Harvard University Dining Services

HUDS’ Fall 2011 Residential Dining Satisfaction Survey Recap

2011-12-19T09:48:00.000-05:00

In late October, 2,672 undergraduates or House affiliates participated in HUDS’ semiannual satisfaction survey. Following is a brief summary of the survey findings and HUDS’ action plans to address the feedback received:

41% survey response rate
House participation ranged from 17% to 62%
Overall participation by all class years was fairly equally distributed

49% of freshman participated – an all-time high

Personal dining preferences remain the same – 77% of students are omnivores, 8% are vegetarian, 1% are vegan, with the balance identifying an additional range of exclusions
71% of respondents identify as satisfied or very satisfied
Ranking of factors as “Very Important” are consistent – with Taste of Food, Freshness of Food, and Cleanliness of Plates & Utensils remaining top three
Satisfaction scores remain very consistent – within several tenths of a point (on a scale of 1 to 5) – of previous years.

One exception – scores on the cleanliness of plates and utensils went down more than a quarter of a point

Students are evenly mixed as to the importance of food being sustainable
Themes in their open ended comments:

Dissatisfaction with vegetarian entrees
Interest in more healthy options

More seafood
Less fried foods
More fruit
Reduced salt

Want more meat protein variety (less chicken)
Meals need to be “re-balanced” – “all the good stuff in one meal”
Menued options not available throughout the meal period
Possible to shift meal hours later?
Universal love for the staff
375^th celebration menu a hit – can items be incorporated into everyday menu?

HUDS’ action plans:

Company who services dish machines called in to review all machines and chemical calibrations – significant adjustments were made in most equipment
Vegetarian entrée ideas solicited from students; an entrée tasting of 15-25 new items took place Friday, December 16, with approximately 20 people signed up to attend
To eliminate or minimize menu run-outs, standards for re-stocking reviewed with staff; data as to 15 minute participation reviewed to revisit peak serving times
Breakfast items added to lunch menu on Saturdays
Sampling of new menu items as part of the winter menu (starting January 23)

New line of frozen yogurt, with more available flavors and a flavor profile more like Berryline
Beef consommé and Welsh Rarebit added from 375th
Entrees like Wild salmon with herb crust
New theme menus:

Southern (jambalaya, etouffe, collard greens, grits)
Peking chicken bar
Japanese Ramen bar

Weekly fruit bar at dinner (range of cut fruit and berries)

I am deeply proud of the work our team has done in this semester, and as we look to the balance of the school year, I am eager to continuing growing and shaping the dining program to meet the needs of the students and the College.

FOOD WASTE IS DOWN 56.5% SINCE 2005

2011-10-28T15:52:00.002-04:00

For the first time in recent memory, the average annual weight of food waste in each dining hall has dipped below 200,000 pounds, marking a 56.5 percent decrease in wasted food since spring 2005.

This semester’s food waste audit - which was conducted during the week of October 3 through 7 - also showed a drop of 21.6% drop in food waste since last spring. This figure represents a one-semester dip of more than 50,000 annual pounds per dining hall.

Yearly figures are based on the average food waste projected over the number of meals served annually.

During the most recent audit week, students left an average of 1.22 ounces of food waste on their plates. Winthrop residents took the prize for the lowest per-person waste, leaving an average of only 1.07 ounces of food each. Currier residents took a close second place, wasting just 1.09 average ounces of food.

We were also pleased to notice that students became more mindful of food waste as the audit week progressed. Nearly consistently across the board, students wasted less food each successive day, which indicated to us that students responded to reminders about the food audit by consciously reducing the amount of food they put on their plates.

Why minimize food waste? We donate perishable leftovers from the dining hall kitchens to area food banks. Each year, we donate about 8000 pounds of leftover food from dining halls and catered events to the Greater Boston Food Bank, which redistributes the food to local feeding programs to provide 6000 meals.

To dispose of the food waste that does inevitably accumulate, HUDS composts in 12 of 13 dining halls. Annually, we compost 583 tons of waste. This is one of our many initiatives to reduce our environmental impact.

To cut back on food waste at your next meal, try to serve yourself small portions during your first trip to the serving stations. Remember, you can always go back for second helpings if you’re hungry for more food.

Thank you for continuing to be mindful of your food waste!

Cage Free Eggs

2011-10-17T09:51:00.000-04:00

Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) has a long commitment to customer service. In the spirit of that driving value, and in light of a recently conducted review of our policy toward egg purchases, HUDS’ new Managing Director David Davidson is pleased to announce that, effective October 31, all the eggs HUDS serves will be cage-free. This change will include shell and liquid eggs for all products we make in-house – the equivalent of approximately 1.8 million eggs.

HUDS has served cage free shell eggs from New Hampshire-based Pete & Gerry’s for a number of years. Liquid eggs – used for most everyday grill items and recipes – will now come from Abbotsford Farm.

HUDS has continually monitored the debate regarding cage free eggs, and customers have expressed a strong interest in this change. With recent savings achieved in HUDS’ administrative overhead, and advantageous pricing, we are able to commit to this conversion in the interests of meeting customer demand.

Harvard 375th in the Houses

2011-10-13T08:48:00.003-04:00

We're looking forward to a great community celebration on Friday, October 14, to mark the anniversary of Harvard's founding. In all the undergraduate Houses, at Annenberg, and at Dudley and Cronkhite, we'll start the celebration with a menu that reflects typical foods served throughout the centuries here at Harvard.

The menu was created by HUDS' Director of Culinary Operations, Martin Breslin, and a team of students who poured over research from the Harvard archives. Here's their menu, and brief explanations of the food's history . . .

Bill Of Fare

Beef Consommé (Jillian Smith, Cabot House)

Corn Chowder (Annie Douglas, Adams House)

A Grand Sallat (Kristin Kessel, Adams House)

Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Jelly (Rebecca Ruskin, Quincy House)

Chicken Pie (Isabel Hebert, Adams House)

Welsh Rarebit (Yonatan Kogan,, Eliot House)

Buttered Savoy Cabbage (Sarah Rose Cass, Annenberg Freshman Dining Hall)

Griddled Potatoes (Natalie Padilla, Leverett House)

English Peas (Dana Modzelewski, Adams House)

The Root Cellar (Eric Michel, Quincy House)

Corn Bread (Rebecca Ruskin, Quincy, House)

Historical menu notes:

Beef Consommé

Beef consommé first appeared in French cuisine in the 16th century as a supplement to other recipes. It re-emerged as a soup in its own right in Europe during the early 19th century, and was even served to first class passengers on the Titanic in a fateful last dinner on April 14, 1912 before the sinking of the ship.

From classical French cuisine to the Titanic, beef consommé has been a soup that caters to the tastes of the elite. According to an article in Gastronomica, consommé “signaled not just the raw economic worth of the [first class] passengers [on the Titanic]; it aimed to reflect their own confidence and suggest their potential for success.” The Harvard Dining Association began serving beef consommé to undergraduates in February of 1786.

Beef consommé is traditionally prepared by simmering and straining a “raft” of finely mixed beef and vegetables in a pot. Egg whites and other seasonings are added and simmered, creating a foam mixture at the surface that clarifies the soup as it rises. Once the foam is removed, the remaining soup is a clarified consommé ready to be served. Today’s recipe replicates the same clarifying process and many of the same ingredients used in the traditional recipe. Consommé is still served today in higher end culinary institutions and restaurants.

Jillian Smith, Cabot House

*****

Corn Chowder – V

Corn chowder has appeared on Harvard menus since 1840. Corn bears much significance as an indigenous crop, a staple of the American diet, and a symbol of American agriculture and way of life. While the origin of chowder in the United States is less clear-cut, the starchy seafood stew likely reached America via sailors or immigrants from France or England.

The first recipe for fish chowder printed in America appeared in the Boston Evening Post in 1751. Recipes for chicken, veal, and potato chowder began to emerge in the following decades, with instructions for corn chowder appearing in the late 1800s. Ingredients included corn, water, milk, flour, as well as eggs, cream, onion, and pepper (and in non-vegetarian versions, bacon or ham and chicken stock).

Annie Douglas, Adams House

*****

A Grand Sallet – V

A grand sallet, or a great salad, is a four-hundred-year-old Elizabethan dish that is not wildly different from a salad you might make in the dining hall or order off a menu today. A grand sallet consists of many of the ingredients that we find in modern salads: leafy greens, an assortment of herbs, hardboiled eggs, almonds, and capers. Yet a unique feature of a grand sallet is its abundance of dried fruits: figs, raisins, candied cherries, dried currants, dried orange peel, and dates. Noticeably missing from an Elizabethan sallet are tomatoes and peppers, which are often considered staples of a salad today. And though the ingredient list of a grand sallet may seem long, its dressing is markedly less involved, requiring nothing more complicated than wine or sherry vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of pepper, and a dash of salt.

Typically served at evening supper rather than midday dinner, a grand sallet was featured on Harvard's dining menu in the mid-1600s.

Kristin Kessel,, Adams House

*****

Roast leg of Lamb with mint jelly

Although modern college students seldom see “Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Jelly” as the main entrée listing in the dining halls, this was common fare 375 years ago at Harvard. Roast Leg of Lamb frequented Harvard’s early Bills of Fare because sheep – who also provided hide for diplomas – were prevalent in Cambridge. This gamey meat served as welcome nourishment for hungry students in the 17^th century.

Rebecca Ruskin, Quincy House

*****

Chicken Pie

Some historians trace the roots of the pie back to 9500 B.C., when ancient Egyptians began to use stone tools for grinding and making food. Originally, these creations were referred to as “galettes,” but they were far from our common notion of a pie. It was not until the Greeks invented the pie pastry that ancient pies began to resemble modern our conception of the pastry. Even then, pies historically featured mostly meat-based fillings, rather than the sweet pies we often consume for dessert.

In the Medieval Ages, pies were popular as a staple food for traveling and working people, as the pastry shell served as a baking dish, storage container, and serving vessel. Part of the popularity of the pastry came from a chef’s ability to cook a pie over an open fire and alter the pie’s filling based on the available ingredients. Early pies were called “coffins” or “coffyns,” words that were frequently used to describe baskets or boxes that featured tall, straight sides with sealed floors and lids. Open-top pies were referred to as “traps.” Although Harvard has served many pies in its 375-year history, tonight’s pastry recalls the traditional chicken variety.

Isabel Hebert, Adams House.

*****

Welsh Rarebit – V (contains alcohol)

Welsh rarebit, or Welsh rabbit, is a dish made with a savory sauce of melted cheese and various other ingredients and served hot over toast. There are an enormous number of variations of Welsh rarebit; two recipe books published at the turn of the 19th century provide one recipe for rarebit that calls for ale and another that does not.

Although the origin of the name may be related to the Welsh love of cheese, the choice to call a cheese dish “rabbit” is more likely an ironic reference to the notorious poverty in 18th century Wales. The term “rarebit” is the result of an etymologizing alteration, first used in 1785. According to American satirist Ambrose Bierce, the continued use of rarebit was an attempt to rationalize the absence of rabbit. In his 1911 Devil's Dictionary, Bierce defined “rarebit” as “a Welsh rabbit, in the speech of the humorless, who point out that it is not a rabbit.”

Welsh rarebit is also mentioned several times in the 1895 Harvard Stories: Sketches of an Undergraduate, which clearly refers to a recipe using beer.

Yonatan Kogan, Eliot House

*****

Buttered Savoy Cabbage – V

Savoy cabbage is a mild and sweet variant of the cabbage family, which includes everything from red cabbage, to bok choy, to cauliflower. Heralded today for its plentiful vitamins and low price, cabbage has a rich history. There is evidence of the domestication of cabbage as far back as 4000 B.C.E. in China. Cabbage was a favorite food of Confucius, a ward against intoxication in Ancient Rome, and a medical remedy for sick soldiers on Captain Cook's voyage. In the Northeast, cabbage lent its name to "Cabbage Night," a popular 1970s holiday in which children threw food, including cabbage, at local homes on the night before Halloween.

Buttered savoy cabbage was common fare in the Harvard kitchens in the early 20th century.

Sarah Rose Cass, Annenberg Freshman Dining Hall

*****

Griddled Potatoes – Vgn

In 1898, griddled Russet potatoes found their way atop Harvard College’s dining hall menu, offering a crispy, yet tender side dish to a true meat and potatoes meal.

Potatoes have a long history in America. In 1836, Henry Harmon Spalding planted the first potatoes in Idaho as crop for his Christian mission. Up until the 1850s, however, many Americans planted potatoes near hog pens because they considered the crop to be for animal consumption alone. It wasn’t until 1872 that America’s most well known potato – the Russet Burbank potato – was developed by American horticulturist Luther Burbank as an attempt to find a more disease-resistant variety of the crop.

Natalie Padilla, Leverett House

*****

English Peas – Vgn

Although peas are typically boiled or steamed today, the vegetables were once grown for their dry seeds. By the 17th and 18th centuries, it became the fashion to eat peas "green" – that is, right after they have been picked off the stem and are still immature. As new cultivars of peas were grown in England, the typical garden pea became known as the English Pea. Peas have long appeared on the menus at Harvard in soup, as a lone vegetable, or in other dishes.

Dana Modzelewski, Adams House

*****

The Root Cellar – Vgn

The turnips, carrots, parsnips, beets, hubbard squash, and onions in the root cellar represent are typical of vegetables that have customarily been served at Harvard and throughout New England over the past centuries. Root cellars keep food – usually vegetables – at low temperature and steady humidity, preventing them from freezing during the winter and spoiling during the summer. At Harvard, students once had their own root cellars in which they stored beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages.

Eric Michel, Quincy House

*****

Cornbread – V

Cornbread has been a staple in New England for centuries. Native Americans – who first made the bread – taught the recipe to European settlers, who then spread the bread across the country. Cornbread was originally made from cornmeal, salt, and water, all of which were easily accessible ingredients in the early days of Harvard College.

Cornbread evolved over the years to adapt to the character of a particular region. In the South, cornbread is often made with lard or bacon fat, but in the North, recipes are generally sweeter. Similar ingredients in cornbread were also used to make Hasty Pudding, a very popular dessert at Harvard that inspired Harvard's own Hasty Pudding Theatricals.

Rebecca Ruskin, Quincy, House

*****

Cage Free at Harvard

2011-04-14T14:06:00.002-04:00

Harvard University Hospitality & Dining Services has been approached about changing to using only cage free eggs.

Current state:

HUHDS purchases the equivalent of approximately 1.15 million eggs per year, in different forms, from different vendors.

· Cage free shell eggs served in all dining halls

o Approximately 500,000 a year

o Sourced from Pete & Gerry's in New Hampshire

o On the menu: hard-boiled eggs at breakfast, or grill orders like fried or sunny side up eggs

· Liquid eggs (pre-shelled eggs)

o Equivalent of approximately 500,000 per year

o On the menu: scrambled eggs, and in recipes

· Pre-shelled hard-boiled eggs

o Approximately 150,000 a year

o On the menu: hard-boiled eggs in the salad bar

Analysis:

We have carefully weighed numerous factors in considering a change regarding egg sourcing:

· Nutrition: impartial research shows no nutritional difference in eggs that are cage free, as opposed to those that are not.

· Health & Safety: in appropriately-managed facilities such as the ones from which HUHDS sources eggs, there are no notable health or food safety benefits (such as a decreased risk of salmonella) to one form of laying environment over another. Further, regardless of laying environment, hormone use is prohibited in raising hens.

· Humane treatment: the term “cage free” does not equal “free roaming” or “free range” birds. Most cage free eggs in the United States are “barn roaming” – contained in closed facilities that have been shown to have parallel concerns to those of caged birds (i.e., space, de-beaking, bird-on-bird aggression). To truly impact the life experience of the bird, they would need to be “free roaming”, and there is no vendor which could provide eggs that meet our safety and volume specifications.

· Economic: converting all eggs to cage free would increase costs by more than $100,000, necessitating either the elimination of significant program components or an increase in the board rate at a time when the University is working so hard to manage the overall cost of attending Harvard.

Conclusion:

HUHDS will maintain its current policy of purchasing eggs from responsible, USDA-approved egg farmers, offering cage free options in our dining halls for students who feel strongly about this issue. We will continue to monitor both legislative action and pricing, and we will regularly review options with the goal of finding the best possible solution for the broad range of students we serve.

Spring Menu Highlights

2011-03-29T12:52:00.001-04:00

Here at HUHDS, we know that people have their own, particular favorite foods. And we DEFINITELY know that Korean Barbecue is on many people’s “I could eat it every day” list. Thus, it was no surprise to us that sadness reigned and tissue supplies were depleted this week as students realized that the season of “make-your-own Korean Barbecue” was over.

HUHDS has introduced the spring seasonal menu, and while it does not feature this cult favorite in its original form, the tasty beef is still available – as Spicy Bulgogi Steak Quesadillas and Korean Barbecue Beef Quesadillas.

In addition, we welcome the return of the popular make-your-own Panzanella Salad station (much requested on the Fall 2010 satisfaction survey), as well as Curry & Naan on Saturdays. Curry & Naan will be supplanted on April 9, however, when the new make-your-own Chicken or Tofu Shawarma debuts.

