Bon Appétit Management Company

If the Obama Presidential Center is part of your weekend plans, leave room for a stop at Tafari’s Kitchen. The restaurant, operated by Bon Appétit Management Company in partnership with Rome’s Joy, is one of the many spaces across campus you can experience without a museum ticket. Stop by for the “Obama burger” made exactly how President Obama likes it – topped with house-made pickles, lettuce and tomato, yellow mustard, and cheddar cheese.    

Are regenerative farming practices better for the planet (and your health)? 🤔 Regenerative agriculture is a farming method that aims to rebuild the ecosystem by enhancing soil biodiversity and minimizing carbon pollution. Commonly recognized regenerative farming practices include: 🙅 Avoiding tilling to reduce soil loss. 🪱 Rotating crops to reduce soil nutrient depletion. 🌱 Planting cover crops to increase soil nutrients. ❌ Reducing or eliminating synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. There is not an established definition of regenerative farming, meaning research is more challenging. But there is some research out there! Some initial studies have shown: 📈 Improvements in soil health and increased carbon sequestration. ❓ Some nutritional benefits, but there isn't a lot of data out there right now. Learn more about regenerative farming in our Farm to Fork profile on Tree-Range Farms: https://lnkd.in/eMGtWHex

No two Bon Appétit programs are alike. We aren't a cookie cutter company, so we don't have cookie cutter ideas. Rather, our teams show up in meaningful ways to create programming that is based on client values, culture, and community. 🤝 Whether that look like roasting Farm to Fork coffee beans in house with an electric roaster or a yearly on-site harvest of hundreds of pounds of honey, our teams work with their clients and guests to create programming that makes any workplace or college campus feel like home. Read more about four different custom programs: https://ow.ly/y9Lb50Zsp2t

As our Fellow Grace Mennerick transitions to a new position as the regional food education coordinator for our Central region, she wanted to share some lessons from her time with the Fellows: https://ow.ly/jWw050ZnpNY Through her numerous account visits and events, she always returned to how her cohort made the experience all the more rewarding. In addition to peer-to-peer support, she found mentors along the way, walking away from the Fellowship with a love for pickling and lessons in patience and joy. Although connecting with over 13,000 students in 2 years is impressive, Grace thinks that the stories we tell are even more impactful, "One of our most important responsibilities as Fellows is storytelling: the story of Bon Appétit, our own food journeys, and the compelling stories we pick up from each campus. [...] The events and education are important, but the stories show how we build relationships, and those relationships change people’s livelihoods, and their lives."

We are so proud of our team at the Obama Presidential Center. This has been the opening of a lifetime for so many of our people (including our CEO Fedele Bauccio), and we love hearing their stories, like this one from Manny Uribe. Bravo Manny and everyone who has helped us get to this point! Teamwork really does make the dream work.

Congrats to Julie Rose, catering director at Stanford Graduate School of Business, for being recognized as Catering Manager of the Year in Regional Vice President Bob Lubecky's region! 🙌 The award acknowledges a catering manager who has excelled in planning and executing events, maintaining high service standards, and building strong client relationships. District Manager Harvey Smith shared the following about Julie: "Julie has been instrumental in the success of our catering program. Her leadership, dedication, and commitment to excellence have helped drive the department's growth while fostering a positive and supportive work environment for the catering team. She is highly respected by her colleagues and consistently demonstrates a passion for developing both people and programs."

Creating menus for all of our guests isn't always easy, but our chefs consistently rise to the occasion to ensure that our cafés are welcoming, inclusive spaces. 🤝 We take a broad, inclusive view of what it means to feel well. We know every guests comes with their own knowledge, needs, and goals. From getting embedded in the community and collaborating with on-campus groups to creating consistent communication pathways for guests, our teams operate where hospitality & inclusion meet. As our Vice President of Food Education and Wellness Terri Brownlee, MPH, RD, LDN, shared, "Transparency and accuracy are a form of hospitality. We need to create a space where all are welcome, and they can find foods that meet their dietary needs." Here's how we're making the dream of menus for all a reality: https://lnkd.in/eGasda-P

The relationships we're able to build with our Farm to Fork partners in Minnesota and around the country help strengthen local food systems AND provide us with the best ingredients to fuel our endless pursuit of flavorful food that's good for people and the planet. Thanks The Good Acre!

The valedictorian's speech at Santa Clara University highlighted one of our long-standing employees, Cecelia Carrasco, whose innate sense of hospitality has brightened the days of countless students for over 25 years. Bravo, Cecelia!

"Many queer workers, particularly trans and intersectional individuals, are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. Even as many queer people are in low-wage food roles, they often lack safe and supportive workplaces where they can bring their full identity to work without fear or discrimination. There also has historically been limited representation of queer voices in broader food industry conversations, [...] leaving gaps in mentorship, visibility, and industry support." Vanessa Parish, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Queer Food Foundation (QFF), shared this striking statement with us in an interview for LGBTQ+ Pride Month when talking about the systemic barriers queer individuals face in the food system. Read the unabridged interview here to learn more about how QFF is helping: https://ow.ly/a6yE50ZfTBR