Bon Appétit Management Company

For Native Peoples in Mesoamerica, corn was considered a sacred grain, a gift from the gods, and a source of life. Maize was more than just a staple food but helped inform a rich spiritual and cultural identity that lives on to this day.

Every October, Bon Appétit Management Company recognizes Fair Trade Month by educating our guests about the importance of the internationally recognized certification for ethically made products, which supports equitable global supply chains.  

Telling the stories behind the food really resonates with me. Every plate holds layers of history, culture, and effort that’s often unseen until you dig deeper. I find inspiration in these stories—whether they come from local farmers discussing sustainable agricultural practices, or seeing firsthand how small, conscious changes from the consumer in a food system can ripple out to make a huge difference.

For our Eat Local Challenge’s 20th anniversary, accounts across the country Bon Appetit teams brought their A-game to the fun and delicious celebration of the program, the partnerships, and of course, the food. Teams kept things fresh this year by adding pre-promotional activities, trivia, raffles, and giveaways to engage our guests. Read on to hear about all the friends and flavors that came together for the 20th anniversary of ELC!  

Each year, Bon Appétit Management Company takes advantage of the opportunity to honor and celebrate the cultural heritage of our team members and guests who identify with the Hispanic and Latinx community. Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from September 15th to October 15th, and we are thrilled for the chance to recognize and uplift the voices of our culinarians through their recipes and food traditions.  

There wasn’t just one thing that drew me into food systems work, it was a culmination of all my previous passions, starting with horses. For almost two decades, my grandparents owned a 50-acre farm in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The land had open pasture, dense woods, and manicured gardens that my grandmother dutifully maintained. I adored every part of that farm, especially the herd of horses my grandparents cared for. They were untrained and dirty, but during twice-annual visits, I spent all my time in the pasture. I grew up alongside them.

We’re thrilled to share the newest issue of Bravo – affectionately known as the “almost-quarterly newsletter of Bon Appetit Management Company,” which went on hiatus during the pandemic. Today, it’s back with a new format but the same commitment to celebrating our people and their accomplishments. Check it out!

Jeff Thurston has been at this for a while. Compass and Bon Appétit Management Company’s 2024 Chef of the Year has been working in restaurants since he was a teenager growing up in Toronto. It didn’t take long for the energy of restaurants to grab hold of Jeff. Over 30 years later, he still thrives off the action in the back of the house and the buzz of guests in the front of the house.  

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. 

The cows of our Farm to Fork partners at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company have a pretty awesome view. Situated at the southern tip of Tomales Bay in Marin County, California, the farm’s residents look out over the long, narrow bay to the Point Reyes peninsula, one of the most ecologically diverse (and breathtakingly beautiful) places in the country.