Bon Appétit Management Company

This fall, teams from Willamette University and Lewis & Clark College joined the Oregon chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the Foundation’s Fall Festival. From pumpkin decorating to crown-making and games, magic was made at this community-building event.  

Our chefs on college campuses around the country have the unique responsibility to expand the minds and palates of an emerging generation, and an opportunity to educate students about the importance (and deliciousness) of sustainably sourced seafood options, both wild-caught or farmed, that are served in their campus cafés. 

From a young age, food was my source of joy and creativity. As I got older, that fascination with food only grew. What was once a childhood pastime evolved into an obsession. I devoured cookbooks, immersed myself in documentaries, and cooked meal after meal for anyone willing to eat my food.  Through cooking, I discovered that food has a unique power to foster connections. Sharing meals and recipes helps build relationships and create lasting bonds, a lesson I learned early on and one that continues to inspire my work today. 

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.

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.

Here at Bon Appétit, we’re fortunate to be surrounded by talented people every day: baristas who wield a mean cappuccino and a knack for event planning; cooks who prepare delicious meals at scale and inspire their peers; cashiers who consistently brighten our guests’ days.   

Maybe YOU have a mind for numbers or a penchant for eye-catching merchandising. As busy operators, many of us wish we could devote more time to strengthening our skills and growing our careers at Bon Appétit.  

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Farm to Fork, our groundbreaking local sourcing program, we’ve synthesized our many lessons learned into a white paper, Sowing Success: Local Food Purchasing Insights from 25 Years of the Farm to Fork Program.

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.  

Kudos to the leadership and team for a successful run at Birmingham Southern College – way to show up for your guests and each other all the way to the end!