URI Dining Services gobble up two national awards

It’s the sixth year since 2008 that the University has earned recognition from National Association of College and University Food Services:  

One gold medal highlighted the recent expansion of Butterfield Dining Hall, from 210 seats to 560. Butterfield provides students with plenty of custom options and foods from the grill, deli or salad bar. Much is locally sourced and students can choose from vegan, vegetarian, Kosher and other ethnic food varieties. And a smartphone app displays daily menus at all the dining halls, live camera views to see how busy they are, and balances on meal plans.

The second gold was for a March special event, “Candyland.” Staff decorated the hall to look like the classic board game and served Candyland-themed foods, using candy in savory dishes, or creating dishes that looked like sweet confections. Menu items included “Lemon Drop” tortellini, meatball “cupcakes,” and even fried candy bars. Music such as “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Strawberry Fields” set the atmosphere.

“Our staff know students by their first names and quickly learn each student’s specific preferences,” says Steve Mello, director of Dining and Retail Food Services at URI. “Some students just order their ‘regular,’ or can’t wait to have a staff member make them something special after a tough exam. My staff probably interacts with these students three or four times a day. This is the students’ dining room and we are happy to make them feel at home.”