Fresh ideas meet student demands
Campus Times
September 19, 1997
photo by Laura Ambriz
Food Service Director Armen Ananian (right) and Gustavo Baten meet
students' demands for a better Davenport Dining Hall with the new pasta
bar. Other new improvements include a coat of paint and a location shift
of the deli bar. Because of the UPS strike at the end of August, the new
pizza oven will not be installed until next week.
Things are now beginning to change for the better in Davenport Dining
Hall. A fresh, new outlook on food preparation allows students more eating
options.
Recent renovations and additions by the Aramark staff have begun to
transform Davenport, thanks to the power of the student surveys distributed
over the past year by Aramark Food Director Armen Ananian.
"According to the student surveys I presented to the students,
they expressed a growing interest in not only more, but fresher pasta, and
this really allowed the change to happen," said Ananian.
With the new introduction of a fresh, made-to-order pasta bar and the
fresh "tossed before you" salads, students are finding a new problem-waiting
in line.
"Well, I have heard the pasta bar is really great, but the line
is always too friggin' long to stand in," said junior Sean Douglas.
"The pasta bar is really awesome and so fresh, and it always gives
us a sure alternative of something to eat that will be actually good,"
said senior William Baccus.
The concept of the pasta bar began when Aramark recently introduced
its Pangeos fresh pasta and pizza stations.
"This past August, I went to Aramark training just for the Pangeos
program being introduced here at La Verne," said Ananian.
Also being incorporated with the salad and pasta bars is a new pizza
oven bar. This will allow students and faculty to create their own gourmet
pitas or french bread pizzas with a choice of marinara, pesto or alfredo
sauces and just about any topping imaginable.
"These will not be just your average personal pizzas, and they
should already be available to the students, but with the recent UPS strike,
they seemed to have lost the pizza ovens and serving tables," said
Ananian.
Once the pizza oven is installed sometime next week, there will be a
rotation of the pizza and salad, and the pasta and salad bar, from lunch
to dinner. The rotation will take place for one week at a time, as the pizza
and salad will be served for lunch, and the pasta and salad for dinner,
and vice versa the following week.