Overall, the spring menu shifts to lighter, fare, using more of the seasonal produce that is just beginning to flourish – it includes some standard favorites, some reconceived recipes, and some brand new options. Here’s a taste of what you can expect this spring:

Soups:

Chicken Dumpling Soup

Carrot & Mussel Soup

Entrees:

Thai Charred Eggplant with Tofu

Pad See Ew

Pad Thai

Whole Wheat Veggie Crumble Pizza with Onion and Peppers

Mussel Po’Boy

Spicy Bulgogi Steak Quesadilla

Korean BBQ Beef Quesadilla

Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Pulled Pork Sandwich

St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs

Beef Fajita Fettuccini

Beef Top Round with Black Peppercorn Sauce

Sweet and Sour Seitan with Cashews

Taco Bar

Crab Cakes

BBQ Turkey Tips

Three-cheese Manacotti

General Gao’s Chicken

Build-Your-Own Burger Bar

Desserts:

Make-Your-Own Strawberry Shortcake Bar

Red Velvet Cake

Peppermint Fudge Cake

Rum Cake

Our Spring Satisfaction Survey began Monday, March 28, so please take a few moments to weigh in on the menu and our overall services. Your feedback helps us find and develop the next “Korean Barbecue” student favorite.

Welcome Back (to the winter menu)

2011-02-14T10:45:00.003-05:00

In early November, more than 3,300 undergraduates participated in our Residential Dining satisfaction survey. It was a fairly equal division of class years and dining locations, and participants gave the residential program an overall satisfaction score of 3.76 out of 5.

Scores across the board were almost identical with those of Fall 2009. We also see that the percentage of students who self-identify as vegetarian (8%) or vegan (less than 1%) remains unchanged from our last survey. The largest majority of undergrads are omnivorous, without any personally defined restrictions (72%).

While the survey scores and open-ended feedback did not reveal any significant issues or trends, we are always looking for ways to improve the residential dining experience, and to that end, we are using the winter menu to introduce some new recipes and variety, as well as provide opportunities for you to customize your food with make-your-own stations and topping bars.

Leading the way in the winter menu is the exceedingly popular Korean Barbecue station, which will appear every Tuesday. We’ll also have a new baked potato bar on Mondays, made-to-order omelets every other Sunday, and periodic topping stations for items such as hot dogs, burritos, tacos, and nachos.

In developing new recipes for the winter, our chefs focused on a mix of new meatless options, ethnic cuisines, homestyle favorites, and healthier preparations – all of which respond to your feedback. Here’s a sampling:

Sweet & Sour Veggies with Seitan & Cashews
Turkey Meatloaf with Cranberry Glaze
Lemon Pepper Tilapia
Hickory Smoked Beef Brisket with Chipotle Aioli
Vegan Chicken Pita
South American Beef Stroganoff
Crab Cakes and Spicy Pepper Remoulade
Creamed Spinach
Vegetarian Ribwich
Seitan Pepper Steak
Sesame Pork Loin with Molasses and Soy
Tomato Basil Rice
St. Louis-style Baby Back Ribs
Ethiopian Veggie Stew
Shrimp & Okra Gumbo
Honey BBQ Pulled Chicken
Tempeh and Mushroom Fricasse
Chicken & Sundried Tomato Risotto
Sweet Teriyaki Pork Ribeyes
Mushroom Ragout (with Wheat Penne)
Salmon Burger with Green Godess Sauce
Turkey Shepard's Pie with Cheddar Mashed Topping
Turkey Tips with Peppers and Onions
Pulled Pork Tacos
Buttermilk Raisin Scones
Cranberry Scones

On Wednesday, January 26, we hosted a tasting for some of our new meatless options. Roughly 20 students sampled 10 new vegan or vegetarian choices. That experience, and a few recent House-based activities, are documented in the new Food Literacy Project blog: http://foodliteracyproject.blogspot.com/

And finally, I remind you that there are numerous ways to stay connected with HUHDS online – check us out on Facebook, Twitter (@HUDSInfo), or the Harvard Mobile App.

Welcome (Back)!

2010-09-03T08:37:00.001-04:00

It’s great to see the campus percolating once again! We had a busy summer – you’ll actually taste some of the fruits of our labor, but other efforts were directed at giving you a more pleasant and convenient dining experience.
So what’s new? This week Harvard launched a new app for mobile users. It connects you to numerous University resources, including:

a map that pinpoints, among other options, campus dining locations (residential and retail)
a daily menu and hours of operation for undergraduate dining halls.

Learn more at the Harvard Gazette.

We’ve also changed our website to make it easier for you, the user, to find important resources. Instead of looking at our services from our perspective, we’ve tried to present, in simple “user” pages, the information you most commonly use (or should know about) – whether you’re an undergrad, administrator, parent, or other key member of our community.

What else is new? Our name. We are now Harvard University Hospitality & Dining Services. Our mission is to create both great food and experiences that foster friendship, encourage learning, and cultivate community, and our name has evolved to reflect that broader role. So it sounds the same when you pronounce it, it feels the same when you enjoy it, but now we’re HUHDS instead of HUDS.

So once again, welcome back! We’re thrilled to see you, and look forward to a continued dialogue with you – online and in person – about what we can do to make your Harvard dining experience particularly satisfying.

Painting the Town Green

2010-04-27T11:02:00.002-04:00

Eighteen months ago, President Faust issued a campus-wide call to action, committing Harvard to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) by 30% in eight years. Eighteen months into the effort, and on the heels of Earth Day’s 40th anniversary, I’m pleased to report that Harvard University Hospitality & Dining Services (HUHDS) is more than half way to its goal.

Our 2006 baseline was 4,623 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCDE). By 2009, our actual utility data shows us at 3,883 MTCDE. This 740 MTCDE (or 16%) reduction from the 2006 baseline has been achieved through everything from modest lighting and equipment-firing time changes to major modifications like refrigeration and exhaust fan controls, which are progressively being rolled out across all HUHDS operations.

And while the GGE reduction initiative only looks at utility usage, we continue to press forward in greening our locations in every way. At the forefront of that effort is our Sebastian’s Café at the Harvard School of Public Health, which was recently awarded two stars by the Green Restaurant Association, making it one of only four restaurants in Massachusetts to achieve that mark.

Key initiatives of Sebastian’s sustainability include compostable disposables; 100% recycled or unbleached papers; bio-based or recyclable take-out containers; faucet aerators; LED lighting; occupancy sensors; 29% vegetarian or vegan products; green cleaning products; pre- and post-consumer waste composting; co-mingled recycling; re-usable mugs and trays; and dual-flush toilets.

Similar efforts are in place at cafes and dining halls across campus, and events are going green, too. With Commencement around the corner, we are already planning to increase the number of zero-waste events we managed last year.

And we can’t forget the food. Last Thursday’s Earth Day Dinner in the dining halls and at Dudley and Cronkhite was a celebration of sustainable and local foods. But it’s important to note that most all of those items are available regularly in the dining hall – everything from locally grown greens and tomatoes to New England dairy products through pasta, breads and desserts made by Massachusetts artisans. Twenty-five percent of the food we buy is locally grown or sourced, the latter of which is an important category to include in a place where the best growing season is while you are away from our kitchens.

Finally, we’ve kept sustainability as a regular topic of conversation, primarily through the Food Literacy Project, which has hosted numerous events and discussions this year that have provided food and food for thought. Perhaps you joined one of the four free film screenings this year, or sampled New England cheeses and talked with a dairy farmer at the recent Keep Local Farms-sponsored events. And don’t forget to try your hand at cooking in your House’s Top Chef competition – after all, you may be the next Top Chef Harvard.

HUHDS’ sustainability initiatives from the last year are available for review in our 2010 Sustainability Report. Our recent green carpet recipients reflect the work highlighted there. I’m pleased to acknowledge individual award recipients Theresa McCulla ’04, Food Literacy Project Coordinator, and Robert Leandro, Director for HUHDS Facilities. And Sebastian’s Café won a team award for Waste & Water reduction.

So while the school year is winding down, the work of greening our campus continues. Next up: the greenest Commencement yet, and the June 17 re-opening of the Farmers’ Market at Harvard. And don’t miss a chance to sink your hands in the soil, volunteering with the new Harvard Community Garden! I hope to see you there.

25,000 meals – a day!

2010-02-12T10:58:00.001-05:00

All over campus, people are sitting down together for a meal, or clutching a steaming mug of coffee, or pausing from their computer keyboard for hungry bites of a sandwich. On a campus as dynamic and diverse as ours, food is woven into the daily quilt of activities and services that allows our community to build and thrive. HUDS’ is setting the table – both literally and figuratively – for this University.

Food draws special curiosity, because everyone is uniquely expert in what they like to eat. Many, even, are highly successful home cooks or chefs. So on the one hand, you know exactly what we could be doing to make you happy at dinner. On the other hand, how do we make thousands of people happy simultaneously?

Preparing 25,00 meals a day (in 27 dining venues and campus catering) requires extensive coordination. And an army of trained culinarians and customer service professionals. And recipes and menus.

Every item we serve is based on a recipe, entered into a special computer program that helps:

scale the recipe and predict how many portions to prepare based on previous consumption and expected diners at a specific meal
identify ingredients to be ordered
analyze ingredients and produce nutritional content information
and track how much was served

We work from cycle menus (daily menus with either weekly or monthly repetition), which provide the basis for all our food planning and sourcing. Our procurement department scours vendors for the appropriate products, of the right quality and quantity, with suitable pricing, for every item we need. We establish relationships that ensure vendors will carry ingredients or make items we want, when we want them. For example, we coordinate with a local bakery to make many of our desserts on a specified schedule (750 Boston cream pies requires some pre-planning!). Then those vendors deliver those ingredients or items on specified days, so that we have a constant rotation of the freshest foods possible.

Ingredients are carefully managed for food safety as they move from delivery to storage, and HUDS employees are ever mindful of temperature, environment controls, and cross-contamination. Every member of our staff is trained in proper food handling techniques, and our Culinary Support Group has even received the highest food-handler’s certification possible – HACCP or Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Point management.

So what of this mythic central kitchen at Harvard? It does exist, but with a very specific job. HUDS’ Culinary Support Group (CSG) is a high-technology kitchen, employing large-scale food production tools to achieve efficiencies and consistency, while leaving the significant cooking to your local team. At the CSG, we make all the soups and sauces, about 500 gallons at a time, because they are both labor and flavor intensive, and they are most successful and least wasteful when prepared in volume. We then break those batches down into single meal-period volumes (1-2 gallons), use a rapid chiller to cool them down to a safe temperature, and redistribute them for use within the next day or so. [They also have a few tools that help us marinate, mix, slice and dice as efficiently as possible. The CSG often prepares ingredients for local use, such as chopping peppers or mixing salads (we call this mise en place).

With the exception of those items indicated above, all other food preparation happens at the dining hall, restaurant, or catering kitchen. Each location manages an inventory of goods (we have roughly 5,000 active ingredients in our system), ordering, receiving and rotating them for peak freshness. In the undergraduate dining halls, at any given meal there will be:

15 to 25 featured items to prepare, such as entrees, sides, soups, pastas and desserts
20 grill items available upon request
20-25 salad bar items
20-25 deli bar items
20 basic food bar items (condiments)
12 cereals
2 frozen yogurts
and a range of beverages

Many of our retail locations have a similar “to-do” list, though on a slightly smaller scale.

In some cases, it is simply a matter of keeping foods stocked and fresh. For others, such as entrees, we batch cook. In other words, we make a limited number of portions, and then cook again when the previous servings are almost finished. Our computer models help us predict how many portions to prepare for any given 15 minute period, so that the food is always as fresh.

It helps that many of our managers are graduates of prestigious restaurant and culinary schools, and have worked in well-respected restaurants, contract foodservice companies, and elegant hotel and catering companies. Our staff comes from a range of educational experiences and backgrounds – military, restaurants, other schools, or even professional careers after which this is a second job. While they’re with us, they are trained in food safety, Red Cross personal safety, culinary methods, and customer service.

To seamlessly bring those 25,000 meals a day to you, HUDS has a small team of professionals expert in support areas so that we can: hire an experienced and professional team and train them (human resources); source all our foods (procurement); keep the technology running (IT); pay the bills (finance); conduct market research and communicate the program (marketing); keep the facilities running lean and green (physical plant); and appropriately plan new programs or buildings (planning and analytics).

As I said, we take pride in setting the table both literally and figuratively for this campus. In future posts I’ll share more about some of our more strategic programs – such as efforts to help our campus reduce carbon emissions, or the Food Literacy Project’s efforts to make dining a more deeply felt awareness experience.

But the next time you sit down to dinner – at your home, in the dining hall, in a restaurant, or at an event for 1,000 people – I hope you’ll dig into the meal with a new view on what it took to fill that plate.

Welcome Back to the Winter Menu

2010-01-22T10:18:00.001-05:00

Welcome back! I hope J-term proved productive for you, whether you were working on your thesis, tackling a brief internship, traveling to new lands, or simply catching up on time with your family.

As you return, we shift our seasonal menu to winter, which in New England means more warming foods, root vegetables and hard greens, and some new recipes in direct response to your survey feedback from the fall.

In the first two weeks back, the new menu addresses your requests for:

Fish, (preparations other than fried)

Salmon with dill herb crust (lunch, 1/26)
Potato-crusted baked pollack (dinner 1/27)
San Fran fish stew (dinner, 2/2)
Clams with white wine sauce (lunch, 2/5)
Hoison glazed salmon (dinner 2/5)

Steak

London broil (dinner, 1/27)
Roast beef sirloin strip (dinner, 2/3)

Potstickers or Chinese dumplings (dinner, 1/25 and 2/5)

Korean food

Barbecue make-your-own station every Tuesday night
Barbecued chicken (dinner, 2/1)
Grilled tofu (dinner, 2/7)

More stews and comfort-style foods, including:

Salisbury Steak (dinner 1/26)
Beef stew (dinner 1/28)
Pork chops (dinner 2/2)
Pie at least once per week at dinner (apple 1/26, cherry 2/2, blueberry 2/3)

You love Indian food, so we brought back the popular Curry & Naan make-your-own station for the balance of the semester last year. Now we’ll keep you in curry with Chick Pea or Chicken Tikka Masala, but turn our make-your-own stations to two new themes: the previously noted Korean Barbecue on Tuesday nights, and the new Mediterranean Mezze on Mondays. Mezze translates to appetizers, or little bites, and you’ll enjoy a variety of flavors from the Mediterranean region of cuisine.

Friday nights’ internationally themed menus will also take us to new places (and some of your favorite cuisines), starting with the warming Carribean on Friday night, and then travelling to China on Feb. 5, Italy on Feb. 12, and Texas on Feb. 19.

Finally, we’d like to welcome you back with an elegant Winter Wonderland festive meal at brunch on Sunday, January 31. Indulge in Maine lobster bisque, omelets made-to-order, a carvery of crusted steamship of beef, crispy French toast, eggplant ravioli, potato latkes, a chocolate fountain, and more.

So again, welcome back, and dig in!

Happy Holidays, Happy J-Term

2009-12-17T10:45:00.001-05:00

As exams end and we ready ourselves for the holiday break, I want to extend my thanks for a great first semester. Your active feedback in the undergraduate dining program is vital. You share your comments freely, offer constructive criticism, and participate in the many events and committees that help shape HUDS.

Some of you will return to us for J-Term. As a reminder, you must be approved to be on campus for J-term in order to dine with us. All meals will be served at Annenberg Dining Hall, and shuttles have been coordinated to make this commute easier. The regular dining program will not include bag meals, Brain Break, or FlyBy. Dates and hours of operation are as follows:

January 2 - 9, 2010
• No Breakfast Meal
• Lunch: Noon-2pm
• Dinner: 5-7pm

January 10 - 22, 2010
• Breakfast: 7:30-10am
• Lunch: Noon-2pm
• Dinner: 5-7pm

For the remainder of you, we look forward to your return over the weekend of January 22. You can join us for dinner on that date at Annenberg, or resume meals when your House operations re-open (per the calendar at http://www.dining.harvard.edu/residential_dining/halls_dates.html).

My warmest holiday wishes to you all!

Residential Dining Survey Summary

2009-11-18T11:23:00.005-05:00

Thanks to the 2,659 undergraduates and House affiliates who responded in our Fall 2009 Residential Dining Satisfaction Survey. This represents a 40% response rate (very strong), equally distributed across class years. Such a high response rate assures us that the feedback is statistically valid, and when comments are viewed as a whole they reflect the majority opinions.

The survey breakdown is as follows: Overall satisfaction with the dining program is at 3.72 out of 5. This is down 4% from the Fall 2008 score of 3.85. We find it most accurate to compare the scores seasonally, because this gives us a true read of menus and services against their like experiences from prior years.

Likewise, the individual categories all show a slight down-trend from last fall – anywhere from 1-5% (see below).

I believe this slight downturn is a reflection of student feelings about the change in the dining program, a result of the economic impact on our services.

Speaking directly to the change in breakfast service, we saw that 4% of respondents commented negatively on the removal of hot grill items from the weekday House breakfast menu. I am sharing this feedback as part of a larger series of discussions currently taking place around service changes. As you know, the Idea Bank generated a number of comments related to dining. Last week I met with the working group reviewing those comments, and I provided them a baseline understanding of HUDS’ operations, funding, and history related to the undergraduate dining program. I have shared this same information with the Undergraduate Council Dining Advisory Committee, and next Monday evening will share it with the entire UC. My hope is that this information will help these various bodies make informed recommendations about dining that reflect a broad base of student perspectives.

