Cedarville Magazine, Summer 2013

22 | Cedarville Magazine Exceeding Expectations by Monte Veatch In my 15 years in college food service, I have seen dramatic changes in the industry. Today’s college students have grown up eating out at restaurants, which shapes their expectations for food quality and variety. Our challenge is to produce restaurant quality food in an institutional setting. Healthy Options Although today’s students are more health conscious about what they consume, that’s not always reflected in their food choices. They ask for more vegetarian and healthy options, which we do provide, but chicken strips are by far the most popular itemwe serve (burgers, fries, and pizza run a close second). Special Diets Special dietary needs and food allergies have dramatically increased over the years. We prepare and label menu options that are gluten-free, and we have a staff member specifically assigned to prepare these meals. Meeting students’ needs is a top priority in our service. Dining Facilities Quality food service and facilities have taken more of a center stage for colleges and universities. With more than 10,000 prospective students on campus for summer camps and events, the dining experience is a recruitment tool. It shapes guests’ lasting impressions of their visit. We must, at all times, present the freshest, best-tasting food available. These factors motivate all of us in Cedarville’s food service to continually evolve, improve, and anticipate the wants and needs of today’s college students. Monte Veatch is the Supervisor of Food Service at Cedarville. He has worked for Pioneer College Caterers for 15 years and is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. You may contact him at mveatch@cedarville. edu. n Fun fact: Began working in food service at age 16 n Education: The Culinary Institute of America n At Cedarville since: 2012 n Stand on shepherd’s pie: PRO! n Favorite vegetable: Grilled zucchini n Best kitchen knives: Shun (Japanese knives) n Culinary hero: Auguste Escoffier n Words to live by: “We are only as good as our last meal.” More About Monte Cedarville’s“next top chef” n 650 pounds liquid eggs n 1,020 pounds various cheeses n 1,680 pounds bananas n 250 pounds lettuce n 718 pounds sliced deli meats n 60 pounds pepperoni n 345 pounds bacon n 640 pounds chicken strips (for one meal!) n 850 whole chickens for the rotisserie station n 800 pizza crusts n 180 gallons of ice cream n 55 bulk cases of cereal M onte Veatch knows a little something about “feeding the multitudes,” although at Cedarville, we begin with a lot more than five loaves and two fish. Our food service crew prepares three meals a day, seven days a week in our campus dining hall for students, faculty, staff, and campus guests (roughly 24,000 meals each week). “Our priority is to serve excellent food, with plenty of variety, and always offer it with great service,” Veatch said. Although it may seem mundane, the overall quality of the dining experience can actually help attract prospective students and retain those who are already here. When your weekly grocery list looks like this, you need 36 full- and part-time Pioneer College Caterers employees and 300 part-time students to serve it up right: