VCU news

RICHMOND, Va. (Aug. 25, 2004) – Forget college cafeteria lines of old where students filed through and took whatever “mystery meat” was offered. Trends in campus dining are changing, and Virginia Commonwealth University is at the forefront with its new Shafer Court Dining Center.

Conceived by ARAMARK Corp., the market-style concept includes performance-cooking stations -- with chefs who prepare the food in front of the customers -- and made-to-order service that relies on fresh ingredients ordered daily.

“The new dining hall is another reflection of VCU’s commitment to its students,” said university President Eugene Trani. “Each year, VCU becomes more of a destination, residential university, and this new, state-of-the-art dining center is another example of our student-centered university philosophy put into action.”

The dining hall is part of $1 billion in university construction completed, under way or that has been authorized since Trani arrived at VCU in 1990.

“This new trend of performance cooking will meet the dietary needs of VCU’s population, whose tastes are increasingly sophisticated and diverse,” said Diane Reynolds, director of VCU Business Services.  “Many of the fresher, made-to-order meals will allow students and patrons to feel more in control of what they are consuming.”

According to ARAMARK, a look at student dining trends shows that campus dining is shifting away from the traditional methods of food prepared behind the scenes to the performance cooking approach, which features a variety of food stations, including those where chefs prepare customized meals at the diner’s request.

The concept of performance cooking in university dining halls is not new, but VCU is one of the first Virginia schools to place the dining center’s kitchen completely in the open, meaning that food preparation — from mixing ingredients and chopping vegetables to applying final touches — will take place in view of customers.

Reynolds says customers can choose to dine either at the chef’s counter at each cooking station or at more intimate locations with views of the campus.

The new Shafer Court Dining Center, scheduled to begin operation when the fall semester begins in August, will serve both residents and retail customers. The second level is known as Market 810, the center’s restaurant that houses the marketplace concept and performance cooking. Venues include:

* Field of Greens, featuring a sprawling salad bar
* Sergeant Pepper’s, offering vegetarian and vegan selections
* Basil’s, serving pizza and pasta
* Fan Fare, featuring homestyle and comfort foods
* Stir Crazy, offering Mongolian grill favorites
* Rams’ Grill, serving burgers and fries.

The ground level, known as the Compass Pointe Emporium, consists of the following local and national retail partners:

* Sbarro, serving traditional Italian cuisine
* Richmond Grille, specializing in made-to-order quarter pound burgers
* Vie de France, featuring French bakery goods and pastries
* Biscotti’s, a coffee bar serving Seattle’s Best coffee
* Market 810 2 Go, a take-out component of the facility’s second-floor restaurant.

For more information, visit http://www.bsv.vcu.edu/vcufood/.