Back to the survey! Top priorities remain consistent, with satisfaction driven by:

Taste of Food
Freshness of Food
Cleanliness of Plates & Utensils

Perception of taste is most positively impacted because:

“I’ve tried it before and liked it” – 51%
“It looked tasty” – 48%
“Perfectly seasoned” – 35%
“It smelled great” – 35%

This feedback helps us to refine our presentation and preparation of the food. As such, we’ll be working more to share samples of new items, and pay even closer attention to how we plate and season the food.

55% of respondents are not interested in seeing and eating more meatless entrees for sustainability reasons. As such, we’ll keep the balance of entrees as it currently exists (1 vegetarian or vegan at each meal). That said, we met with a focus group of vegetarian and vegan diners, and as a result will develop some new entrees, with greater emphasis on proteins beyond tofu. We’ll also work to make more of the soups vegan-friendly, and may even introduce some vegan desserts. We’ll also share menu ideas and do-it-yourself combos at a new site on our home page: http://www.dining.harvard.edu/vegvgn

A bit more menu feedback:
Favorite ethnic cuisines

Italian
Indian
Chinese
Mexican
Japanese
Thai

Top 5 favorite dishes:

Chicken parmesan
Gnocchi with sage and squash
Red spiced chicken
Chicken fingers
Popcorn chicken

Top 5 least favorite dishes:

Pad thai
Squash (though this and mussels also score relatively well in the favorites)
Mussels
Meatloaf
Asian dishes

What’s not on the menu that we should serve?

Fish, especially salmon (preparations other than fried)
Sushi
Steak
Indian food
Potstickers or Chinese dumplings

And finally, we see that 12% of participants now self-identify as having a food allergy, intolerance, or special dietary need, with 6% being lactose intolerant. This is up 4% from the last time we asked this question 5 years ago, and is a trend we’ve experienced as we work to address individual concerns.

Other key findings/themes:

There were many requests for specific varieties of fruits or vegetables, and more varied preparations of “new” fruits and vegetables
Many of the least favorite foods are also those things that should be on the menu – but prepared more authentically. For example, respondents don’t like how we make pad thai, but it is requested often. People would rather see simple preparations executed well than complicated but un-authentic dishes.
And we note a need to balance menu offerings so there’s always something healthy paired with something less healthy – for example we should serve pizza and chicken wings at the same meal.

To address the survey feedback, we’ll make some immediate menu changes:

Replacing Saturday Sticky Rice Bar with Curry & Naan for the balance of this calendar year (starting 11/21)
Removing pad thai and General Gao’s Chicken from the menu for the time being while we refine these recipes for greater authenticity
Adding some baked and grilled fish preparations to the menu, starting with Herb Baked Salmon for lunch on November 20th
Separating menu items for a balance between healthy and indulgent items

After Thanksgiving break, look for:

vegetarian and chicken potstickers at dinner
pepper-steak at dinner
weekly fruit special – something unusual and seasonally appropriate
and varied vegetables and preparations, including leafy greens (sautéed and braised) and roasted root vegetables

Many other comments will be addressed through the Winter cycle menu, which begins in January. At that point, you’ll see:

A Korean night monthly
Two new MYO stations (Mediterranean “Metza” with such foods as baba ghanoush, olives, pita, and more; and Indonesian Gado Gado, a vegetable salad served with a peanut sauce dressing)
More stews and comfort-style foods
And more of those items already noted for immediate integration.

As I hope this demonstrates, feedback clearly drives us to refine and change the program, within our operational and financial parameters, to better meet the community’s needs. As the ratings reflect, the staff is dedicated to your satisfaction and well-being, and to a continued raising of the bar.

Please accept my best wishes for the holiday season.

Celebrating Sustainability

2009-10-22T11:21:00.002-04:00

One year ago today, the Harvard community joined with President Faust in making a significant commitment to reduce Harvard’s greenhouse gas emissions – 30% by 2016. This commitment is a core value for HUDS. We are committed to purchasing and operational practices and menu choices that sustain the health and well-being of the environment, communities, and the people producing and eating food.

To that end we spend approximately 25% of our food budget on local ingredients (when their quality and cost is comparable to other sources). We recycle and compost, and encourage people to reduce their tray waste. We seek operational efficiencies, such as exhaust hood controls that cut electricity usage for that appliance by half, and save thousands of dollars. And we encourage our staff and our dining guests to engage in the community effort to become more sustainable, whether it be through a “lights-off” campaign in the storeroom or re-usable mug program for beverages to go.

Tonight’s dinner in all the residential dining halls (including Dudley Café and Cronkhite Dining Room) is one such engagement effort. At the Sustainable Dinner you’ll enjoy foods that are grown or sourced locally, managed responsibly with regard to the environment, and require less natural resources to grow. See a map of our food sources here.

This week you might also have enjoyed a smaller taste of this in the retail locations, where we have a Make Mine Local lunch special of homemade soup, a crusty roll, an apple and milk. Today’s pumpkin gingered soup, for example, is not to be missed.

And next week, we’ll have two guests to share their point of view on sustainable food. Dr. Eric Chivian ‘64 (Lowell), MD ‘68, founder and Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, will be at Lowell House on Oct 26 for dinner to discuss his Pairidaeza Farm, an almost fully organic orchard in central Massachusetts growing heirloom apples, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, cherries, and grapes.

Cookbook author and chef Mollie Katzen will visit several points on campus through the week to share how many countries and cultures feature “Protein as a Condiment”, moving meat from the center of the plate to a complementing role for vegetables, fruits, beans and grains, which has both nutritional and environmental benefits. Follow us on Twitter to track Mollie’s talks.

The past year has been one of remarkable change and transformation, but one thing is certain: we remain committed to this vital goal of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and look forward to engaging with you in the day-by-day working of making Green the new Crimson.

Community & Taste

2009-09-28T12:13:00.001-04:00

By now, your classes and sections are set, all the suitcases and boxes in your room are unpacked, and you have begun to settle into the daily routine of academia and activities.

HUDS is settling in as well, learning your names and your preferences. Over the course of the year, we will closely explore the areas these exemplify with you – community and taste, respectively.

Community is the driving force behind Harvard’s House Life, and the dining program is organized to support and foster that. The unlimited meal plan exists to ensure that no one is ever excluded from the dining hall (a value re-affirmed by the Committee on House Life just a few years ago). As such, the dining hall becomes a place to feel at home, and to share your own experiences and those of others. In the coming months, for example, we’ll familiarize many of you with New England’s seasonal flavors, farmers and food artisans. A great starting point for that is the weekly Farmers’ Market at Harvard, held every Tuesday outside Memorial Hall from 12:30-6:00pm.

You have also identified taste as the most important factor impacting your satisfaction with the dining experience. “Taste” is a multi-faceted word that can mean the act of sampling something, the perception of flavor, or the distinction of liking (as in, “it was to my taste”). Regardless of the part of speech, it is the unique and personal interpretation of food. We may be programmed at the outset to like certain flavors, but what satisfies us is a complex mixture of genes, senses (including smell, sight and feel), culture, social norms, and a range of influences from political to economic.

To that end, we’ll explore taste through seasonality, nutrition, culture (yours, your peers, and our staff) and more. Every Thursday night, as dining hall chefs do their Chefs’ Tastings, you will be invited to try something new or different. And with the Healthy Eating Pyramid nutrition education stations in every dining hall, you can consider how to incorporate those tenets into a tasty daily diet (for example, have you tried steel cut oats or brown rice? Both are healthy alternatives to the traditional, more processed rolled oats or white rice.)

Finally, it is important to us that you be able to share your feedback, ask questions, and engage with HUDS to help shape the menu and your dining hall experience. Your local dining managers and staff are the best first source for information. But we want to be where you are, and often that’s on the computer. So, be sure to check out:

www.dining.harvard.edu for program information, menus, nutrition info, ingredients, and online feedback forms
twitter.com/HUDSInfo for quick details about events, promotions or helpful updates
the Harvard University Dining Services group on Facebook, to inspire dialogue and community about food
the fall Satisfaction Survey (issued in late October) which invites you to rate your experience, share menu ideas, and shape how and what we communicate with you.

With warmest wishes for a tasty fall,
Ted Mayer

Welcome!

2009-08-31T13:23:00.002-04:00

It’s great to see the campus so active again, and to have you back at our tables.

The change in breakfast service is probably the most anticipated aspect of dining this fall. In making changes to the breakfast program, the College and HUDS considered opportunities for savings, the impact on House life, maintaining good nutrition, and providing a diverse selection of menu items. The new breakfast menu and service structure provides good nutrition (endorsed by Harvard University Health Services) and a balanced and diverse set of options for a broad range of tastes.

Some key points for you to keep in mind:

The new House breakfast menu, served Monday through Friday, has both hot and cold offerings, including a hot cereal bar (steel cut oats and oatmeal or cream of wheat with topping), “Veritas” Belgian waffles with toppings, proteins such as hard boiled eggs, deli meats, cheeses, and peanut butter, make-your-own yogurt parfaits, fresh fruits, baked goods, cereals, and more.
Upperclassmen are also welcome at Annenberg for breakfast, where the grill of eggs, breakfast meats, home fries, and a breakfast entrée is served. Shuttle schedules, maps, and GPS are available on the kiosks.
HUHS has three dietitians (including one sports nutritionist) who are available for individual consultation should you feel it helpful.

Some other highlights:

We have a new brew of coffee, based on a student sampling. Seattle’s Best Coffee has fair trade blends as well as flavors to appeal to a broad audience.
Brain Break (which begins on Tuesday, September 8) has been expanded to ensure consistency across locations, and to bring more variety and options with rotating daily specials.
Sustainability remains a core value. We buy locally whenever possible, and New England produce continues to be available into the fall. We invite you to try dining trayless, which reduces food waste and water and energy used for dishwashing. We’ve also made FlyBy more sustainable with compostable paper goods and fewer plastic or waxed-paper beverage containers.
The Farmers’ Market at Harvard operates Tuesdays from 12:30-6:00pm through the end of October. Stop by and enjoy some of New England’s bounty, and meet some of the farmers responsible for the food you enjoy daily.
This week HUDS hosts the Student Activities Fair “Taste of Boston” dinner at the Quad on Wednesday (only Dunster, Kirkland and Quincy are open for dinner), as well as the Hawaiian Feast at Aloha Harvard on Friday (only Mather and Currier are open for dinner).

It is HUDS’ mission to create experiences that foster friendship, encourage learning, and cultivate community. The HUDS team looks forward to setting the table for you!

Fresh at Harvard

2009-06-23T10:41:00.010-04:00

Harvard’s two farmers’ markets returned to campus last week. The Farmers’ Market at Harvard (in Cambridge) kicked off its fourth season on June 16, and runs Tuesdays from 12:30-6:00pm until October 27.

Located between the Science Center and Memorial Hall, the market features farmers, bakers, and rotating specialty vendors. The regular lineup includes Lanni Orchards (Lunenberg), Silverbrook Farms (Dartmouth), Plato’s Harvest Organic Farm (Middleboro), Flats Mentor Farm (Westminster), Ward’s Berry Farm (Sharon), Mariposa Bakery (Cambridge), the Danish Pastry House (Watertown), When Pigs Fly Bakery (Somerville), and The Herb Lyceum at Gilson’s (Groton).

Chef/owner Jody Adams of Rialto offered the first cooking demonstration of the season, and drew a crowd as she demonstrated the simple excellence of a salad of fresh greens. This week (from 12:30-1:30pm), HUDS’ own Food Literacy Project Administrator, Theresa McCulla ’04, will share a cold strawberry panzanella salad.

In addition, Harvard’s Allston Farmers’ Market, located on the corner of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue, runs Fridays from 3:00-7:00pm. This Friday, June 26th, the market will host a sustainability fair celebrating green living. This family-fun event will feature food tastings, games for kids, and interactive displays of some of the sustainability measures under way at Harvard — including energy- and money-saving how-to-tips, as well as organic composting and fertilizing techniques.

Check out the bounty:

Stop by the market and see what’s fresh in Massachusetts. You can also learn more at http://www.dining.harvard.edu/flp/ag_market.html.

Also, join us at twitter.com/HUDSInfo for details about what the farmers are bringing to market, or about other events and activities on campus. And there’s always Facebook: join the Harvard University Dining Services group, or become a fan of the Harvard Farmers’ Markets page.

Q&A Re. Dining Changes

2009-05-12T16:10:00.001-04:00

Q: Will you give us a refund since we have less meal options?
A: Your board rate has been reduced by 7.5% for next year, while still providing three substantial meals a day plus a late-night snack. The breakfast transient meal rates will also be adjusted.

Q: Can’t you offer breakfast in a single “neighborhood” house each morning?
A: The College considered several scenarios for cost-savings in dining, including “neighborhood” breakfasts. This one was selected because it provides the best opportunity for a diverse menu with a balance of options but also because it provides the best opportunity for a long-range financial “right-sizing” without progressively chipping away at the dining program.

Q: Why didn’t you ask for student input?
A: The College invited recommendations beginning in September, through an online portal. The College and FAS had many difficult choices to make and student feedback was an important part of that process. In also speaking with House Masters, we weighed all of the feedback as to the opportunities for the least impact on House life and maintaining the most broadly acceptable breakfast choices. The new breakfast menu and enhanced Brain Break provided the best overall solution.

In addition, the College is establishing two working groups for next year that will consider further recommendations for change at Harvard. One of these working groups focuses on Student Life. You can volunteer to participate through either the College or the UC.

Q: Can’t you just keep scrambled eggs and bacon/breakfast meats? Or already made oatmeal? They don’t cost much.
A: All of these kinds of options were looked at. The breakfast menu presented provides for a diverse menu with a balance of options that does not require any cooking.

Q: Can you cut more expensive foods, like local produce and organics?
A: HUDS’ local and organic foods do not cost more than their “traditional” counterparts.

Q: Can you reduce the number of options, like entrees or vegan foods, at a meal?
A; Again, we looked at various options that balance both the cost of foods in addition to the cost of labor to prepare them. We believe we’ve arrived at choices that continue to provide nutritious options and variety.

Q: Where’s the protein?
A: The new weekday House breakfast menu provides protein in the forms of hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, lean ham, cheese, and peanut butter, as well as other dairy sources.

Q: What’s different about the enhanced Brain Break? I get these foods already in my House.
A: Enhanced Brain Break now features juice, cold cereals, and hand fruit as daily staples, as well as scheduled and cycled rotating specials. Your House may have featured these items periodically, but they are now a part of the standard daily menu.

Q: Brain Break is heavy on the sweets.
A: The enhanced menu includes fruits, unsweetened cereals (as well as sugar ones), and a number of healthy specials, such as veggies and dip or hummus and pita. It also has sweets – something for the range of community tastes.

Residential Dining Changes

2009-05-11T15:23:00.003-04:00

As outlined in today’s communications from Dean Michael Smith and the Dean Evelyn Hammonds, HUDS was asked to make changes to Harvard’s residential dining program. Changes reflect a 7.5% decrease in the 2009-10 school year board rate, which was decreased in an overall effort to maintain essential services while defraying the cost of attending Harvard for families, and to devote more funding to academic areas.

Breakfast was identified as the best area for reduction because it is the greatest opportunity for savings with the least impact on the House and student experience. Only 30% of students participate in breakfast; and of that, only a small fraction use the grill or grill-based food options. For most students, breakfast is a grab-n-go experience.

So beginning next year, on weekdays the Houses will feature a menu of proteins, fruits, waffles, yogurt, baked goods, hot cereal and beverages. The breakfast remains hearty, but achieves efficiencies in both food waste and production. (See the detailed menu below.)

Annenberg Hall will remain open to all undergraduates, and will continue to serve grill-based items such as eggs, breakfast meats, homefries, and specials such as pancakes.

Hours of operation will remain the same, and on weekends the full morning menu, be it breakfast or brunch, will be available in all locations.

As we refocus budgets to both look for efficiencies and support the needs of our students we know that many of you continue to lead busy lives well into the night, and have expressed a need for greater late-night dining options. As such, Brain Break will be enhanced with the addition of cold cereals, hand fruit, juice, and rotating specials such as veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, or hummus and pita. (See the detailed menu below.)

Many of you are concerned with the implications for our staff. HUDS was part of the second wave of the voluntary early retirement incentive program, and as such does not yet know the complete results. We will not know for certain until final budgeting is completed in June.

Dining is regarded as a core component of House life, and I hope you will agree that these changes preserve the values of each House community within a new economic reality.

