In 2010, the Bon Appétit Management Company team at the University of Pennsylvania struck up a partnership with The Common Market, a new non-profit organization dedicated to building sustainable and equitable local food systems. Nearly 15 years later, Bon Appétit and The Common Market have grown together, with Bon Appétit-served colleges, universities, cultural institutions, and corporate headquarters sourcing from The Common Market in Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, and beyond. Here’s the story of how the partnership, centered around shared values, grew from one metro region on the East Coast to span half of the United States.
Farm to Fork Profile: Minnesota’s Campus Farms
The St. Olaf College Garden Research and Organic Works (STOGROW) and the Carleton Student Organic Farm employ rotating summer student interns each year, who grow thousands of pounds of produce, all of which is purchased by Bon Appétit for the schools’ respective cafés. The farms, which are both just 1.5 acres, have an outsized impact, serving as hubs for experiential learning and community-building.
Farm to Fork Profile: A Generational Partnership with A&J Orchards
Outside of Hood River, Oregon, fruit trees sprawl across acres and acres of bucolic landscape of the Columbia River Gorge. Sam Asai and his family have been tending their orchard here for generations.
Sam, whose grandparents emigrated from Japan in the early 20th century, owns and operates the orchard together with his family. Sam’s grandparents purchased some of the land that now makes up A&J’s acreage in the 1900s, raising their family and establishing their first fruit trees.
Farm to Fork Profile: New Creation Farm and a Partnership that Feels Like Family
In 2014, Vincent Gaikens went looking for a change. After a decade and a half of working for another large food service company, he felt a longing to develop relationships with local farmers and showcase seasonal ingredients from his home state of Ohio. After a brief job search, Vincent found a match with Bon Appétit […]
Farm to Fork Profile: A Model for Local Sourcing at Rogers Williams University
The Bon Appétit at Roger Williams team has built a leading local sourcing program, bringing the best of the state’s cornucopia of seafood, produce, and animal proteins to campus. Over the past 18 years, the team, led by General Manager James Gubata and Culinary Director Jonathan Cambra, has worked closely with a tight-knit group of Farm to Fork vendors, learning some valuable lessons along the way.
Executive Chef Doran Payne’s Culinary Adventure: Celebrating Bon Appétit’s Chef of the Year 2023
Meet Bon Appétit’s nominee for 2023 Chef Appreciation Week Chef of the Year, Doran Payne!
Buying with Purpose: Local Sourcing at Scale with Rancho Llano Seco
Under the leadership of Culinary Director Kristela Nazario-Mendoza, the Bon Appétit Management Company at Chase Center team is putting Bon Appétit’s Farm to Fork program into action at one of the world’s premier sporting arenas.
Plant-Forward Trainings Inspire and Unite Bon Appétiters
Bon Appétit’s Plant Forward trainings bring a rigorous curriculum and meaningful connections to teams across the country.
Bon Appétit Chefs Shine at Women in Culinary Showcase
We’re thrilled that three Bon Appétit chefs – Chase Center Culinary Director Kristela Mendoza, Linkedin Chicago Culinary Director Kristine Subido, and Kitami Lentz, Executive Development Chef of Culinary Training and Activation at a large technology company – were selected to participate in the Women in Culinary showcase after being nominated by regional leaders.
Growing Together: Celebrating The Common Market and Bon Appétit Teams’ Long-Term Partnerships
The Common Market, a non-profit food distributor with a mission to empower communities through local food, has partnered with Bon Appétit teams across the country.