Update on the Transition to Bon Appetit Management Company

As you might recall, last May the college announced a new partnership with Bon Appétit Management to provide food service on Emerson’s Boston campus.  We know many of you are curious about how Bon Appétit’s presence on campus will impact the dining experience.  Since they began operations on June 22, manager Dawn Sajdyk (dawn.sajdyk@cafebonappetit.com) and her staff have made several significant improvements that we think you will appreciate.

Bon Appétit is considered a national leader in the commitment to farm-to-table cooking.  Food is prepared in small batches and rotated on the serving lines frequently.  The daily soup choices are made from scratch, as are all sauces, dressings, and baked goods.  You’ll notice that our chefs will no longer follow corporate recipes; in fact, they welcome your suggestions and your favorite recipes to add to the rotation.  The food program at Emerson will be unique to our campus and reflect the tastes and needs of our community.

When you enter the Dining Center, you’ll notice pretty quickly that many stations have a new focus.  Vegan and allergen-free meals are now prepared on the first floor, in a separate kitchen from the rest of the meals.  Also, on the first floor, you’ll find a Global station that will feature a make-your-own-stir-fry bar and a variety of Asian-themed dishes, including Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-inspired breakfasts.  You’ll see an improved salad bar, a Mediterranean-themed bar, and a make-your-own crepe station.  Based on feedback from the community, Bon Appétit chefs will rotate the focus of some stations throughout the year to keep things fresh.  Visitors to the Paramount Café, Max C-Store& Grill, and the Backstage Café will also see a broader range of products and choices.

You can learn more about Bon Appétit; check out menus and other relevant information here: https://emerson.cafebonappetit.com/

Visit the Emerson Dining Services webpage here https://emerson.edu/housing-dining/dining-services to get more information on board plans, meal plans, and how to add EC Cash to your Emerson ID, an option for all students, faculty, and staff.  (Please note meal plan options and costs remain the same.)

If you have utilized a dining-related accommodation in the past, please reach out to staff in Student Accessibility Services now to make sure plans for the future are in place.  All community members who utilize one of our dining locations are encouraged to meet with one of our chefs to discuss their dietary needs.  Bon Appétit chefs are committed to working with individuals to create healthy and attractive dining options.

The main dining center on Boylston and Center Stage Grill will continue to be an essential area for residential students using a meal plan, as well as for commuter students, graduate students, faculty, and staff who wish to purchase food a la carte.  At the beginning of each week, residential students will receive a card they should keep and bring with them each day.  The card will be stamped at every meal for which a student uses a meal swipe.  Showing the card to the server will indicate you are on a meal plan and able to visit each station as many times as you choose.  Guests who are not on a meal plan will be directed to one of the cashiers, and can then use their receipt to pick up their meals.

We hope you will stop in and sample what Bon Appétit has to offer.  Your feedback is important, and we look forward to hearing from you as we continue to strengthen our dining program.

Best,

Jim Hoppe
Vice President & Dean Campus Life

and

Art Mombourquette
Senior Associate Vice President, Real Estate for Business Services