On March 27th, SGA held an open forum with Bon Appétit where anyone could ask questions to the local management of our food providers. The discussion was spearheaded by SGA Senator Quincy Elliot, who has been working with Bon Appétit for several months to see changes in dining services. The local management of Bon Appétit consisted of General Manager Michael Moroni and Catering Director Erin Chenault; both were eager to answer questions and address student concerns.
The primary issue echoed throughout the student body was temperature control inconsistencies with some of the food in the main dining hall; students cited specific examples of burnt pizza and undercooked chicken. Moroni addressed the issue by promising plans to further train staff with the help of a pizza specialist, who will also be introducing a scratch-made dough program. Moroni also noted that staff should be willing to remake a pizza if there are issues, and only asked that students not be wasteful with pizzas if they are cooked adequately. On the issue of undercooked chicken, Moroni stated that while he has heard rumors of this issue, he has yet to see anyone bring this up with staff directly. He stated that the best way for students to address problems is to come to the dining staff when they occur. Moroni reaffirmed the commitment of the dining staff to ensure the quality of their food.
Other students suggested expanding the drink selections in the dining hall. Cheanualt said that there have been conversations about adding more drink options, with different flavored waters and brewed tea being mentioned as potential choices. However, Cheanualt made clear that any new beverage option had to be something that had high student demand. While he ensured that he wants students to have options, he said that he finds it hard to find out what exactly students want due to the massive fluctuations in student drink popularity each week. What was constantly requested by both managers was that students give feedback, either through emails, walk-ups, or the Bon Appétit comment section on the Transylvania Dining website. This way Bon Appétit can gain a sense of what students like and dislike. Both Moroni and Chenault ensured that they were willing to experiment with dining options if there was enough feedback.
Bon Appétit reaffirmed their commitment to transparency with their actions and in return they want students to be transparent as well. There are plans for more open forums with Bon Appétit in the future, and I highly recommend that students with questions or concerns about Transy dining attend, as it gives both sides a chance to clear the air and facilitate cooperation.
