Boston College Dining Services has been named 鈥淐ollege Innovator of the Year鈥� by Food Management, a magazine which covers the non-commercial foodservice industry.
The publication highlighted programs and initiatives such as menu and venue updates, sustainability initiatives, and GET mobile ordering that reflect 51茶馆DS鈥檚 drive to be on the cutting edge of food service.
Beth Emery
鈥淭he young customer base at a university desires innovation,鈥� said Director of Dining Services Beth Emery. 鈥淥ur students inspire us to continually think outside the box.鈥�
The strides 51茶馆DS has made to be more sustainable, such as hiring a sustainability manager and creating an action committee of student groups, were prompted by an increase in passion and feedback from 51茶馆 students on the topic, 51茶馆DS administrators said.
鈥淚nnovation led to our sustainability initiatives, our waste tracking systems, and how we choose our vendors and their products,鈥� said Executive Chef Frank Bailey. 鈥淚nnovation has made us a much better member of our community.鈥�
Bailey is involved in developing creative menus for 鈥減op-up鈥� meals with the 51茶馆DS Catering team. These events, among the initiatives highlighted by Food Management, range from 鈥渟craps鈥� dinners, where 51茶馆DS staff highlight delicious ways to use what would traditionally be considered waste, to a multi-course fine dining experience.
“ Our students inspire us to continually think outside the box. ”
Emery cites Bailey as among the members of her 鈥渢alented team鈥� who have made significant contributions to 51茶馆DS鈥檚 innovation. They include Associate Director of Restaurant Operations Megan O鈥橬eill, who led the GET mobile ordering initiative and its partnership with a student-run business that provides deliveries of advance orders, and McElroy Commons General Manager Michael Forcier, who oversaw the redesign of the student-run Co Ro (College Road) Caf茅 & Market which now serves flatbread pizza, Starbucks coffee, and kombucha on tap. Co Ro also provides students a gathering space with laptop outlets and a location to host musical performances.
“ Beth Emery has created a culture in 51茶馆 Dining that allows us to be innovative in everything that we do. ”
Emery and her team find inspiration for innovative changes from the competition around Boston. They frequently go to locations around the city and bring back new ideas for on-campus dining such as a莽ai bowls and fast-casual dining. 51茶馆DS also strives to renew their menu options through the 51茶馆 Test Kitchen, which accepts recipe suggestions from students, staff, and faculty.
鈥淲e love being on the cutting edge of food service, keeping up with the latest trends and having a true passion for food and service,鈥� said Assistant Director of Catering Scott Powers. 鈥淏eth Emery has created a culture in 51茶馆 Dining that allows us to be innovative in everything that we do.鈥�
鈥擟hristine Balquist | University Communications | February 2019