May 14, 1998
Contact:
Lew Harris, (615) 322-2706,
[email protected]
College Cafeterias of Old Bowing to Themed Specialty Food Areas
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Freshmen going off to college must be prepared for a wide variety of lifestyle changes, and nowhere is that more evident than in the dining experience.
The best college food services, however, are a far cry from the cafeteria-style dining halls of old. The best ones are tuned into themed specialty food areas, presentation with pizzazz and plenty of variety.
"Food today is like fashion-it's got to be contemporary, new and exciting," says Director of Vanderbilt Dining Frank Gladu. "We are constantly updating the fashion. We have to respond to the students' need for what's new and exciting. They eat here seven days a week, so it's important to keep them from being bored with the food. There's more of an attempt to excite the taste. The students want it and the public wants it. It's all about taste." A year ago, Vanderbilt University's Rand Dining Hall underwent a dramatic facelift and became "Two Avenues Marketplace." Specialty food areas, decorated with their own catchy name and distinctive logo, offer everything from one-third-pound burgers to burritos. Other specialty areas give students the choice of pasta, pizza and Asian food. A Chick-Fil-A is also available. "I think we're charting some new ground and we think that's good," Gladu says. Recognized as an innovator in his profession, Gladu served as president of the National Association of College and University Food Services in 1994-95. Vanderbilt Dining Services in 1997 won the Restaurateur of Distinction Award. It was the only institutional winner among the seven recipients of what is known in the food industry as the Ivy Award, presented by the food industry magazine Restaurants & Institutions. A trend that Vanderbilt has resisted is adding fast food restaurants on campus. "We don't think that's the way to go. We put in Chick-Fil-A grudgingly, but strategically."
Schools that have gone extensively to fast food stores surrender their menu flexibility, Gladu says. With the format Vanderbilt has adopted, Gladu can alter menus quickly to accommodate changing tastes.
In his quest for innovative dining opportunities, he recently led a group of 15 employees to Atlanta to look at variety of commercial restaurants and bakeries.
"Our students come to us with a wide variety of food service experiences," Gladu says. "They know what they want. We're competing with the students' expectations. Most of them have graduated from fast food. They're not looking for it. We're more of a casual dining establishment instead of a fast food store." Gladu says that, regardless of food service style, one trend that will likely continue is the tendency of new students to add "the freshmen 15" pounds. "I think the freshman phenomenon is part of a whole lifestyle change for many students and that impacts many areas, including weight management," he says. -VU-
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