CASEY LAND, Staff Writer—The traditional hall was set up with three different tables with stovetops, each with a different menu item. One table was debuting new autumn inspired dinner and appetizer items, which included brussel sprouts with bacon and caramelized onions, grilled carrots with butternut squash puree, and cornetto appetizers. The small cones were made out of sundried tomatoes and spinach, containing either buffalo chicken or tapenade.
Bon Appetit, Denison’s catering company that supplies food for all dining halls and events, held their catering exposition on Friday, November 15. This expo is held only once or twice a year, and it serves as a way for the company to keep Denison in the loop on what they are adding to the menu, what is inspiring their new foods, and for the chefs to introduce themselves and their work to people on campus. The event was held in Knobel Hall in Burton Morgan from 2-4 p.m.
“I did most of this for ambiance,” Dylan Price said. The head of sales and marketing for the catering company was there to represent Bon Appetit, and he was proud of all the new things that were being shown. “I wanted to incorporate not just the food, but other seasonal aspects that inspired this,” he said, gesturing towards the rustic wooden plates and bowls, and the decorations for the dining table. In terms of who this is for, it is mostly the students and faculty at Denison. “Denison keeps us pretty busy,” Price laughs. “There are as many as 17 Bon Appetit catered events on campus in a day, and it is a lot of work to set up and take down all of them.”
There was a dessert table, which debuted a new glazed apple tart and gingerbread cake, as well as a white vanilla gluten free cake, iced in red and white for Denison. The last table had hand rolled sushi, with either carrots, cucumber, or daikon. There were also Impossible lettuce wraps, with an array of Asian inspired toppings (eggs, pickled ginger, sprouts, etc.)
The introduction of faux meat, such as the Impossible brand, is something new Bon Appetit is incorporating on campus, and it is something they are excited about. In the middle of the room, a large table of charcuterie boards was set out, which involved plates of meats and cheese, crackers and jelly, and bread, olives, fruits and vegetables. There was also a round dining table set up with a tablecloth, plates and cutlery, napkins and holders, and an autumn inspired centerpiece.
When asked why Bon Appetit is special, Price says “you’re not just eating with (students and other clients), you’re breaking bread with them.”
He elaborates on the importance of community within the company, and how that is something they try to bring to the students, one of these aspects being the large, wooden family style tables in Curtis and Huffman.
“We want to emphasize the idea of relationships that President Weinberg talks about,” Price said. “Bon Appetit is special because we incorporate that, which is something you would not expect in an academic setting.”
With the expo, Bon Appetit is excited about new additions and themes, which are creating a new and diverse future for the company.