FSD’s new Heart of Foodservice series spotlights good news, good food

Heart of Foodservice is a new weekly feature for FoodService Director. This click-through, mood-boosting, idea-generating tool will help you see the brighter side and pick up some proven ideas that are easy to implement, with the potential for a big positive impact. You’ll get to check out unique theme events, employees going the extra mile, beloved dishes with history, new menu items, recipes from home, culinary contests and competitions, smarter-not-harder work solutions and more.

Los Angeles’ Loyola Marymount University (LMU)’s Hawaiian cultural club, Na Kolea, partnered with LMU Dining Services by Sodexo for a cool pop-up collab that showcased two days of Hawaiian menus with ono (delicious) dishes, such as Loco Moco (layered rice, burger patty and an egg in gravy), Chicken Katsu, Portuguese Bean Soup, Macaroni Potato Salad and Spam Musubi (a Hawaiian sushi-style snack of Spam and rice wrapped in nori that’s poised to win over the mainland).

Student-employee Arena Oian of Williston State College in North Dakota has taken her passion for baking to the next level, working as a baker for foodservice management company Aladdin Campus Dining, where she has become well-known for her delicious creations, including her famous chocolate chip cookies (available in a gluten-free version, too) and her variety of cupcakes, which were personally requested for a town hall meeting by Dr. Zahi Atallah, the school's VP for Academic Affairs. Oian baked up caramel apple, blueberry cheesecake, raspberry-filled with lemon whipped cream and an angel food cupcake with fresh berries.

Tulane University Dining General Manager John Sartori did a double-take last year when he saw Residential Dining Manager Jason Rivas communicating to a team member using American Sign Language (ASL). Sartori asked Rivas about it, and Rivas referred him to Chef Jon Petrie, who started learning the language about a year before. “I became interested in ASL as a way to make the hearing-impaired team members feel more welcome,” Petrie says. “I befriended Dorian, a team member in The Commons, and through texting and handwritten notes, I asked for some basic sign language, like ‘good morning,’ ‘how are you’ and ‘thank you.’” From there, more team members have gotten interested, and it’s a great example of inclusivity.

Virginia-based George Mason University hosted the second annual Kellanova Student Chef Cook-Off last month, where students were mentored by chefs in Kellanova Away From Home’s competition, using mystery ingredients Cheez-It crackers and MorningStar Farms breakfast sausage. The winning recipe was created by student Justine Arenas: Cheez-It-Infused Chalupa with a Vegan Chorizo Patty, an Okonomyaki (“as you like it Japanese pancake”)-inspired dish. The recipe ended up on the menu at campus dining venue The Spot.

The 22nd annual “Got Gumbo?” Cook-Off, organized by the United Way of Southeast Louisiana saw Loyola University New Orleans’ Dining Services/Loyola Catering participating and getting the roux going, big time. The beloved annual tradition brings together foodies and top chefs from New Orleans and was judged by the Krewe de Gumbo panel of local celebs. After the fierce-but-friendly competition, Loyola Catering won the Judges’ Choice Award for Best Seafood Gumbo. They also cooked up Smoked Duck and Andouille Gumbo with Arancini.