New House Breakfast Menu
• Proteins & Cheese
- Hard boiled eggs
- Sliced ham
- Sliced Vermont cheddar
- Fat-Free cottage cheese
• Fruit
- Hand fruit – 4 varieties, to include bananas, apples & oranges
- Sliced fruit – 2 types, to include melons & grapefruit
• Yogurt
- Low fat plain
- Low fat flavored
- Granola
• Veritas Waffles
- Regular and whole grain batter
- Syrup
• Hot Cereals (packaged)
- Oatmeal
- Cream of Wheat
• Cold Cereals
- 12 varieties, including sugared, sugar free & high fiber
• Pastries
- Assorted muffins, regular & low fat
- Bagels – 6 flavors
- Breads – 8 varieties of plain, wheat and whole grain
• Condiments
- Butter
- Margarine
- Cream cheese
- Peanut butter
- Grape jelly
- Strawberry jelly
• Beverages
- Regular and decaffeinated coffee (Tasting for new blend Thursday, May 14)
- Selection of hot teas
- Hot chocolate
- Juice – Selection of 4
- Soda – Selection of 8, carbonated and non carbonated
- Milk – 1%, skim, chocolate, soy & Lactaid
- Water

Enhanced Brain Break
• Beverages
- Milk
- Soda
- Coffee
- Juices
• Pastries
- Bagels
- Assorted breads
• Condiments
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Butter
- Cream cheese
• Assorted Desserts
• Hand Fruit
• Cold Cereals
• Rotating Specials:
- Veggies & Dips
- Pita & Hummus
- Cheese & Crackers
- Chips & Pretzels
- Chips & Salsa
- MYO Cupcakes
- Ice Cream Novelties
- Strawberry Poundcake Bar

A New Brew

2009-05-07T11:26:00.000-04:00

Harvard University Dining Services is considering a new coffee program for the undergraduate residential dining program. We have invited several vendors to submit their programs for consideration within our parameters for cost, equipment, service, variety, sustainability, and of course taste.

Now we need volunteers to help us select the right vendor. We will host a tasting on Thursday, May 14, from 11:30am-12:30pm, on the main campus.

If you can participate for the full hour, and want to join in deciding the new coffee program, please email crista_martin@harvard.edu. We can accommodate up to 50 people. Crista will send you a confirmation and the tasting location if you are among the first 50 people to RSVP.

Top Chef Harvard

2009-05-05T14:47:00.000-04:00

Competitions have been brewing all over campus this semester, and on Wednesday, May 6, at Annenberg Hall, contenders come together to compete in Top Chef Harvard. House and Annenberg based contests determined 13 individuals or teams who will vie for the title, and I have the honor to be at Judges Table. I hope you will come and watch, and cheer on your favorite team.

Contestants will begin cooking at 5:00pm, and will have 30 minutes to complete their entry. This is a “quick-fire” challenge, and the contestants must:

Prepare one entrée and one dessert.
Make a minimum of three plates for each dish, one for each judge.
For each dish, incorporate ingredients from at least two stations: hot entrée, grill, soup, salad, deli, fruit, dessert, and beverage.

They can use any of the appliances in the servery, including the microwave, panini press, and toaster (only for toasting). They cannot use any kitchen supplies or appliances, nor can they bring their own equipment or food.

Judging, which starts at 5:30pm, will be based on four criteria:

Taste
Creativity
Presentation
Sustainability (minimal food wasted in the preparation of dishes and incorporation of foods that are grown or produced locally and/or sustainably)

We have great judges, and yummy and/or fabulous prizes.

This program was coordinated by your Food Literacy Project Reps, and has been a lot of fun – for them, for us, and hopefully for you. Please join us for the toque-ing of Top Chef Harvard.

Swine Flu

2009-04-29T14:18:00.001-04:00

The University is closely monitoring the current concerns regarding swine flu and is updating the community through the Harvard homepage. University Health Services is emphasizing good hygiene as the best preventative measures generally for the flu. We continue to maintain our stringent safety protocols around food handling and sanitation in public spaces. For the latest information regarding swine flu, visit the UHS website at:
http://www.uhs.harvard.edu/NewsAndEvents/Announcements/Announcement.aspx?id=200141

Quick Updates

2009-04-15T09:27:00.001-04:00

It’s going to be a busy week on campus for HUDS, so I wanted to share some quick updates and reminders with you:

Our Advisory Council begins its work today, and will be n campus until Friday. This group of foodservice professionals (chefs, foodservice directors from other colleges, service providers) and parents examines HUDS’ work and provides a report to the Vice President for Administration regarding our program. Members of the Council will visit every residential dining hall and most retail locations. They will be at Annenberg and Quincy on Thursday, from noon-1:30pm, specifically soliciting student feedback. If you see them, do not hesitate to share your thoughts.

Thursday night (April 16), the Food Literacy Project (FLP) is hosting several activities:
Both Leverett and Kirkland will host “Iron Chef” competitions. Likewise in the coming weeks you’ll see such competitions at other dining halls, leading up to a late spring “Iron Chef Harvard.” Contact your local FLP Rep to enter.
At 7pm in Boylston Hall’s Ticknor Lounge, the FLP is hosting local food writer Linda Bassett as she talks about “Apple Pie to Pad Thai: The influence of immigrant cuisine on local food.” She’s especially talking about pie – a favorite subject here on campus – so be sure to come by. This event is free and open to the public.

On Sunday night, we’ll help you celebrate Yardfest with an outdoor picnic. The weather is supposed to be great, so please join us in Tercentenary Theater. Only Currier and Mather will be open for dinner.

Next week, on Wednesday, April 22, we’ll honor the 29th anniversary of Earth Day with a sustainable dinner in the dining halls. We particularly emphasize foods that come from New England and are lower on the food chain, as both help reduce our overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Finally, we have begun to look toward the fall and our partnerships with local farmers. Last year’s inaugural experience with Ward’s Berry Farm (in Sharon, MA) was a great success, but one thing we heard loud and clear – less squash! So we want to continue that partnership, and forge some new ones as well, to bring in more produce grown just for you, from farmers you can get to know. We hope to expand the program to include brussel sprouts, potatoes, dark leafy greens, and hard greens such as cabbage, all of which can grow in New England’s cooler fall months. We’ll still have squash on the menu, but not as often.

Keep sharing your feedback, and we hope to see you at some of the upcoming events.

New Harvard ID Cards

2009-04-01T10:49:00.003-04:00

Since the implementation of the new, 2-stripe Harvard ID card in the fall, HUDS has ensured that students could dine even when they forget their ID by having a back-up swipe card on hand. Very few individuals needed this system and now, effective Friday, we will discontinue it altogether.

In addition, beginning today (April 1, 2009), old-style Harvard ID cards (those with a single magnetic stripe) will no longer be accepted for transactions such as HUDS dining hall meals, Crimson Cash, or the M2 shuttle. Since the majority of our community already has these cards, this should have little impact on you.

For those folks who have not yet picked up their new two-stripe ID card, they should do so as soon as possible, at the ID Card Office in the 9th floor of Holyoke Center.

Spring Survey Results and Spring Menu Highlights

2009-03-18T09:44:00.002-04:00

During the week of March 3, 2,686 of you took the HUDS Satisfaction Survey, and the result was the highest ever Spring satisfaction score (3.87 out of 5). Marks are solid in all categories, but we see a particular jump in your evaluation of the taste of food, menu variety, and freshness of food – three areas in which we have been focusing this winter.

Also, these scores are roughly equal to the historically higher Fall numbers. That suggests that our Winter menu efforts, such as new entrees, Thursday chef tastings, an improved Sunday brunch, and just a general focus on making every meal fresh and satisfying, has come through to you.

And for a lot of you, food is a serious consideration, with 32% labeling yourselves foodies, and 41% thinking of food as a regular enjoyment. You make your own recipes regularly out of our staple ingredients, and more than 600 of you shared recipe suggestions.

While roughly half of you (53%) are meat-eaters, the remainder eschew some forms of protein. This may contribute to your assessment of menu variety equaling several entrees to choose from. You also want to see new recipes or ingredients regularly.

Some common compliments: you love your dining hall staff, many of you have specific food favorites, and you’ve especially like the winter menu fruit, fish and brunch.

There were also some common themes in your suggestions for improvement:

Interhouse restrictions – these are set by House masters
Brain Break – Every HoCo has the opportunity to help plan the menu, though not all do; next year, to establish greater consistency and efficiency, we will develop a cycle menu of offerings
Nutrition info – make sure you check out the new provision of information, as detailed on the prior blog entry
And a number of menu suggestions, most of which we hope to address in the new Spring Seasonal Menu, which starts today (Wednesday, March 18).

Generally speaking, the Spring seasonal menu offers lighter fare, after a winter of heartier, warming foods. Here are some things you asked for or can look forward to with the new cycle:

A greater balance of healthy options, and of entrees within a meal, providing choices between lighter fare and heavier foods
At least one vegetable per meal prepared in a simple sauté or steam
New vegetarian entrees including some spring quiches, tofu parmesan, grilled vegetable paninis, and a continued effort to offer a vegetarian parallel to meat-based entrees, such as meatballs and stir-frys

The spring menu will also feature nightly culinary stations:

Monday: MYO Soba Noodle bowl
Tuesday: Cheeses & crackers
Wednesday: Carvery, including London broil, leg of lamb, sirloin strip, and whole chickens
Thursday: Chefs tastings
Friday: - International menus, including Mediterranean, Chinese, Mexican and Thai
Saturday: Spanish Table
Sunday: Rustic Breads with dipping oils and spreads

The salad bar will also feature three composed salads a day, with variety to include such new options as orzo & artichoke, butterbean salad, roasted mushroom and red pepper, olive antipasti, Mediterranean tomato, and cucumber calypso, as well as old favorites like Asian noodles, and tabouleh.

We also have some new desserts, including New York cheesecake, MYO whoopie pies, carrot cake, sour cream cake, chocolate éclairs, and tiramisu.

So enjoy a peek of the new Spring menu as you head off to Spring Break, and we’ll look forward to welcoming you back with lots of new offerings as we head into the warmer months.

P.S. – Just as a reminder: we try to answer comments or questions to the blog on a weekly basis, in the column to the right. Requests for dining-hall specific foods or services are best addressed within your House or Annenberg, so that your manager can work with you. If we’re a little slow sometimes, please forgive us: food will always be Job #1, but we will check back in ASAP!

HUDS Website Updates

2009-03-09T11:20:00.000-04:00

Today HUDS debuts a revised front page and menu information pages for our website (www.dining.harvard.edu), in an effort to make access to the menu and nutrition information significantly easier. This change was made in consultation with a number of groups – the Nutrition Labeling Committee, the Committee on House Life, and HUDS’ Student Dining Advisory Committee. We even had input from Professor Bill Clark’s Environmental Science and Public Policy 10 class.

From HUDS’ home page, you can now jump immediately into the day’s menu and customize your meal information, or you can jump to a full nutrition listing of every item served during a meal period (breakfast, lunch or dinner).

Bottom line: fewer clicks for fast info, from your computer or the HUDS kiosks.

Over the course of this week, we will also add several other enhancements to make accessing information about food easier:

We will offer a nutrition print-out of the day’s soups, sauces and entrees (in short, those items that change daily). You will be able to pick this piece of paper up from some common space, such as the checker’s desk, kiosks, or other House-specified location.
At the stations where the core items remain constant (salad bar, deli, bread, cereal), we will provide a permanent, single-page print-out of nutrition information.
And menu cards will feature periodic single statements, highlighting the nutritional or sustainable benefits of an item, or other interesting facts (for example its cultural origin). This is information that students have asked us to provide.

Meanwhile, we continue to support University Health Services’ efforts to enhance nutrition education in the dining hall – be it through portion and serving size awareness or “Rate Your Plate” exercises.

Our dining rooms are community spaces, meant to be welcoming to all. As such, we want to provide a set of systems and information that support all the different perspectives of our community.

HUDS Cheeses and Animal Rennet

2009-03-02T12:02:00.001-05:00

In response to recent student inquiries regarding the presence of animal-derived rennet in cheese, HUDS has reviewed every single cheese we use in the dining halls - both the sliced cheeses on the deli bar as well as shredded cheeses we use in the kitchens.

We confirmed that every cheese HUDS serves is FREE of animal-derived rennet (non-animal, microbial enzymes are used instead) EXCEPT for the sliced American cheese. According to Land O' Lakes, the maker of our sliced American cheese, that item is a "processed cheese" which "could be made with microbial AND/OR animal-derived flavor-producing enzymes."

It is important to note that any artisanal cheeses, such as those offered at catered events, are not included here, and in all likelihood DO contain animal renets.

So if you are trying to eat vegetarian, you can definitely do so by enjoying all the deli and shredded cheeses we serve with the exception of American cheese, as it MAY contain animal-derived ingredients.

Student Dining Advisory Committee

2009-02-19T10:06:00.002-05:00

Our Student Dining Advisory Committee met on February 5. Following are their questions and comments, with our follow-up information.

Brain Break – how does it work?

Brain Break was established several years ago as an un-staffed late-night snack. The menu is in the hands of your local HoCo, who decides how the House budget is spent (and may decide to add to it, as well). While HUDS orders and puts out the food, what is actually offered is at the discretion of your HoCo.

Nutrition Information in the dining hall – what’s the status?

The Nutrition Labeling Committee (of which we are a part and that includes representatives from University Heath Services, Residential Life, the Bureau of Study Counsel, and ECHO, as well as two newly selected student representatives from the UC), is reviewing several proposed changes to the information we present. We have also solicited feedback from the Committee on House Life as well as the Community Health Initiative.

As soon as the committee completes its review, we will enact the approved changes.

Continue to expand and improve vegetarian options that are not side-dishes

I hope you are enjoying the expanded hearty, entrée-style dishes, such as Vegan Meatballs, Portabella Lentil Patties, and Chilaquile Casserole, all coming up this week. You’ve asked for more bean-based dishes and other protein alternatives, as well as tofu. Keep up the feedback.

Fruit – enjoying hand-fruit variety but not always seeing the promised fruit, or finding that it’s not yet ripe

Our quality standard is that hand fruit be ripe for immediate consumption, and we’re working with our produce vendor on delivering enough and appropriately ripe fruit. Some of the variety we’ve added recently is not locally available, so this can be a delicate balance, but we’re working through it.

Bag meal – like the variety of options this year, but want to be able to specify flavors, etc.

The bag meal system was revised in the fall to allow for more customization and healthy side options. We will consider modifications to the program over the summer.

Request for grapefruit every day

Now available every day

Labels for special meals should show V or Vgn icons

We will make this change for all future events.

Recycle bins and trash cans placed closer together at brain break in Annenberg.

Done.

Special K cereal, please!

We always have the 12 most popular cereals out, but if there’s something you would like, just ask the staff. They’re happy to help get it from the back.

Low-fat Silk Soy Milk, please!

We’re looking into low-fat options (Silk-brand or otherwise).

Compliments – Thanks very much:

Winter menu changes have been very positive
Thursday tastings are good and fun
Vegetables preparation and variety has improved
Reading and exam period brain breaks well-received

Vegetables are not always cooked the same house to house (and the quality of cooking can impact perception)

We will re-iterate proper cooking methods for every item, especially those new vegetables now on the menu.

The line for Thursday chef tastings at Annenberg can be long – but not unreasonable

We want you to have an opportunity to get to know the chefs and managers, and have a taste of something new or different. But if you’re in a hurry, we agree this is not the place to get your main entrée. We hope you can check it out when you have a few extra minutes to spare.

Green thoughts that we will pursue:

Continue to emphasize mug trees and the re-usable mug program
For those dining halls that have the new napkin dispensers, that should become “green space” for sharing sustainable activities and results
In Mather, having a catch-all bin for silverware makes it easier to try trayless (done!)

A suggestion to increase the amount of BoardPlus for use at campus retail locations to cover missed meals, or to roll over meals not used in the dining hall to a BoardPlus equivalency

This actually equates to a very different meal plan, which is at the discretion of the College, and has been reviewed by the Committee on House Life and decided against (see http://www.fas.harvard.edu/home/search.shtml?q=cohl&Go=Go).
We have the bag meal program and FlyBy, to ensure that you never have to miss a meal from the board program, and encourage you to take advantage of those. The meal plan is not priced at the expectation that you will take every meal with us (it is based on an average of 14 meals per week), but it does factor in those extra services, such as bag meals.
BoardPlus was added to the meal plan to give you options for variety when you have a craving for something else on campus. It was increased from $50 to $65 per semester in 2007, in part as a reflection of the increased campus opportunities for retail spending, such as at the Cambridge Queen’s Head.

HUDS Satisfaction Survey

HUDS will launch the next survey on March 3, 2009. The survey draft was shared with the committee, and they added several questions as well.

FLP in February

2009-02-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

With the second semester now well under way, I want to draw your attention to three Food Literacy Project (FLP) events that you are invited to attend!

First, the FLP and Eco Reps of Winthrop House (Lewis Ward ’11 and Jonathan Steinman ‘10, respectively) are co-sponsoring a Vegetarian/Sustainable cooking competition on Thursday, February 5. Individual contestants or teams will work from a mystery basket to create their menu, and will be judged on both the taste of their dish as well as the minimal waste of food. Cooking starts at 5pm, tasting starts at 5:30pm.

Next up, in honor of Valentine’s Day, HUDS’ FLP, led by Theresa McCulla ’04, hosts a very chocolatey evening. Join us for a screening of “Chocolat” on Thursday, February 12 at 7pm in the Fong Auditorium at Boylston Hall. Immediately afterward we’ll do some chocolate tasting, so bring your sweet tooth. The event is free and open to all students.

And then stretch your legs on Saturday, February 28 for a FLP-led Culinary Cambridge Walking Tour! Starting at 1:30pm, head off on a walk by Julia Child’s former home, visit Savenor’s Market for a personalized tour and culinary demonstration, and enjoy a coffee at locally owned café The Biscuit. The tour is limited to 12 people; email theresa_mcculla@harvard.edu to reserve a spot.

