Following the opening of the two new residential colleges and the renovation of Berkeley’s dining hall, both of which introduced a host of new dining options, Grace Hopper and Trumbull colleges are making similar additions to their menus.
At Berkeley, Benjamin Franklin and Pauli Murray colleges, students can choose from five destinations, each offering a different culinary style: a “SuperBowl” station where students can select and mix ingredients, a pizza station, a mezze bar, a soup and salad station, and a global foods station that features cuisines from various cultures. Now, Hopper and Trumbull are making such options available in their dining halls.
“We continue to look for ways to implement new menu concepts and initiatives that allow featuring exciting cuisines and flavors … You may see some of these in Trumbull beginning as early as Thursday,” Director of Yale Dining Operation Robert Sullivan said.
For many students, the traffic generated by the new offerings has been a concern, as diners tend to concentrate in these new dining halls. Berkeley in particular has experienced large crowds, prompting the dining staff to temporarily delay new diners entering because the venue was already at capacity.
In an email to the Berkeley community, Head of Berkeley College David Evans said the SuperBowl offerings in Trumbull and Hopper will hopefully reduce the pressure on Berkeley. However, he noted that, should the high numbers persist, the college is considering restricting transfers from non-Berkeley students in a manner similar to Morse and Stiles dining halls.
In an email to the News, Senior Director of Yale Dining Adam Millman explained that these changes are motivated by a desire to offer new foods that cater to a more demographically diverse student body. The SuperBowl concept will allow students to build their own meals from an array of ingredients, such as ramen and bibimbap, among others.
The new menus also aim to further incorporate wellness and sustainability into Yale’s dining halls. Health and Wellness Manager Allison Arnett, who was recently added to the Yale Dining team in order to better focus on these initiatives, noted that the goals of sustainability and health often go hand in hand.
“A plant-forward menu concept, seasonally sourced, prepared with respect for ingredients and the well-being of customers is also good for the environment,” Arnett said.
Director of Sustainability Gerry Remer pointed out several areas in which Yale Dining has made strides: In addition to the antibiotic-free chicken, beef and pork currently offered, Yale Dining has now convinced its turkey supplier to supply them with antibiotic-free turkey. As far as seafood goes, Remer said Yale Dining has previously focused on options certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and that “pole and line” caught tuna have now been added to that standard.
Mohammed Hussari |mohammed.hussari@yale.edu