Hello. As a quick introduction, My name is
Ryan Jensen. I am the General Manager here
at Lewis & Clark College.
I have worked with Bon Appetit for 15 years.
14 of those in educational dining settings.
Over my tenure I have had the pleasure of
not only feeding, but getting to know tens
of thousands of students during their adventure
navigating through their own personal college
experiences.
If you can remember one thing from this presentation,
you can always call or email "Ryan The Food
Guy" with any questions or concerns!
Bon Appetit serves universities, corporations,
museums, and cultural institutions in 33 states.
Bon Appetit is proud to have been partners
with Lewis & Clark College for over 30 years.
Our driving philosophy is to provide food
service for a sustainable future. We source
products and cook food in a manner that respects
the environment, our vendors, employees, and
the community.
We buy from numerous local small farms ranches,
and food producers through Farm to Fork and
Locally crafter programs.
Ours chefs cook from scratch and do not use
corporate recipes or take shortcuts.
Guests will find abundant plant forward, vegetarian,
and vegan options as well as menu choices
that are made without gluten-containing ingredients.
Allergies and Restricted Diets
We are happy to work with our students with
food allergies of other dietary restrictions
to make sure that they can safely dine with
us.
Our staff is trained on safe food handling
practices and cross contamination, as well
as how to identify allergens in the food we
produce.
Bon Appetit's number on concern is providing
meals that are safe for your student to consume.
In pursuit of this goal we will work with
your student to ensure that their individual
needs are addressed.
The first step for any student is to make
time to meet with us. If you hear of your
students having difficulty or frustrations
with campus dining, please encourage them
to come and speak with us as soon as possible.
Remind your student that with 1400 other people
eating on campus, their preferences might
not always be met, but they should not go
home hungry- they NEED to vocal and let us
know how we can help.
Food for the Community.
Everyone has different preferences; we work
to provide a variety of options daily to meet
the needs of both adventurous and plain eaters.
We team with student groups to plan events
that celebrate food culture and diversity
and openly welcome conversation with our students
on how to better highlight the differences
that make our community inclusive and welcoming.
Our chefs work hard to write menus that reflect
a wide variety of foods that range from the
easily approachable to dishes that allow for
creative expression, cultural authenticity,
and exposure to new ingredients and preparation
techniques for our guests. If your student
needs something and can't find it, they simply
need to ask. We operate a fully sticked kitchen
and in most cases can quickly take care of
our student's needs as soon as we are made
aware of them. Our managers are always on
the floor (we hate being in our offices) and
are always just a moment away when needed
to answer questions or to track down what
our guests need.
Special Days
Students need to hear from you! If you are
celebrating a milestone, birthday, remembering
an important family or personal event, or
just want to reach out to a homesick student,
we have you covered!
Please contact our catering department to
discuss options that we offer to help remind
your student of home and of the people who
care for them. In times of uncertainty, we
can help you show your student that you are
there supporting them as they grow, learn,
and succeed. If you need help, just email
sarahill@lclark.edu.
Student Employment.
I have had the pleasure of employing hundreds
of students within our operation to provide
not only financial resources, but also to
help them socialize and gain working experience
in a safe and welcoming environment.
Many of our students are joining work force
for the first time, or may be visiting campus
from other countries where opportunities for
employment are very limited. Our schedule
flexibility is designed around letting students
be students first- academics are always our
top priority.
We exclusively offer non-work study jobs for
students who may not qualify for other on-campus
jobs. Our positions do fill up quickly each
semester. If your student is seeking employment,
please encourage them to check the student
job board and apply upon their arrival to
campus.
Things Go Wrong.
You will hear of terrible roommates, unforgiving
professors, intolerable weather, and admittedly
at times your student will miss your home
cooking. Remember that there are truths and
misunderstandings in all of these situations
and your student will express to you, as well
as communication issue that can be easily
resolved. Your student will need to learn
to advocate for themselves- help them learn
to do this by first asking "Who have you spoken
to about this problem?".
That's About It
I want to thank you for trusting us to take
care of your student as they navigate moving
away from home. We are here to support them
(and you) as they transition into the fun,
scary, exciting, and rewarding world of the
college setting. We are only a phone call
away, thank you for your time, and please
do reach out at any time with any questions
you may have.