Hope you can join us for one or all of these!

Update: Peanut Butter & Salmonella Outbreak

2009-01-20T08:55:00.002-05:00

Peanut butter has recently been implicated in a salmonella outbreak that has affected consumers across the country. The tainted brand, King Nut, is not used by HUDS in any of its operations.

HUDS uses Teddie Peanut Butter, an all-natural brand made in nearby Everett, Massachusetts (www.teddie.com).

As a precaution in our retail and catering locations, we have pulled any pre-made products that use peanut butter, though we have no indications that these items are impacted by the current recall.

For more on the outbreak, view www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/salmonellatyph.html.

Winter Menu Changes

2009-01-07T15:36:00.002-05:00

Welcome back, and happy 2009!

Winter has set in, and as such our residential dining menu will change slightly starting today (Wednesday, January 7). For the past several years, we have used seasonal menus so that we can highlights foods that are available and appealing at different times of the year.

These menu changes also reflect your feedback on the survey, feedback cards, and this blog.

Here is what you can expect over the next 10 weeks of the winter menu:

You crave fruit variety. We will continue to feature local apples, which are still available from storage, as well as bananas. We’ll also add a rotation of citrus to include navel oranges, tangerines, clementines, and mineolas, and a rotation of kiwis, nectarines, plums, and peaches.

We’ll feature two hot vegetables at every lunch and dinner, including more variety, too. Look for Brussels sprouts, sautéed spinach, escarole, kale, savoy cabbage, swiss chard, sautéed mushrooms, and peppered turnips, along with other favorites.

New Finagle a Bagels are now served daily.

New Sunday Brunch featuring:

A bagel bar with assorted house made flavored cream cheese, smoked salmon, whipped butter, & preserves
Personalized made-to-order omelets (ingredients will be displayed for you to select from and then bring to the grill chef, who will cook the omelet with your choice off eggs, egg whites or egg beaters)
New dessert stations, like ice cream sundaes, floats or smoothies
New brunch entrees, such as crispy French toast, baked polenta with fried eggs and basil cream sauce, country biscuits with sausage or vegetarian gravy, and Dutch apple pancakes

At Meet & Greets every Thursday Night, you can enjoy a tasting of something unique (such as calamari diavolo with angel hair pasta or brown Rice fried vegetables) while you have a chance to chat with your dining hall’s chef or manager and share your feedback.

Some new entrees, including:

Chicken Pesto Panini
Roast Beef Panini
Chicken Philly Cheese steak
Tofu Pad Paak
Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
Moroccan Pork Tangine
Santa Fe Pollack
Basque Style Chicken
Korean BBQ Beef
Grilled Chicken with Tomato Corn Salsa
Beef Moussake
Portobello & Lentil Cakes

Some new and some old favorite Mollie Katzen Make Your Own stations on Monday and Friday nights including:

Spicy lettuce wraps
Curry & naan
Bruscetta
Panzanella

And finally – don’t miss the Winter Wonderland festive brunch this Sunday, January 11. Hopefully, during this reading period, you will be able to take a few minutes to relax and enjoy with your House over this special meal of:

Maine Lobster Bisque
Turkish Lentil Soup
Salad of Mixed Field Greens, Shaved Red Onions, Toasted Walnuts, Sundried Cranberries & Vermont Goat Cheese. With a cranberry raisin dressing
Herb & Garlic Crusted Steamship of Beef
Crispy French Toast with Bourbon & Brown Butter Glazed Apples
Baked Stuffed Eggplant Provencal
Winter Vegetables
Potato Latkes with Applesauce & Sour Cream
Hot Mulled Apple Cider and Flavored Coffee
Omelets and Bagels
And Chocolate Fondu with Dip-able Sides

Good luck with your studies.

Satisfaction Survey Recap

2008-12-10T12:51:00.000-05:00

Twice a year HUDS conducts a satisfaction survey in residential dining that provides us with a baseline gauge of student satisfaction, as well as some additional data to inform a current project or program decision. We concluded the fall 2008 survey in early December (freshmen took it about a week after upperclassmen, to avoid conflict with a survey from the College).

Our baseline questions ask you to rate the importance – Very important, Somewhat Important or Not So Important – to you of certain areas and then later to rate your satisfaction with those same areas.

The majority identified the following to be “Very Important”
• Taste of Food (96%)
• Freshness of Food (86%)
• Cleanliness of Plates & Utensils (81%)
• Cleanliness of Facilities (76%)
• Availability of Food (72%)
• Menu Variety (64%)
• Health/Nutrition Concerns around Food (59%)
• Temperature of Food (51%)

This is no surprise. These are the core competencies of a satisfying and safe dining program. What I then look at is the gap between the importance of these areas, and the satisfaction rating.

Three areas jump out that we will begin to intensively focus our efforts upon:
1. Health Concerns around Food
2. Menu Variety
3. Taste of Food

As a result, we will do two things:
1. Begin to work with University Health Services (UHS) and other College partners on providing further nutrition education
2. Begin a menu review, which may include asking for further feedback in the form of surveys, focus groups, or menu item suggestions, with the end goal of a refreshed menu by late spring, and a new menu in the fall 2009.

Additionally we asked a number of questions about your awareness of and interest in the sustainability of your food. Many of these questions were developed by an Environmental Science and Public Policy class, with whom we were working on a case study. They also help us understand how best to integrate these concepts into your program.

Very clearly you, as a community, have a broad spectrum of feelings about sustainability, with as many being very interested in it as are uninterested. Many of you also have “message fatigue” and are tired of hearing about it, but still expect us to do the right thing – and we will, but not with any compromise to the taste, quality and freshness you should expect first and foremost.

One other key finding: 61% of you rely on HUDS’ website for information. What’s more, you want it to be simpler to access. Thus, we will begin work on making our site more informative with fewer clicks. Suggestions for things you’d like to see on our website are most welcome.

We have a Facebook group that I invite you to join, but we will use this mostly as a forum for event notices or connecting like-minded food interests.

Moreover, as always, I welcome and encourage your engagement with me here.

With best wishes for a safe and happy holiday and break,
Ted

Student Dining Advisory Committee

2008-11-24T11:46:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, November 19, HUDS met with the Undergraduate Council-appointed Student Dining Advisory Committee for the first time. This is a group of students who self-nominate to serve in a liaison role, gathering feedback from their peers, sharing it with HUDS, and reporting back on the findings or outcomes.

This year’s committee includes:
Senan Ebrahim ’12 (Annenberg)
Rebecca Levitan ’12 (Annenberg)
Eric Michel ’12 (Annenberg)
Julie-Claire Guest ’11 (Mather)
Zachary Gordon ’10 (Lowell)
James Wilsterman ’10 (Lowell)
Peter Bacon ’11 (Dunster)
Emily Etheridge ’09 (Dunster)
Colin Donovan ’11 (Quincy)

Note: As a reminder, we also have Food Literacy Project (FLP) Reps in every House. See http://harvarddining.blogspot.com/2008/10/food-literacy-project-reps.html

This committee always starts with an orientation to how HUDS operates – budgets, menus, staffing, etc. Looking forward, we expect to meet monthly, or even more often if it is needed or desired, to review feedback the committee has received and to get input as we develop new menu items, consider initiatives, or prepare survey questions.

During our meeting Wednesday, the group brought forward the following issues:
1. Offering more variety of fresh fruit in the dining halls
2. Offering real yogurt in the dining halls (as opposed to powdered mix yogurt)
3. Adding yogurt to Fly-by
4. Having hot entrees besides pasta during Fly-by
5. Assuring a high-protein entree that is not meat every day (for vegetarians)

Here are my thoughts:

Fresh fruit – this is a long-standing request, and one on which seasonality has a great impact. During the early fall, we try to offer as much locally grown fruit as possible, including apples, pears, and peaches. This time of year starts to have a little less variety, as only apples store well through the winter months, and exotic hand fruits become cost prohibitive. In December, we will begin to see citrus, and we’ll offer a variety that includes tangerines and clementines, As well, kiwis appear occasionally, and we always have oranges and bananas. As for cut fruit and berries, that also varies with season, availability and price, though we’ll see if it can be worked in periodically.

Real yogurt versus powdered? I’m not sure what that is. The plain non-fat and flavored low-fat yogurt we serve at the breakfast and salad bar is a Hood product. Our non-free frozen yogurt is from Columbo. The yogurt does have active cultures, which are so important to digestion.

We are investigating adding yogurt to Fly-By and should have an answer after Thanksgiving break. Additionally, we will work on the hot entrée menu at Fly-By.

The final item, vegetarian options, is one we have also been working on with a group of vegetarian and vegan students, primarily from Winthrop House. They too pointed out their desire more recognizable hot entrees. They also asked for more variety than tofu.

Here are some new entrees you can look forward to (or may have already enjoyed):
• Curry lentil bake
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Cajun black bean cakes
• Roasted vegetable Panini
• Tortilla vegetable pie
• Portabella & lentil cakes
• Spanakopita turnovers
• Sweet & sour garbanzo beans
• Eggplant curry
• Pumpkin gnocchi with brown butter & sage
• Spicy lentil curry
• Black bean fajitas
• Chickpea tikka masala
• Vegetable Bhaji masala

Moving forward, I encourage you to keep sharing your feedback, through the Student Dining Advisory Committee or through any number of other feedback mechanisms, including this blog, the online or print feedback cards, or directly to your dining hall manager. We truly enjoy the opportunity to work with you and productively tailor the dining program better to the broad needs of our community.

A New Stripe on Campus

2008-11-10T14:24:00.002-05:00

As you know, after a review of security and technology last spring, the University implemented a new ID card. The new card is more secure because it can hold multiple credentials and process more transactions than other card technologies. It includes an antenna, two magnetic stripes, and an embedded chip that is unique to the University, adding an additional level of protection against fraudulent copying.

Effective November 17, HUDS will adopt the thin magnetic stripe technology for all transactions that use our Blackboard system. 12,000 undergraduates and House affiliates received the new ID cards in September as FAS used them for enhanced door security. The remainder of the campus will get new cards from the University in December and January.

What does this mean for you? As of November 17, instead of using the wide magnetic stripe, you will now flip your card over and use the thin stripe. This includes:
• Residential dining meal swipes
• Board Plus purchase swipes
• Crimson Cash transactions, including vending, laundry, copying, retail dining location purchases, and off-campus merchant purchases, such as the Coop
• M2 shuttle rides

In the dining hall, people occasionally enter their HUID manually instead of swiping. Your HUID will no longer work in the dining hall, and you will instead use the long number associated with the thin magnetic stripe (located under the thin stripe, starting with a “CC”). You should note that if you forget to bring your card, we will have a back-up swipe system in place until the start of second semester.

If for some reason you don’t have a new 2-stripe card, you can get one at a University-hosted re-carding events next month (see www.newid.huid.harvard.edu), where you will be asked to personally exchange your single-stripe Harvard ID for the new card. (Note: this only applies to permanent University ID cards that have your photo on them – not to temporary cards). Watch for messages from your local school or program for details about where and when you should get re-carded.

To learn more about the new Harvard IDs, visit http://www.newid.huid.harvard.edu

Nutrition Labeling Update

2008-10-31T12:21:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all of you who have submitted comments regarding nutrition labeling. I wanted to provide an update:

Late last week, the committee (including representatives from University Heath Services, Residential Life, the Bureau of Study Counsel, and ECHO) reconvened to review the labeling decision and continue the conversation on how these college life and health professionals can best support the community with education and information while also supporting those individuals for whom nutrition cards are a challenge. (See the committee's letter to the editor in the October 29 Harvard Crimson: http://www.thecrimson/article.aspx?ref=524951)

As the committee continues its work, I encourage you to contact those individuals with your feedback and health concerns. While we at HUDS are sharing your comments with them, they would also benefit from a direct dialogue with you.

The primary committee members are:
SUZY M. NELSON
CATHERINE R. SHAPIRO
BARBARA E. BOOTHBY
PAUL J. BARREIRA

Food Literacy Project Reps

2008-10-28T12:26:00.001-04:00

With sustainability top of mind for everyone after last week’s swath of events, I’m pleased to announce the corps of Food Literacy Project (FLP) Reps who are already working in your houses and dining halls to keep the conversation going.

They are:
Annenberg – Maya Sugarman ‘12, Peter Grbac ‘12, & Christopher Lee ‘12
Currier – Maren Shapiro ‘10 & Louisa Denison ‘11
Duntser – Kate Farley ‘10
Eliot – Vivian Ku ‘09
Kirkland – Cassie Snow ‘10
Leverett – Betty Zhang ‘10
Lowell – Morgan Mallory ‘10
Mather – Jess Newman ‘10
Pforzheimer – Robb Fitzsimmons ‘10
Quincy – Sarah Yang ‘10
Withrop – Lewis Ward ‘11

(We still need reps for Adams and Cabot, so if you’re interested, email crista_martin@harvard.edu.)

What are they doing? HUDS created the FLP several years ago to help all of us forge a stronger connection with our food around sustainability, food preparation, nutrition, and community.

Right now our FLP Reps are becoming “literate” about HUDS and how such a large system works. They’re also getting to know their dining hall team, and working on ideas for bringing these topics home to you in ways that we hope are interesting, educational and fun.

Over the course of the year, they will create House or dining hall opportunities to increase your food sustainability awareness – such as building upon the results of last week’s food waste audit to minimize waste, or partnering with GCI Reps to return dishware to our dining halls (instead of landfills).

They will also coordinate food-related campus-wide activities, such as panel discussions or movies. Reps may organize field trips (such as Richardson’s Dairy for homemade ice cream or Ward’s Berry Farm for produce), study breaks, tours of your kitchens, or even a campus-wide Iron Chef.

Though the FLP Reps are your peer-to-peer network for questions about HUDS, it is important to use existing lines of communication – talking to your dining hall managers, online feedback cards, the blog, the online survey and the HUDS Facebook group, which will keep you updated on events or activities of note, as well.

Sustainability Week

2008-10-17T13:20:00.001-04:00

I want to turn our attention to the events of the coming week. The University began some lively discussion around sustainability this past Tuesday, when the Department of the Humanities hosted chef Alice Waters and Slow Food’s president, Josh Virtel, in a discussion about sustainable food. Our own Director for Culinary Operations, Martin Breslin, also participated, and Crimson Catering set a bountiful table. Check out the coverage at http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=524624.

The sustainability of our menus and operations is a priority for HUDS, and one we have committed much work to for some time. This coming week, we are hosting a number of activities to complement President Faust’s October 22 event kicking off Harvard’s greenhouse gas emission reduction initiative. You can look forward to or participate in the following:

October 19-25 – Challenge: Eat lower on the food chain.
Did you know that beef production alone uses more water than is consumed in growing the nation's entire fruit and vegetable crop? And that producing a single hamburger patty uses enough fuel to drive 20 miles and causes the loss of five times its weight in topsoil? (from "Ecological Cooking") Consider how your diet can be both more nutritious and more sustainable by eating lower on the food chain.

October 19-25 – Challenge: Try Trayless.
Trayless dining is the new trend across college campuses, praised for its food waste savings, health benefits, and dishwasher utility savings. Several Houses have experimented with trayless here it Harvard. If you have not yet tried trayless, see what the conversation is about!

October 20, Noon-1pm – “Talking Trash” with Rob Gogan, Associate Manager for Recycling Services, UOS.
We’ve all heard the phrase “Reduce, reuse, recycle” – but what really happens to our waste after we toss it in the appropriate receptacle? Rob Gogan shares the travels of Harvard’s trash – waste, compost and recycling – and best practices for personal waste reduction at Harvard and at home. HUDS hosts this talk and light lunch at the Graduate School of Design’s Chauhaus Café, the first campus retail location to offer composting. Space is limited, and the $5 fee covers the cost of lunch. Sign up by emailing crista_martin@harvard.edu.

October 20, 6pm – Sustainable Dinner at Rialto for the Harvard Community
James Beard award-winning chef/owner Jody Adams (a member of HUDS’ Advisory Council) and Rialto restaurant invite you to a sustainable prix fixe four-course dinner, crafted just for us! The recently renovated Cambridge restaurant, located in the Charles Hotel, celebrates regional Italian cuisine interpreted with New England ingredients. Sign up with crista_martin@harvard.edu to participate in this exclusive Harvard community “table”. Price: $60 (does not include drinks, tax, or gratuity).

October 21 – Chef-Guided Farmers’ Market Tours
Tour the Farmers' Market at Harvard with chefs from Cambridge-based restaurants Chez Henri and Rialto to guide you in selecting produce and preparing simple, fresh seasonal dishes. Tours will take 45 minutes, and will begin on the hour. To sign up, email theresa_mcculla@harvard.edu and indicate your time slot preference. We will make every effort to accommodate your request.

October 21 – Sustainable Dinner in all College dining halls, and in Cronkhite Dining Room and Dudley Cafe.
Residents will enjoy an elegant sustainable meal and an educational experience as the Harvard Green Campus Initiative, the Environmental Action Committee and the Food Literacy Project share opportunities for individual change and action.

