda
Hudzick, office manager for Dining Services.
he University of Wisconsin
Green Bay (UWGB) recently
held its own Iron Chef competition for students.
The event was designed to
increase participation in dining
activities by students. “One of
the major goals our client, UW
Green Bay, wants to see out of
our relationship is increased participation,” said Pamela KoehlerZastrow, marketing manager with A’viands Food & Services
Management, the campus foodservice provider. “As the foodservice provider, this means more than just increasing sales or
meal-plan participation from our student body. It means having us become integrated into the campus community. This
goal for participation steered us toward an activity that would
focus on food, but also have an element of competition.
Student teams of two applied to compete. “Once the teams
were selected, our culinary team created an ingredients list
that the teams needed to use during the competition,” she said.
“Teams were given the ingredients list a few days prior to the
event. Teams were also informed they would need to use a
mystery ingredient, which would be unveiled the night of the
competition.”
The teams also met with the school’s sous chef, George
Harper, to go over their “plan of attack” for the evening and
get some insight from a professional chef. “We also conducted
safety and sanitation training, which reviewed how to use cut
gloves, use of fire extinguishers, cross contamination, etc.
with all team members,” said Koehler-Zastrow.
During the contest, the teams had 60 minutes to prepare a
starter, entrée and dessert for a party of four. At the conclusion
of the 60 minutes all teams needed to have one meal setting
(starter, entrée, dessert) plated and on the presentation table.
Judges consisted of Executive Chef Fazli Ademi, Corporate Culinary Director Brad Hinz and Director of the University Union and Shorewood Golf Course Rick Warpinski.
The winning team, K and K Magic: Edible Alchemy, presented a starter of tomato slice lightly breaded and fried with
an avocado sauce, a main entrée of flank steak, couscous with
pine nuts and asparagus, and a dessert of
spiced apples with coriander whipped cream
and caramel décor.
All contestants received an Iron Chef
apron and certificate,
and the winning team
received a one-night
stay and four waterpark passes to a local
resort.
—OCH
ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY
MAY 2010 11