Bon Appétit Management Company

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 at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). “As soon as I started, I was enamored,” says Vincent. “I remember the first delivery I got from a farmer. I shook his hand and felt this connection – like he was transferring responsibility to me through this handshake.”   As the Campus Executive Chef at CWRU and regional Forager in Bon Appétit’s Southeast-Midwest region, Vincent embraced Bon Appétit’s Farm to Fork commitment from the very beginning of his time with the company. He began reaching out to potential […]

Big congratulations are due to the culinary team at Penn Dining who just won two silver awards in this year’s National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) competition!  

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. 

I can still remember wandering through a sea of broad-leafed bibb, bitter frisée, and tangy watercress greens at Stone Creek Hydroponics in Hartwell, Georgia during my first month traveling as a Bon Appétit Fellow. Not long after the greenhouse tour concluded, I was invited to stay for dinner with the Unruh family and I found myself in the kitchen with Zach and Janelle (and their five sons) chatting about farming, community living, and hearing how neighbors rallied around their farm during the pandemic.  

The past two years as Bon Appétit’s West Coast Fellow have been filled with meaningful connections, growth, and invaluable knowledge about our current food system. Visiting accounts just under 40 times in four semesters, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from a diverse range of people to explore the most pressing issues of the food industry.  

Bon Appétit’s operators and chefs, as well as our growers, processors, students, and professors with whom we work have given me insight into a range of perspectives and solutions to a sustainable food future. Here are some insights I’ve gained in my time as a Fellow…

After five semesters as the Midwest Fellow, I’ve had countless opportunities to engage with food systems in creative ways. These experiences have instilled a deeper understanding of the realities of food service and sustainability at large. This broadened perspective has added nuance to my food systems experience, and kept me continually inspired by passionate students, chefs, and farmers that I’ve had the pleasure to work with and learn from.  

Who knew making ice cream could double as an arm workout? The Colorado Springs community asked this very question as they shook plastic bags of heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, sugar, and rock salt back and forth for ten minutes straight to make a classic vanilla ice cream (sprinkles optional).  

Bon Appétit teams have long sought to support our college campuses in their efforts to address student food insecurity in inventive ways. From food pantries and swipe donation programs to food co-ops and food recovery, there are many encouraging examples of how our teams are working with their campus communities to confront a complex and pervasive, yet often invisible hardship. 

As Bon Appétit Fellows, part of our job is to travel to the different campuses we serve and collaborate with our culinary teams, along with university staff and student clubs, to engage students and inspire the next generation of sustainable food lovers and advocates. It’s always fun to get hands-on, of course, which is why we designed our quick pickling demo.

As winter’s chill settles in, cooks often turn to storage crops, including a vibrant array of hardy winter squash, each with its own special flavor profile and gastronomic potential. From the robust and well-known butternut to the delicately sweet acorn, ornamental turban squash, and velvety texture and nutty flavor of Koginut, these nutrient-rich and flavor-packed vegetables define the essence of the season.