Following the dinner, our new team of Food Literacy Project Reps will host "neighborhood" movies (starting at 8pm, exact locations TBD). Watch for details:
• Quad – "The Future of Food"
• Dunster/Mather – "The Real Dirt on Farmer John"
• Annenberg – "The Silence of the Bees"
• Quincy – "King Corn"

October 22
• FLP Reps will table in Harvard Yard during the Greenhouse Gas event
• Crimson Catering will provide light fare before and after President Faust and the Honorable Mr. Gore speak. You can look forward to kettle corn, New England apple crisp, locally grown apples and pressed cider, and Ward’s Berry Farm squash bisque.

October 23 – Tour Harvard University Dining Services' LEED-certified Dunster and Mather House kitchens
Enjoy lunch in the dining hall, and hear from HUDS' Director for Facilities on other "green" facility improvements already implemented or under consideration. Noon-1:30pm. To sign up, email crista_martin@harvard.edu.

If you have not yet seen HUDS’ inaugural Sustainability Report, go to:
http://www.dining.harvard.edu/about_HUDS/sustainability.html

I hope you can join us for some of these events.

I also want to acknowledge all the feedback we’ve received regarding nutrition information on the menu cards. The conversation will continue because it is a difficult topic with conflicting interests. The original committee that made the decision is convening in about a week to discuss feedback to date. Also, HUDS’ new corps of Food Literacy Project (FLP) Reps is considering several opportunities for nutrition education.

And finally, I just returned from a trip to the University of Tokyo, where I was asked to speak at their first-ever “Food Symposium” on the role of food awareness in higher education. It was an extraordinary opportunity to see university life in a very different educational culture. I will share a travelogue and photographs next week sometime.

Nutrition Info & Farmers' Markets at Harvard

2008-09-30T16:49:00.002-04:00

First, I'd like to acknowledge the range of feedback we’ve gotten regarding the removal of nutrition information from the menu cards. Clearly this issue is a complex one, made more so by our varying degrees of comfort and knowledge with basic nutrition and portion size. The recent Crimson article outlined the issue, and yesterday’s follow-up editorial endorsed the current practice.

One note: the editorial suggested, “HUDS would do well to provide more comprehensive information about the food offered in dining halls. Details about dishes should include information like the ingredients and nutritional breakdown. A qualitative approach is more conducive to a healthful navigation through dining choices than a quantitative one.”

I would point out that just this level of detail is available on the kiosks and website. And while it does take a moment, for those who need extensive details, we do have them available.

So what about raising our core nutritional IQ? If we coordinate some sessions that help you have more confidence in making nutritionally balanced choices regardless of caloric countdown, would you participate?

At the heart of the Healthy Eating Pyramid, the path we follow in forging our menus, is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. And while there are lots of great, fresh local fruits and vegetables in the dining hall, I’d also encourage you to stop by one of HUDS’ two farmers’ markets on campus.

On Tuesdays, the market is available from 12:30-6:00pm just outside Annenberg. On Wednesdays, you have to trek across the river to the corner of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue between 3 and 6:30pm.

At each of these venues, you can explore what’s growing locally right now, and enjoy it picked right from the field (sometimes even just that morning). Or grab a pumpkin to add some Halloween flair to your dorm room. There are also local bakers and other food artisans with exquisite handmade treats. You can meet these farmers, bakers and artisans and ask questions or otherwise get acquainted with what the region has to offer.

See you there!

Healthy Eating at Harvard

2008-09-22T09:47:00.001-04:00

Many of us are mindful of what we eat, but unsure what to believe when the daily news includes conflicting coverage about food and health. There is the USDA Food Pyramid, which, as children, we learned as the model for good eating; however various special interest groups influence it.

Fortunately, at Harvard we have the pre-eminent School of Public Health, which has released the Healthy Eating Pyramid and is what we use as our guiding principle in making menus.

According to HSPH, “When it comes down to it, the best advice on what to eat is relatively straightforward: Eat a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; choose healthy fats, like olive and canola oil; and red meat and unhealthy fats, like saturated and trans fats, sparingly.”
As a complement to the Healthy Eating Pyramid, they summarize “Eight Tips for Eating Right:

“Choose good carbs, not no carbs. Whole grains are your best bet.
“Pay attention to the protein package. Fish, poultry, nuts, and beans are the best choices.
“Choose healthy fats, limit saturated fat, and avoid trans fat. Plant oils, nuts, and fish are the healthiest sources.
“Choose a fiber-filled diet, rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
“Eat more vegetables and fruits. Go for color and variety—dark green, yellow, orange, and red.
“Calcium is important. But milk isn't the only, or even best, source.
“Moderate drinking can be healthy—but not for everyone. You must weigh the benefits and risks.
"A daily multivitamin is a great nutrition insurance policy. Some extra vitamin D may add an extra health boost.”

While the HUDS menu attempts to address most of these tips (sorry, no beer tap is in the works for the beverage station, and we will not be getting a vitamin dispenser), we will never limit your menu choices to just these things. People have a variety of tastes and needs, and I’m the first to admit that cookies play an important role in my life sometimes.

That said, good carbs, lean proteins, healthy fats, no trans fats, and lots of veggies and fruits are available. HSPH declines to specify portions or calories, but notes that moderation is the cornerstone of wellbeing.

Which leads to nutrition information on the menu cards. Many of you have inquired about the decision to remove nutrition information. As you know, HUDS consulted with University Health Services, the Bureau of Study Counsel, and the College, about limiting nutrition data to the kiosks and web. Specifically, we needed to address the challenge a quiet and surprisingly large contingent of our community faces with eating disorders. Those individuals can place an undue emphasis on calories and other literal food values, making their placement over every food item a real challenge. Thus, we did what we felt best addressed the special health needs of those individuals, much as we support people with food allergies or religious dietary preferences.

For those who would like assistance with shaping a healthy approach to food, Harvard does have nutritional counseling available through University Health Services and support groups available with the Bureau of Study Counsel. And as always, we’ll continue to work with individuals who have special dietary needs, be they allergies, religious guidelines, or political preferences such as vegetarianism. And as always, we continue to forge ahead on the sustainability of our menus (See the sustainability report at http://www.dining.harvard.edu/about_HUDS/sustainability.html).

To that end, don’t forget: sign up for the Ward’s Berry Farm trip this Friday. Spots are filling in a hurry, so email crista_martin@harvard.edu to save your spot!

Ward's Berry Farm: Update

2008-09-19T08:34:00.002-04:00

Enjoy tonight's Delicata Squash, fresh from Ward's Berry Farm's fields. And please join us, if you can, on Friday, September 26 for a tour and cooking demonstration. We'll leave Harvard at 11am, and return around 2pm.

Email crista_martin@harvard.edu if you'd like to participate!

Ward's Berry Farm

2008-09-15T10:05:00.001-04:00

HUDS will literally begin to reap the rewards of a new partnership this week. Over the summer, we collaborated with Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, MA, to select nine varieties of squash that they would grow and harvest specifically for us. The first of those appear on the menu this week.

Squash is a later harvest vegetable, which is great because so much of Massachusetts’ produce is in season before the academic year begins. Several of its varieties are also some of the few indigenous vegetables to the state, most notably the Blue Hubbard. And those with the harder exterior skin can be cold-stored over the winter, so that we have “fresh” vegetables longer.

Ward’s Berry Farm is owned by Jim Ward, whose father bought the 200 acre plot after his retirement. Ward’s Berry grows a full range of produce, and people especially enjoy their you-pick berry patches and bushes. This is a unique partnership for them, too, and it has been fun to cultivate.

Together we defined how much of their land they could afford to dedicate to HUDS, and what crops would provide the best yield and value. The expected result is 40,000 pounds of delicious, local squash, grown under integrated pest management processes. As a comparison, last year HUDS offered 17,500 pounds of local squash, in far fewer varieties.

Why do we value eating locally? Fresh produce always tastes better, and these varieties will inspire new creativity and flavors from our chefs. Also, reduced trucking and processing is better for the environment. And it is important to financially support local agriculture so the land can maintain some of its historic integrity.

Please join us later this week for a trip to Ward’s Berry Farm, where we’ll check on the crop, do some cooking and tasting, and maybe even harvest some of what will appear on your plate next week. Email crista_martin@harvard.edu for specific details about date and time (at this writing, we’re still finalizing the details).

On to some of your questions:

Why remove nutrition info from the menu cards?
Feedback over the years has been mixed as to the value of nutrition information on the menu cards. But at the urging of parents and students, we recently reviewed the practice with representatives from University Health Services, the Bureau of Study Counsel, and the College, who recognized the challenge some people face with eating disorders, or hyper attention to the literal value of food. For that reason, we removed the nutrition info from a place of prominence, but kept it available for relatively easy and private access.

Steamed vegetables daily?
I’ve shared your feedback with the chef. In many Asian cultures, steamed vegetables and rice are common for breakfast. Perhaps we can spread it around the menu!

Welcome (or welcome back) to Harvard!

2008-08-28T13:27:00.007-04:00

It has been a busy summer preparing for a new school year, and I look forward to seeing you all back on campus.

Some of the new or different things you can expect this year in the dining halls:

A crispy fish sandwich, added to the daily grill menu
More fun food flips, such as Mollie Katzen’s Rice Fried Vegetables
Savory Spotlights that highlight the Healthy Eating Food Pyramid, over a period of weeks rather than in a single meal
More local foods, including produce, bagels, cereal, and seafood
Squash – nine different varieties – grown especially for HUDS on Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, just 20 miles away (stay tuned for opportunities to visit the farm this fall)
Individual item menu cards will now list item names and points of interest (such as where it was grown). Nutritional information is available from the relative privacy of the kiosks and menus on the web.

We also continue to emphasize technologies to keep in touch with you.

Join our Facebook group (Harvard University Dining Services) to share feedback, connect with like-food-minded students, and remain aware of upcoming events.
Rate your plate with www.crimsondining.org, which provides an opportunity to score the daily menu options. We will use this, and consumption data, to make menu changes. Crimsondining.org will be available on the dining hall kiosks.
Check out, and contribute to, our Wiki – www.harvarddining.pbwiki.com. This is a repository for frequently asked questions and information, made better through our collective contribution.

I hope you’ll also visit our expanded Farmers’ Market outside the Science Center, and a new market in Allston, on the corner of Western Ave and North Harvard Street. We have farmers, obviously (including a Hmong farmer at each market), as well as bakers and other fine food artisans, such as a chocolatier, a a cheesemaker, an herbarium, and a maple sugar maker. It is wonderful to wander through the stalls on Tuesday (in Cambridge) or Wednesday (in Allston) and find new tastes, familiar flavors, and decadent treats.

That said, we do enter the school year facing still-rising food costs (last year’s food cost was up 7% over the prior year, and this year’s is projected at a 14% increase). For chicken and cereal alone, we expect to pay at least $65,000 more this year than we did last year – and HUDS enjoys better wholesale pricing than do individual consumers. So we must continue to use your board dollars wisely, keep you informed of necessary changes, and ask your help in controlling waste, which is both money down the drain and a toll on our environment.

And we will focus more than ever on sustainability, as a department and as a whole community. President Faust has set forth an aggressive goal for the campus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and food plays a vital role in that. HUDS has long had a comprehensive approach to sustainability. Please check out our inaugural annual report at http://www.dining.harvard.edu/about_HUDS/sustainability.html. But we need to help many of you understand the terms, the implications, and the commitments, such as no compromise on quality or taste.

One topic of note, tied to sustainability: trayless dining remains a hot topic on campuses around the country. More than 525 colleges and universities have gone trayless. Check out this August 27 article in the Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/08/27/students_doing_balancing_act_as_colleges_drop_cafeteria_trays/

Quincy House tried it last year. Do the benefits outweigh the hassle? Should we try it again as a campus? Have you tried in personally? What are your thoughts?

It will be an exciting, engaging year – it already is! – and I can’t wait to work with you on making it a tasty one, too.

Sustainability Report

2008-08-05T10:49:00.003-04:00

On August 4, I released HUDS’ inaugural issue of what is to be an annual report on our sustainability efforts.

Sustainability, from our foodservice perspective, is defined as purchasing and operational practices and menu choices that sustain the health and well-being of the environment, communities, and the people producing and eating food.

To that end, HUDS has worked to appropriately increase local purchasing, especially of products grown or made in an environmentally conscious manner. We’ve renovated facilities and achieved a 98% recycling rate of materials removed, while exponentially improving the systems efficiencies of those facilities with new equipment. We recycle, compost, and sponsor a
peer-to-peer contest encouraging our staff to find efficiencies at work. And more . . .

I invite you to review the report, available as a PDF download at http://www.dining.harvard.edu/about_HUDS/sustainability.html.

Taste, quality and variety are paramount in a dining program, but one’s menu can and should have all that while still improving the long-range viability of our immediate campus – and global – environment.

Please join HUDS in this effort. I look forward to your ideas and partnership!

Going for the Gold

2008-07-02T09:48:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to announce that HUDS received a Gold Medal in the only ACF (American Chefs Federation) sanctioned team competition on June 20. The competition, held at the 14th annual Chef Culinary Conference sponsored by the University of Massachusetts and Johnson and Wales University, included 15 teams from various foodservice/catering companies, and university dining services. The judging panel included three Master Chefs and three ACF certified judges.

The HUDS 4 person team was lead by Martin Breslin, Director for Culinary Operations and included Matt Pierce, Chef/Production manager of Eliot/Kirkland Houses; Ted Smith, Chef/Production Mgr of Leverett House; and Brian Corcoran, Chef/Production Mgr of Hillel.

The competition started with a mystery basket and contained the following ingredients : 2 Ducks, 2 snapper, 1 loin of pork , 12 scallops, 24 mussels, 2 eggplant, 2 plantains, 8 yellow beets, pint of strawberries, 4 pears , 4 apples, bunch of green beans. Once the teams are shown the mystery basket they have forty minutes to write a three-course plated menu (with four portions for each course) and a separate buffet presentation for 12 people. The teams have access to basic pantry ingredients and must use some of each of the mystery basket ingredients. The team is allotted three hours cooking time and a 15 minute plating window. The teams do not have access to ovens and all cooking must be accomplished on four burners.

The following is the winning menu designed and executed by the HUDS team:

Plated Menu

Seafood chowder with snapper, scallops, mussels and roasted corn
Salad of pan seared strawberries, goat cheese, baby greens, and toasted almonds
Pan Roasted Breast of duck with sautéed yellow beets, green bean bundle & chateaux potatoes with a port wine sauce

Buffet menu

Pork medallions with fruit stuffing on crispy eggplant with a Dijon chardonnay cream sauce.

The ACF point criteria that the judges score is broken down as follows:

Service methods & presentation 5%
Portion size and nutritional balance 5%
Menu and ingredient compatibility 10%
Creativity and practicality 5%
Flavor, taste, texture, and doneness 35%
Sanitation 5%
Organization 5%
Culinary and cooking techniques 20%
Proper utilization of ingredients 5%
Timing/ work flow 5%

A gold medal is 36-40 points
A Silver medal is 32-35.99
A bronze medal is 28-31.99

Scores below bronze do not medal.

The HUDS team scored 36.4 earning them GOLD medals and the second place overall ranking in the competition.

Delaware North, one of the largest privately owned foodservice companies in the world, had flown in four of its Executive Chefs just for the competition. They scored 37.1 also earning Gold medals and first place in the competition.

Please join me in congratulating Team HUDS for this outstanding show of culinary expertise.

Farmers' Markets

2008-06-13T11:50:00.002-04:00

As summer arrives, so does Farmers’ Market season, and Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) is pleased to host two on our campus.

Just outside the yard, on Tuesdays from 12:30-6:00pm until October 28, you can enjoy the Farmers’ Market at Harvard. Entering our third season, located on the plot of land between the Science Center and Memorial Hall, we feature several farms or orchards, bakeries, and specialty vendors, such as chocolatiers and cheese makers. The market has expanded this year to 11 booths, plus several rotating vendors.

Similarly, we are hosting (with the Allston Development Group) a new market in Allston, on the corner of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue. The Allston Farmers’ Market, operating on Wednesdays from 3-7pm through October 29, also has several farms, bakeries, and specialty purveyors, offering such things as maple syrup and herbs.

One of the unique new additions to both markets is Flats Mentor Farm, in Lancaster, MA, which trains and mentors immigrant farmers (largely Hmong and African refugees) in growing in this area and selling their produce at markets. As a result, both the Harvard and Allston markets will have a unique selection of Asian produce and herbs.

Additionally, both markets will accept Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) food stamps, Women, Infant & Children (WIC) vouchers, and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) coupons.

These markets complement the efforts HUDS makes year-round to buy local and sustainable goods. While our school year does not align ideally with the growing season, we are still able to feature up to 40% local produce in the fall, and countless more local groceries.

Why buy locally? Money kept in this region supports the rural character of Massachusetts, as well as smaller area businesses. It also minimizes the environmental impacts of transportation and extensive packaging. And foods enjoyed closer to their point of growth or production are fresher and inevitably taste better.

Stop by the markets and see what’s fresh in Massachusetts. You can also learn more at http://www.dining.harvard.edu/flp/ag_market.html.

Congratulations, Grads!

2008-06-02T08:37:00.002-04:00

Please accept my warmest graduation wishes to all our grads, on behalf of HUDS. It has been our pleasure to serve all of you, and a thrill to engage with so many of you, these last four years. Best of luck!

