1. W
ith a student population
that includes people from
more than 45 countries at
the C.W. Post campus of Long
Island University in Brookville,
N.Y., it only seemed appropriate
that the food offerings include
an array of world cuisines.
“Chef David Leicht, our ex-
ecutive district chef, worked to
create the Street Food concept
on campus,” said Shawn Carva-
jal, senior foodservice director.
“He knew that the Street Food
concept was starting to become a
bigger trend, not only around the
world, but right here in New York
City, too.”
The original menu developed by
Leicht and the culinary team at Post
was inspired by the many types of
street vendors, open markets and
hawkers from around the globe.The
program emphasizes authentic re-
gional flavors, respect for accurate
cultural preparation techniques and
simple forms of delivery of the fin-
ished product.
The menu represents flavors
of China, Mexico, India and the
Mediterranean. However, the cur-
rent Street Food menu is
predominantly Asian in-
spired.This was in response
to student request for very
specific Asian Regional
flavors. The menu rota-
tion includes one-week
rotations of items such as
Pho (Vietnamese Noodle
Soup), Udon, Soba and
Ramen Noodle prepa-
rations; and from Thai-
land, Gai Yang, a sweet
and spicy grilled chicken, as well
as a Massaman curry rice bowl.
China is represented with a Peking-
style chicken served in the style of
Peking duck with sticky rice, hot
and sour cucumbers, scallion, warm
pancakes and a plum hoisin sauce.
Bánh Mi is a Vietnamese-in-
spired sandwich of Char Siu (barbe-
cued pork) sliced thinly and served
on a baguette with pickled carrot,
daikon and cilantro with a chili
spiced mayo and soy sauce drizzle.
Korea, the most recent addition,
answers to the vegetarian popula-
tion with a luscious Tofu Hot Pot
of simmered vegetables in a rich
vegetable broth scented with dried
C.W. Post Finds Success
With Street Food
rent Street Food menu isrent Street Food menu is
predominantly Asian in-
spired.This was in response
to student request for very
and spicy grilled chicken, as well
rent Street Food menu is
W
ith a student population
20 NOVEMBER 2010 ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY
World
Cuisine

2. mushrooms and nori. During the week of Korean-inspired
dishes, two styles of Kimchee are offered every day. One is a
traditional cabbage, chili and fish sauce recipe and the other
is a little less spicy, made with cucumbers.
The program was originally supposed to last for a only
few weeks, but student demand was so great that it is now
a permanent fixture. “It started out as a few weeks but it
started to gain momentum,” Carvajal said. “The students
absolutely love it, and we had such great feedback that it
slowly began to add on cycles to the week as we started
to introduce it.”
Students are very much involved with the selection
of foods. Regular interaction with the Food Committee on
campus allows a forum for the culinary and marketing team
to hear honest feedback on the authenticity of the items on the
menu. “As we were going through the introduction process,
we would conduct surveys to see what the students liked and
didn’t like,” he said. “Slowly we pulled some of the items back
out of it and it has evolved. We had a request to add a Korean
week. The student feedback sets the direction we are going.”
Carvajal said that students are much more knowledge-
able about different types of food because of the Internet and
programs on the Food
Network and other TV stations. “Students
seem to be much more educated and expect to see a certain
quality of food. I think it has certainly influenced the way
our customers perceive what we do and their expectations.”
The Street Food is so popular that is has become a selling
point for the school. “Our admissions and enrollment services
division has grasped on to the Street Food concept as a selling
point for them,” he said. “They have incorporated it into the
selling points of the international program.”
E
ducation does not end at the classroom door at Concordia
College in Moorhead, Minn., where Dining Services not
only educates students on nutrition and food choices, but
also on cuisines from around the world.
Explore, one of 11 stations at Anderson Commons, Con-
cordia’s residential dining facility, offers a different global
cuisine each week.
Cuisines that have been featured at Explore include Asian,
Greek, German, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Mediterranean, vegetar-
ian and many others. During 2007, Anderson Commons’ first
year in operation, cuisines rotated every two months. Three
years later, the cuisines ro-
tate each week and features
hundreds of recipes each
semester.
“We started conserva-
tively with all the menus,”
said Cindy Hogenson, RD,
residential dining manager.
“Customer feedback on the
Explore station was very
positive, and students were
requesting more themes
changing more often. Our
programs on the Food
Network and other TV stations. “Students
Concordia Students
‘Explore’ Cuisines
From Around the World
ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY NOVEMBER 2010 21