Reminder: Dining Hall Service ends May 23

2008-05-21T09:23:00.004-04:00

Just a reminder: dining halls close after lunch on Friday, May 23. For those seniors who are graduating, we have breakfast and lunch service only, from Saturday, May 24 through Saturday, May 31. Please keep in mind this is just for those folks graduating, and is not part of the regular meal plan. If you're staying on beyond May 23 and are not a senior, you can continue to use BoardPlus until May 31, as well as Crimson Cash at any time.

Congratulations to our soon-to-be-graduates!

Q&A

2008-05-13T13:05:00.001-04:00

Let’s answer some questions – either those that you’ve recently asked or those that I know come up frequently.

Why don’t you charge just for what we eat? It would minimize waste.

The current meal plan is rooted in the House system and is considered by the College to be central to its success. Harvard believes the House system is a core component of the College experience, predicated on creating a level “playing field” for every student at Harvard, regardless of his or her socioeconomic background. Thus a variety of services and activities, of which unlimited dining is just one, is available to all students equally.

That said, the dining program has been evaluated and options for multiple or different meal plans have been reviewed and discussed – I refer you once again to the report from the Committee on House Life (http://www.orl.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k11447&pageid=icb.page85099) which voted unanimously to maintain the current dining program. Specifically, they recognized that the dining room is often the center of House life and restricted access, necessary if there are a variety of meal plans, would not serve House life well.

Some people view the board rate as expensive but the rate is in the middle of other comparable meal plans.

I also recognize the inequities – a football player at the height of training is definitely eating more than a less active individual, as does a person who eats 20 meals per week rather than someone who eats 6. The system relies on averages and the notion of community, not individual preferences. And, if we were to consider only ourselves, than there are many other inequities as a great deal of personal attention is given to those individuals with life threatening concerns, allergies, religious preferences within reason, and to a certain degree political and social concerns. When possible, even individual preferences about specific brands are considered. However, everything has a cost and to expect the current configuration of the meal plan to cater to every individual taste is simply not possible.

Can we change the bag meal system to have healthier options or even less options?

The bag meal system continues to evolve and, much like the menu, changes based on our understanding of what the majority of our students want or need. At its origin, students only wanted either tuna fish or PB&J, chips, an apple, and a drink. And options cost money – stock we have to keep on hand and labor to assemble. So we will look at the system and consider what it would cost to make change, but also have to balance that against the whole. I agree, variety and minimal waste would be ideal. We’ll see what we can do within reason.

Who decides the menu?

Really, you do – with some help from our chefs. We watch what you eat, what you ask for, and what is on your family dining tables. Based on this, chefs construct a menu that balances variety and popularity, is within our budget, and addresses special dietary needs. Does it look exactly like what you are served at home? Decidedly not, but then again neither do your dinner companions. Keep in mind, we are not a restaurant. We try to offer a nutritious, satisfying experience like you might have at home (or if you were a guest at a friend’s home). We will never be all things to all people at the same time. But in the process you may try something or learn something new. That’s our hope.

You should publicize the online feedback forums, such as the blog and CrimsonDining.org, more widely.

We’re trying, we’re trying! They’re on the kiosks and the table tents, the blog is on the front page of the web, and now I see that 89% of you are on Facebook regularly, where you can rate dishes on CrimsonDining.org. But as we all know, the best way to make anything online more widely used is for it to go viral. So send an email to ten of your friends and ask them to rate the foods or check out the blog. Go on. Have you done it yet? I’m waiting.

But seriously . . . tell your friends. And go on Facebook and join the Harvard University Dining Services group. We’ll use that space to let you know about upcoming events, to take your feedback, and to connect individuals with other campus groups that may be of interest.

Who are these advisory council people, why are they so removed from the dining hall, and how does it affect us?

The advisory council is made up of people who are recognized as expert in their fields as well as a few Harvard students’ parents, who I’m sure their sons or daughters will say are expert as well. See the April 7 entry for more details. They are very much connected to campus, thanks to extensive interactions with students and administrators during their visits. They visit, review, and report their recommendations to me and others at the University.

Why? It’s very helpful to have an informed third-party review from a group who understand the professional mechanics of preparing 25,000 meals a day and it gives perspective on our successes and our challenges.

Keep the questions coming and Good Luck on your exams!

CrimsonDining.org

2008-05-05T13:08:00.000-04:00

One of your classmates created a remarkable Facebook application called CrimsonDining.org. If you have a Facebook account, it allows you to rate any of our menu items. The application pulls up the current menu, and even isolates it to the nearest meal period. You can then view individual item ratings or rate your own. You can even leave specific comments. And . . . you can see when your favorites will next appear on the menu!

We collect all kinds of data, but this menu-specific tool is unique, so I urge you to check it out and share your feedback. Thanks so much to Keito Uchiyama ’11, who has given us his permission to share this with you.

We’ve also created a Facebook group page. One of you suggested here on the blog that we make additional blogs for specific interest groups. My hope is that Facebook might be an even easier forum for that, since many of you already have groups, like the Vegetarian Society, there. We’d love to help you create these food-interest links, or use our page to connect like-minded people or interests.

All of this, of course, is an effort to share information with you and get feedback in the mediums where you are most comfortable.

I know it’s reading period and you have plenty to do, but according to Facebook, people spend an average of 20 minutes daily on the site. So keep in touch – online or on paper.

Good luck on your exams.

Waste, Portions and Hunger

2008-04-29T14:44:00.000-04:00

We recently completed our twice-yearly food waste audit, and I’m glad to report that you have collectively reduced your per person per meal waste to an average of 2.15 ounces. This is down from last fall’s 2.5 ounces. Big picture what does that mean? If we maintained spring levels of food waste, as opposed to fall levels, which would equal 50,000 less pounds of food wasted a year. The cost savings could be funneled right back into our menu, and the waste itself would be diverted from the compost heap or, worse yet, a landfill.

HUDS does compost the waste from the majority of our dining halls (only three do not have the appropriate equipment). It is then transported to New Hampshire. We also donated salvageable food to a number of Boston-area shelters, including the nearby UniLu.

Several of you have proposed another way to manage waste: smaller portions. This is an intriguing idea and I’d like to hear more from you about it’s acceptability. Most portions, like animal proteins or pre-sliced dishes, are four ounces. We could move to a smaller three ounce serving. This has several benefits, for waste and nutrition. What drawbacks can you imagine?

Finally, we participate each May in the Project Bread Walk for Hunger by hosting a lemonade and water stand, just across from Leverett House along the river, for the tens of thousands of walkers who raise money to combat hunger in Massachusetts. The Walk is this Sunday, and I invite you to take on the trek (check it out at www.projectbread.org) or join us as a volunteer at the lemonade stand. Contact crista_martin@harvard.edu for details.

P.S. – Fountain Juice tasting this Friday at 2pm. Want to be a taster? Email Crista (crista_martin@harvard.edu). We’ll take the first three folks from each House!

Satisfaction Survey

2008-04-24T14:20:00.001-04:00

You’ve heard it before, you’ll hear it again – your clear message to us (more than 2300 of you took the survey) is that taste, quality, freshness and variety are job one with the menu. These are the areas you rank as being most important.

Following are the overall (all Houses and the Yard combined) scores, out of a possible 5 points. Our Fall 2007 scores, the highest we’d ever received in the food categories, are shown in parentheses.

Overall Satisfaction – 3.46 (3.98)
Temperature of Food – 3.81 (4.02)
Visual Appeal of Food – 3.53 (3.88)
Taste of Food – 3.23 (3.73)
Menu Variety – 2.91 (3.62)
Freshness of Food – 3.38 (3.71)
Availability of Food – 3.47 (3.78)
Staff Friendliness – 4.33 (4.39)
Speed of Service – 4.09 (4.07)
Appearance of Staff – 4.35 (4.38)
Cleanliness of Plates and Utensils – 3.91 (4.08)
Cleanliness of Facilities – 4.28 (4.35)
Accessibility and Visibility of Management – 4.22 (4.23)

First the good news – I am incredibly proud of the way our staff clearly remained front and center through the Menu Mishap of ’08. They were there to hear your concerns and try to work creatively through your dissatisfaction. They maintained the dining halls as welcoming spaces, even when we weren’t setting the table with the foods you love. So allow me to extend a very public thank you to Team HUDS for that.

Now for those less attractive scores: your assessment was spot on. And frankly, the fact that the upperclassmen did not take the survey until after we had begun to make some menu changes makes the scores higher than I expected. In your open-ended comments, as many of you had positive feedback as you did negative, and for that I appreciate your support and encouragement.

The fact is this: the precipitously rising cost of food makes the variety we currently present incredibly challenging. For years we have had the liberty, by finding efficiencies in the “back of the house” (in operations, facilities, etc.), of adding to the menu as you asked for new or different things. Now we have to look carefully at the full menu and give you variety, quality, freshness and taste, but in some new and more creative ways. This is a monumental task and will be a major summer project.

Other survey results:
The sustainability of our food is of interest to you, but secondary to a good dining experience. Brain Break is a key feature that many of you rely on, but which could use some work. Brain Break is largely in the hands of your HoCos, but we need to work more closely with them to make the most of the budget we have and extend the options offered. Most of you are comfortable approaching the staff if you need something specific, but a handful of you are concerned with imposing upon them, or feel the staff are inconvenienced by your request. Let me reiterate that we are here to serve your dining needs, and every member of our staff should be bent to that goal. Ask for what you need, and let someone know if your needs are not being met warmly and willingly.

Recently, we received some great feedback which we will use (along with information gathered from comment cards, the blog, the most recent survey, and student food committees) as we develop our fall menus. As always, your input is appreciated

And finally, it is our goal to keep these lines of communication open in new and functional ways for you. You want to hear what’s happening, and you want to have a say in any changes we make. So we we’ll keep up the blogging, but also invite you to tell us more about the kinds of information you want and the ways to best reach you.

Ted Mayer

Advisory Council

2008-04-17T13:39:00.001-04:00

As noted last time, I want to share with you the feedback from our Advisory Council, which visited April 9-11. The Advisory Council is a group of approximately 25 people, made up of highly regarded chefs, foodservice operators and consultants, and parents of Harvard students. They review our overall operations, and also provide feedback on a specific charge – this year is was the role and communication of sustainability efforts in our operations. The Council interviewed students, our staff, retail and catering customers, and University administrators.

With regard to Residential Dining, the Council found that most students are highly committed to sustainability as an ideal, but for the most part don’t understand it as practically applied in something like our dining halls. What’s more, your first priority as a student is the overall taste, quality, appearance, and health or nutrition of the menu, regardless of its sustainability. In fact, some folks don’t care at all about sustainability. The Council also noted a perception that sustainable, in the minds of some, equals less of or less flavorful.

Thus, our charge is to do a better job of ensuring that your everyday dining experience is not compromised, and that we must continue to find ways to incorporate sustainability without sacrificing taste, quality, health and nutrition.

We also need to share more of what’s going on “behind the Wizard’s curtain.” For example, many students are unaware of the efforts we take to reduce the impact of our facilities on energy usage such as composting in most locations, upgrading to energy-efficient equipment, minimizing waste, and staging competitions between dining halls to conserve. This is information we will do a better job of sharing with you.

Many of you equate sustainability with a garden. We’re working on two avenues for such an experience at Harvard. We’re working with several academic and operational departments to find a small, unused plot where we could have a learning garden. We are also working with a small family farm, about 25 miles from Cambridge, that will grow a host of items exclusively for us and allow interested students to participate in the planting and harvesting of these items.

The core message that came through to the Council was this: change is fine, but instability is not. Obviously, we need to continue communicating with you about what is happening and why.

The Council’s findings very much mirror what we’ve seen on the Residential Dining survey (about which I’ll share more NEXT week).

So thank you all for providing a very clear roadmap for HUDS. We’ll do our best to take you there!

Earth Day

2008-04-15T14:53:00.001-04:00

Tuesday, April 22 is Earth Day. Established in 1970, Earth Day is intended to raise awareness of environmental issues and their impact on the planet. Food is a central component of that, so HUDS will offer an Earth Day dinner that highlights several of the ways we can eat more sustainably. Most notably, the menu will feature products from local farms and purveyors, and options that are lower on the food chain (the less resources it takes to produce a food, the more sustainable it is).

Some menu highlights:
∑ Breakfast for dinner! Always a hit, but it can also be a very resource efficient meal.
∑ For those who don’t like breakfast for dinner, we’ll also have free-range chicken and appropriate accompaniments.
∑ A chef’s station will feature Hubbard Squash, one of North America’s indigenous vegetables. These Hubbard’s come from Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, Massachusetts. HUDS is currently working with them to plant several crops just for us, and to forge a relationship with a working family farm that you can visit on some trips we plan to coordinate (strawberry or blueberry picking, perhaps?).

Some other updates:

The Advisory Council was in town last week, as you know. Thanks to all of you who met with them and shared your impressions and feedback. They reported their findings to me and I’ll write more about that later this week.
Question re. what desserts contain trans-fats – none of them! HUDS is 100% trans-fat free. In fact, at the recent dessert tasting we tried Chocolate Truffle Bars, but they still have small amounts of trans-fats, so we’ll have to wait to get that favorite in until the baker has finished tweaking the recipe (which we expect to happen by the fall).
Question re. rye bread and spinach wraps at Dunster: we’ll get them into the rotation.

Enjoy the spring weather!

A Quick Update

2008-04-09T09:17:00.000-04:00

Catching up on some details for you.

The dessert tasting last Friday was from all accounts a success. There were roughly 30 students in attendance who used score sheets to rate 35 desserts. We learned that a lot of the cakes are well received if we can keep them from drying out. Our baker is working on a fix for this problem (the result of cutting and plating portions). Also, several new cakes (Apple, Banana, Harvest, Boston Cream), bar cookies (especially fruit-filled), cobblers (peach is a hit, blueberry not as much), and brownies (M&M and Peanut Butter) rose to the top of the ratings. We will get these on the menu as quickly as possible – by next week, I expect. More details to come.

We’ve worked through a high-level survey assessment, but also want to review the results with our student survey committee (hopefully next week). Obviously, taste, freshness and quality remain paramount issues for you (as they are for us), and we continue to work on how to balance them with the variety you want (did you know we have more than 6,000 items that come through the dining hall in the course of the year?). Honestly, this is a very complex problem (especially in the face of the global food cost issues) and will take longer to address. In the meantime, we’re working on the smaller “fixes” that make your day-to-day dining fun and flavorful.

We still have spots on the student panel for meeting with our Advisory Council (see below). Please join us to share your feedback.

And some recent inquiries:

Mini corn dogs: we’ll look into it. For now. I know full-sized ones are on the spring menu.

Spray for the panini grill: absolutely. But if it’s not out, just ask the grill chef for some.

Grilled vegetables in the salad bar: I’ll share that with the chef. But you can always take a plate of vegetables to the grill chef, and he or she will cook them for you. Or toss them on the panini grill!

French fries: we’ll keep variety coming – and keep looking for more trans-fat free options.

White chocolate chunk cookies: Yum! We use Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, so we’ll see if they have that style in our size cookie.

And bravo to the Harvard Native Americans, who helped us make such a special meal on Friday. We love those opportunities for collaboration and sharing new foods, so thanks for trying it along with us!

Have a great week!

HUDS' Advisory Council

2008-04-07T12:26:00.003-04:00

Hi, all. HUDS’ Advisory Council arrives this Wednesday, April 9, and you will see them throughout the dining halls, especially on Wednesday at dinner and throughout the day Thursday. The Advisory Council is a group of parents of Harvard students, foodservice professionals and chefs who visit our operations annually, and over the course of a three-day review period, examine what we’re doing. We ask them to look at our operations and consider our performance as a whole, as well as give feedback on a specific charge (this year we have asked them to review how we manage and communicate our sustainability efforts and their appropriate place within our programs).

The Advisory Council conducts numerous interviews, both scheduled and impromptu. Should you see them in your dining hall, please feel free to approach them and share your perspective on HUDS’ performance. In additional, at 4pm on Thursday, April 10, we have an open student panel (we can accommodate about 20 students). Please email crista_martin@harvard.edu if you would like to meet with the Council.

Members of the Advisory Council serve two three-year terms. Following are the members who will be with us this year:

Jody Adams – Chef/Owner of Rialto, Cambridge, MA
Peter Alessio – President and Chief Operating Officer of Lackman Culinary Services, NY
Matt Biette – Director of Dining Services for Middlebury College, VT
Donna Boss – Founder of Boss Enterprises (food communications firm), NY
Maureen Clancy – Parent and Food Columnist and Restaurant Critic, CA
Karen Cosgrove – Parent, MA
Michael DeRousse – Restaurateur and Former Director of Dining Services at UC Santa Barbara, CA
Joan Grenzeback – Parent, MA
Gordon Hamersley – Chef/Owner of Hamersley’s Bistro, Boston, MA
Thomas John – Executive Chef of Au Bon Pain, Boston, MA
Mollie Katzen – Chef and Cookbook Author, CA
Mary Lou Kennedy – Director of Dining Services for Bowdoin College, ME
Julaine Kiehn – Director of Campus Dining Services for University of Missouri, MO
Patti Lee Klos – Director of Dining Services for Tufts University, MA
Art Korandanis – Director of Auxiliary Services at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Peg Lacey – National Market Manager for CBORD, Inc. (food management software), NY
Barbara MacLeod – Parent, MA
Paul O’Connell – Chef/Owner of Chez Henri, Cambridge, MA
Regenia Phillips – Director of Dining Services at University of North Texas, TX
Steven Shipley – Director of Development and Alumni Relations for Johnson & Wales Culinary School, RI
Fritz Sonnenschmidt – Certified Master Chef and Culinary Ambassador for the Culinary Institute of America, NY
Praxedis Von Baldegg – Parent, MA
Robert Whitcomb – Chairman and CEO for Whitson’s Culinary Group, NY
Dean Wright – Director of Dining Services for Brigham Young University, UT
Yu-Wen Wu – Parent, MA

As always, we rely on your feedback to provide continuous improvement of our services and thank you for your input.

Tomorrow we will continue answering your inquiries as well as share the results of Friday's dessert tasting. Thanks!

Quick Queries

2008-04-04T15:11:00.000-04:00

A number of you have asked specific questions. Here’s a Q&A wrap-up.

French Toast at Annenberg slows the line: we want to keep the food as fresh as possible, cooking as much to the serving line as we can. French toast is so much better hot off the griddle. That said, I know Team Annenberg is working to serve you as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Other cheeses (besides American) in Mather? Mather has less cold wells than other dining halls, and thus has a harder time with cheese variety. But we’ll make it happen!

Fly-By compliments and suggestions: good to hear what you like and want. We’ll take it under consideration as we review the Fly-By menu this summer and try to bring some new variety to the program.

Garden burgers out at Annenberg: Garden burgers are always available to order, but are less popular than others. To avoid waste, we try to cook these just for those folks who want them.

Suggestions for the Greenhouse Café: Our online feedback system includes all the retail operations. Send them a message and they’ll be glad to respond.

Curly fries in the dining hall: We are trans-fat free, and thus have had a limited selection of fried items such as curly fries. But more and more manufacturers are changing their products to be trans-fat free. We’ll keep our eyes open for a good curly fry.

Summer school: The board rate for the summer school program has already been set. That said, it’s a very different program and menu because it serves a different group – and in Annenberg Hall, whose size makes it more efficient. That said, food prices continue to rise and we will continue to try and make smart choices to manage the budget.

Organic mixed field greens: these are on rotation, so you should see them periodically, as you do spinach, romaine, and “HUDS mix” (an iceberg mix).

Veggie Crumbles and tofu, in entrees and at Fly-By: We work closely with the Harvard Vegetarian Society (HVS) to provide vegetarian and vegan options that the group likes taste-wise, but that also meet those individuals’ needs for alternative proteins. We’ve taste-tested other proteins, like seitan and tempeh, but none have been as readily accepted as tofu. I would encourage your vegetarian friends to share their views with us and with the HVS so we can try to find the right balance.

Nacho bar: Appearing on Tuesday with the Baseball Opening Day Menu!

Thanks, all. Keep the feedback coming.

Welcome Back from Spring Break

2008-04-02T11:09:00.001-04:00

Whether you stayed on campus, went home for a visit, or took a short vacation, I hope your spring break week was restful.

I noted this Monday’s Crimson editorial, “Hungry Hungry Harvard.” Obviously some of those folks stayed on campus. The editorial expressed a desire that some dining hall(s) remain open during the break for students who stay on campus.

This is actually a decision that the College and FAS makes in conjunction with HUDS. Each year we develop a calendar based on past patterns of when people eat on campus, and is approved by the Masters and the College and figured into the board rate. This includes shutting down or minimizing dining halls as a cost-saving measure at times such as intersession and breaks. Generally, we remain open, in limited amounts, when the break is relatively short.

That students are allowed to remain in the dorms does send a somewhat conflicting message about whether any or all other campus services should be available, so I do see the frustration.

HUDS provided spring break meal plans in the past, but individuals were expected to pay to participate. The practice was discontinued because we did not have enough people sign up. We were to renew the spring break meal plan, it would most likely be an additional expense and there would have to be enough participants to justify it.

On to some of the other feedback of late:

TJ noted concern regarding the environmental impact of portable foods. We now have mug trees in every dining hall so that one can take drinks to go in a more environmentally friendly manner. We also use recyclable plastic ware and encourage you to dispose of it properly. To that end, we’ve also made recycling stations readily available in the dining halls for those times when you bring paper or plastic in or use plastics (such as at Brain Break).

As for the retail operations, most do not have dishwashing facilities, and thus we use disposables. The Greenhouse is on our list of retail operations to convert to compostable disposables. We have already instituted compostables at the Graduate School of Design and the Divinity School. Next up is the School of Public Health, around May 1. Compostables cost more, but we are getting great feedback from the customers of those cafes where they are available.

Environmental labeling: we are seeking a student intern for the summer to work on a labeling program for our foods. Check out the ESPP10 class web site.

A request for fresh herbs: at any given time, the House likely has some herbs that are needed for a recipe. You can ask the grill cook what’s available and he or she will gladly dice you a few. But fresh herbs can be expensive, so we also offer a broad range of dried herbs that keep well and let you customize food to your unique tastes.

Check out the free cooking classes, listed below. Also, the dessert tasting will take place this coming Friday, and we’ll share those and the survey results very shortly.

And finally: we worked closely with Native Americans at Harvard College (NAHC) to put forward this Friday’s festive meal/savory spotlight (at dinner) featuring traditional Native American foods – and also highlighting some of the foods indigenous to North America. Check it out and share your feedback.

Cooking Classes

2008-03-24T14:32:00.003-04:00

Last year HUDS offered several very popular one-night cooking classes as part of the Life Skills series. In a continuation of that effort, we are pleased to offer the following:

Tuesday, April 8 – Tastes of the Mediterranean
Tuesday, April 22 – Mexican Fiesta
Wednesday, April 23 – Cooking 101 for Freshmen

Each class is approximately 2 hours (in the evening), and is entirely FREE. Participants must sign up in advance, and are enrolled on a first-come first-served basis. To sign up, email theresa_mcculla@harvard.edu and indicate the class in which you are interested.

Trayless and Treats

2008-03-19T10:15:00.001-04:00

Having received two phone calls from major newspapers in the last two days about trayless dining, I’m curious to hear more from you – good or bad, Quincy or non-Quincy – about what you think of such a project. Many others schools have gone totally trayless (admittedly with a rocky period of adjustment) and reduced waste (http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/01/30/trays). It’s unlikely we would ever do something so drastic, but have you tried going trayless? Why (or why not)? As someone who often eats on the run, I share your need for convenience, but have tried trayless numerous times and found personal strategies to make it work. What about you?

On to some of your questions:

Dessert is a hot topic – and we have lots of folks signed up for the April 4 tasting. That favorite that you haven’t seen for a while – Chocolate Truffle Bars – is no longer offered because it contains trans-fats. Our dessert baker has been working to modify recipes and get the trans-fats out, so perhaps they’ll have something similar to show us at the tasting!

Labeling for dairy-free is unfortunately something we cannot do. If we were to take on labeling for food allergies or intolerances, we would have to be sure the system was infallible (because a mistake could be unpleasant or even fatal for some). Since we cannot guarantee that, we cannot label for allergens or intolerances. That said, your dining hall managers have ingredient lists for everything we offer, and can help you identify those things that are dairy-free. This self-identification and management of individual needs is necessary in the face of both the diversity of student health concerns and the vast number of foods we offer (3,500 recipes and more than 6,000 ingredients).

Bananas for bananas at Winthrop? The only reason they wouldn’t be there is if we were shorted or missed on a delivery, but I’m sure your House Chef Production Manager is working hard to get restocked.

We are hoping to refresh the website this summer. It was professionally designed but we maintain it, and it could use some “tidying” by a professional coder. That said, we’ll take a look at updating those areas you pointed out a little sooner.

Breakfast burritos are a hit at the Greenhouse as well, and have appeared in the dining halls periodically. Based on student feedback, our chefs designed breakfast to be more portable, with breakfast sandwiches and parfaits, and the result is that you’re starting your day with us more frequently than ever. But I’ll remind them of your fondness for the burrito twist.

And fruit variety – the seasonality of hand fruit greatly affects the price. Pears are more readily available in the fall. Spring is a time for more citrus. So while pears might not make it to your table, some other varieties of hand fruit should (with a pear snuck in from time to time, perhaps, if I have my way).

Happy dining, and don’t forget, if you’ve not yet filled out the survey, go to www.dining.harvard.edu/survey. You have until 11:59pm Thursday!

Dessert Tasting

2008-03-18T09:06:00.003-04:00

Based on your feedback, we will be considering a new line of desserts on Friday, April 4 in the afternoon. We would like 3 representatives from each House for this tasting. Please email crista_martin@harvard.edu if you would like to participate. Tasters will be taken for each House in the order in which they are received.

Bring your sweet tooth!

Satisfaction – Survey & General Questions

2008-03-18T07:39:00.001-04:00

Just a reminder that the Spring Satisfaction Survey is online now (until 11:59pm Thursday) at www.dining.harvard.edu/survey, and we need your feedback. We’re getting a good response that highlights both those things that need to be fixed and those things that you love. This is the sort of actionable data that helps us make program change, so thank you.

Based on your suggestions, we asked several students to help us write additional questions that would get to the heart of some of your concerns. That same group of students will also help us analyze the data. You should expect a detailed summary shortly after spring break.

On to some of your questions or requests:

Chicken dumpling soup is not on the spring menu. We try to lighten things up at this time of year. But I’m sure it will return in the fall.

Items like cheese wedges will appear on the salad bar from time to time, but are mostly out of our financial reach, especially in light of the sharp price increase in dairy items. That said, the cheese in the deli bar and the shredded cheese on the salad bar is real cheese (not a heavily processed clone) that we’ve just had pre-cut for us.

Fresh fruit salad will appear several times a week at breakfast, cycled with other fruits like melon, grapefruit and pineapple.

We try to feature local apples as much as possible, especially since they are one of the major Massachusetts agricultural products, and I’ll encourage your dining hall toward Fujis if they’re available. Some folks have expressed dislike for local apples, because they are sometimes bruised or less shiny. That’s because they come to us by the bushel basket, just off the orchard, instead of individually packed in a traveling crate as they do from Washington. If you look past the skin, you’ll find local apples to be very juicy and flavorful, in part because they have not endured long storage and travels in a controlled atmosphere.

Brown rice is still available at Lowell – just to the left of the pasta station where it once lived.

And breakfast for lunch – yum! We’ll see what we can do. Is there an optimal day for that, like maybe Fridays?

In the News and In Your Bowls

2008-03-15T10:58:00.001-04:00

Two items I’ve noted and thought you would be interested in:

The Boston Public Health Commission is mandating the elimination of trans-fats from any restaurant and school menu (by September 2008). This is based on research that shows that trans-fats raise bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, and otherwise lead to several series medical concerns. HUDS went trans-fat free in September of 2007. I have sometimes heard students call for the “return of trans fats” because they view them as being vital to good flavor. More than anything, trans-fats extend shelf life of a product. So we will continue to be trans-fat free, but will also continue to work with vendors, especially on baked goods, in finding the right recipes.

And in breakfast news, at your request, as of Monday we will once again start serving rolled or quick oats in addition to steel cut oats. Steel cut oatmeal is more nutritious (it is less processed and thus maintains more of its original, highly fibrous hull), but it is also unfamiliar to many. So take your pick and enjoy!

Thanks for the positive feedback re. the reinvigorated or new lines of communication and the return of some favorite menu items.

Specific cereal flavors? I’ve shared your request with your dining hall manager.

Those small, cylindrical bowls are called monkey dishes. The stock may have been depleted. We’ll look into it, because they make for a nice tasting or small portion dish.

How’s the Spring menu going? What have you had so far that you love – or don’t? Make sure to fill out the Spring Satisfaction Survey (now available at www.dining.harvard.edu/survey) and let us know.

Questions, Requests & Answers

2008-03-13T11:06:00.001-04:00

Thanks first and foremost to all of you for remarking on and acknowledging the staff’s efforts of late to answer your requests and make changes. I’m very proud of the responsiveness of the HUDS team, and I share your compliments with them (and your gratitude for them).

Your blog questions or requests and my thoughts:

Q: I would like to request a new [brain break] toaster for Dunster Dining Hall.
A; DONE!

Q: Requests for asparagus, fresh berries
A: These items are too “rich” for our standard menu, but we constantly keep an eye on what is available locally and at a price we can afford (we get a weekly update about produce from local farms). Thus, these items might at any time make a special menu appearance, though we’ll try to keep you updated should we get it in!

Q: Nutrition information and simple conversion to everyday
A: The web page noted (http://www.dining.harvard.edu/flp/nut_portion.html) is one we put together aimed at giving everyday references for gauging a portion size, as well as for knowing what our dishware holds.

When we state a portion in ounces, it is generally weight, unless that item is liquid, in which case it is volume. We have struggled with the issue of how portion sizes are stated (and the confusion between portions, servings, and how appropriate portions differ depending on an individual’s size), and still have not come up with a resolution that meets both the needs of our menu management system and the everyday diner. One possible solution is to offer “portion” tours with a UHS dietician. Would that be helpful?

Q: Possible to get smaller dishware?
A: This is a very interesting thought. Each year we replace about $150,000 in dishware that has mysteriously vanished from the dining hall. ;-) When we do that, we could consolidate the existing dishes into several dining halls and place new, smaller vessels all in one or two locations, progressively making the replacement over several years. A good thought that we will explore.

Q: Guacamole with quesadillas
A: It should appear periodically, if not always, with your favorite Mexican foods.

Q: Cereal Variety
A: With cereal or any such “staple” item, if you don’t see what you want, just ask. We may have it in stock, but not in the current rotation. Dining hall managers have the ability to tailor core items to the community’s tastes, so I’ll share your preferences, and you should expect to see some variety rolling through . . .

Q: Quincy brain break toaster needs to be replaced
A: DONE!

Spring Menu Starts Wednesday

2008-03-11T19:07:00.002-04:00

The spring seasonal menu starts Wednesday, March 12. It features lighter entree options in honor of the change of seasons, as well as a return of some of your favorites. Let us know how it goes.

Also, I met with the Undergraduate Council on Monday night. I will shortly post the presentation
I shared with them, as well as the Q&A.

A Great Start

2008-03-11T18:58:00.005-04:00

Thanks to those of you who have posted comments already. Rachel, I'm glad you're enjoying the changes. The oranges should be good for a while now -- it's prime citrus season. I'll investigate the possibility of the parfait station staying up. We do need some time to "turn" the servery from breakfast to lunch, and don't know whether that would be an issue, but we'll ask the question.

As for how other schools renovate, every institution handles it differently. Here we incorporated it into our board rate request and managed the renovation process.

Anonymous #1 – I'm sorry you were unhappy, but glad we've opened the channels of communication. Hopefully some of the recent changes will improve your experience – not least among them chicken quesadillas, which are on the spring menu and are featured on March 15. I'll share the exact date as soon as I know it, but keep your eyes open!

Anon #2 – we are checking how (and why) your grilled chicken experience at Lowell is different than other Houses. More info to come. As for the froyo "star", and new one has been ordered, so your froyo should be swirly soon.

Welcome – Please Share Your Feedback

2008-03-08T07:58:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the HUDS blog! Share your comments and feedback about dining at Harvard, and I will respond quickly and directly. Have a question? Heard a rumor? Want to suggest something new for the menu? All ideas and critiques are welcome. I look forward to the dialogue.

Harvard University Dining Services

HUDS’ Fall 2011 Residential Dining Satisfaction Survey Recap

FOOD WASTE IS DOWN 56.5% SINCE 2005

Cage Free Eggs

Harvard 375th in the Houses

Cage Free at Harvard

Spring Menu Highlights

Welcome Back (to the winter menu)

Welcome (Back)!

Painting the Town Green

25,000 meals – a day!

Welcome Back to the Winter Menu

Happy Holidays, Happy J-Term

Residential Dining Survey Summary

Celebrating Sustainability

Community & Taste

Welcome!

Fresh at Harvard

Q&A Re. Dining Changes

Residential Dining Changes

A New Brew

Top Chef Harvard

Swine Flu

Quick Updates

New Harvard ID Cards

Spring Survey Results and Spring Menu Highlights

HUDS Website Updates

HUDS Cheeses and Animal Rennet

Student Dining Advisory Committee

FLP in February

Update: Peanut Butter & Salmonella Outbreak

Winter Menu Changes

Satisfaction Survey Recap

Student Dining Advisory Committee

A New Stripe on Campus

Nutrition Labeling Update

Food Literacy Project Reps

Sustainability Week

Nutrition Info & Farmers' Markets at Harvard

Healthy Eating at Harvard

Ward's Berry Farm: Update

Ward's Berry Farm

Welcome (or welcome back) to Harvard!

Sustainability Report

Going for the Gold

Farmers' Markets

Congratulations, Grads!

More Questions (Boy, you're curious!)

Reminder: Dining Hall Service ends May 23

Q&A

CrimsonDining.org

Waste, Portions and Hunger

Satisfaction Survey

Advisory Council

Earth Day

A Quick Update

HUDS' Advisory Council

Quick Queries

Welcome Back from Spring Break

Cooking Classes

Trayless and Treats

Dessert Tasting

Satisfaction – Survey & General Questions

In the News and In Your Bowls

Questions, Requests & Answers

Spring Menu Starts Wednesday

A Great Start

Welcome – Please Share Your Feedback