3. tional students rave about the cuisine we are
featuring and how it tastes just like at home,” said Sabrina
Zimara, marketing supervisor for Dining Services. “However,
the majority of our students are from the Midwest and have
grown up on meat and potatoes. A dish from North Africa is
quite different for them. Overall, students like to try the new
dishes, even if they are nervous about them at first.”
In addition to the exploration of different foods, students
learn about the culture. “We try to incorporate education on
the culture of the cuisine we’re featuring,” said Hogenson.
“The students seem to appreciate learning about cultures this
way. The station seems to help with the perception of variety.
It’s like having a brand new station each week.”
The station itself is prepared
for the weekly change in cuisines.
“The Explore station was designed
to be flexible in cooking styles,”
she said. “It has a wok, charbroiler,
griddle, cook-and-hold unit, six-
burner range and fryer within or
near the station.”
“We monitor Facebook and
Twitter for comments related to
our dining operation,” said Zimara.
“We know an Explore cuisine is
very successful when students start
posting about the food online. By
far the favorite is Asian and Au-
thentic Italian.”
next step was to run the themes for
three weeks. This allowed us to fea-
ture additional themes and repeat the
favorites throughout the year. Now that
we have several themes and recipes de-
veloped, it was an easy decision to go
to weekly menus at Explore this year.”
The first theme tried at the station
was Authentic Mexican. “Our chef had
recently attended an Authentic Mexican
cuisine workshop through the National
Association of College and University
Food Services (NACUFS),” she said. “We
wanted to teach our customers aboutAuthentic Mexican cuisine
but had to add sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese by
the end because of customer demand. Since then, we haven’t
limited ourselves to ethnic cuisine but have also included
culturally inspired cuisine. For example, we’ve done State
Fair Foods and Chuckwagon. An Italian theme was created
in response to a customer survey.”
Each cuisine takes 75 to 100 hours of labor to research,
develop and test. Cuisine assignments are given to each lead
cook; that person then becomes responsible for research-
ing authentic recipes, testing each recipe and evaluating its
popularity. Thirty to 35 recipes are tested and a minimum of
24 make it onto the menu. Testing takes place heavily during
the summer months but occurs year-round.
Many recipes that are used for the Explore station are
submitted by students. The school has a high percentage of
students who travel abroad to study, and these students help
contribute to the au-
thenticity of the cui-
sines featured at the
Explore station. Din-
ing Services’goal is
to offer authentic
cuisine so students
can experience true
flavors from around
the world.
“It is amazing
to hear interna-
contribute to the au-
thenticity of the cui-
sines featured at the
Explore station. Din-
ing Services’goal is
to offer authentic
cuisine so students
can experience true
flavors from around
the world.
to hear interna-
The first theme tried at the station
was Authentic Mexican. “Our chef had
recently attended an Authentic Mexican
cuisine workshop through the National
Association of College and University
Food Services (NACUFS),” she said. “We
tional students rave about the cuisine we are
featuring and how it tastes just like at home,” said Sabrina
ing authentic recipes, testing each recipe and evaluating its
popularity. Thirty to 35 recipes are tested and a minimum of
24 make it onto the menu. Testing takes place heavily during
22 NOVEMBER 2010 ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY
World
Cuisine

4. T
o “keep things interesting,” Dining Services at De Anza
College in Cupertino, Calif., often toys with different
culinary ideas.
“It gives us a little bit of fun to play around with it,” said
Patrick Gannon, director of De Anza Dining Services. “You
want that zeal and to keep that passion going. It is very easy
to get apathetic.”
One of the most successful ways they have done this is
with their “World Risotto” program of using risotto to tweak
some famous dishes from around the globe. “There is a place
in Palo Alto called World Wraps, and they have different types
of wraps from different countries,” he said. “I thought, ‘Why
don’t we pull that into the risotto?’ No. 1, it is not a very
expensive item and we can dress it up.”
Gannon continued, “Basically we take risotto and tour the
world, visiting places such as Thailand, Lebanon, Spain, China
and Morocco and blend the cuisines of those countries, giving
it the twist of its life. A lot of students were really interested
in it and loved it when they tried it.”
He works with Executive Chef Paul Figlomeni to come up
with the different dishes. “The origination of the concept came
from one of our pasta dishes, Meatballs Korma with Fusilli,
where we mix Indian food with an Italian base.”
Gannon and Figlomeni look at many of the most popular
dishes in different cuisines and put the risotto spin on them;
and the students enjoy it.
De Anza Tours
The World
With
Risotto
and the students enjoy it.and the students enjoy it.and the students enjoy it.
dishes in different cuisines and put the risotto spin on them;
24 NOVEMBER 2010 ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY
World
Cuisine
Gannon (left) and Figlomeni