While everyone was out for Christmas break, something was still cooking at the Anderson University Culinary Center.
During December, AVI Foodsystems, which operates Anderson University’s food services, invited culinary staff from four other institutions in the region for intensive training in food service best practices.
One of Anderson University’s pillars is “Great Hospitality,” so it naturally follows that this would be a top regional location for AVI Foodsystems, one of the nation’s most trusted and respected food service companies.
“Hosting this event demonstrates our excellence in what we do and reflects our commitment to meeting the University’s expectations for exceptional hospitality”, said Gillian Thompson, who coordinates the marketing of Anderson’s dining services and is a recent AU graduate.
According to AVI Foodsystems Resident Director for Anderson University Aaron Daane, AU hosts one of six annual trainings across the region each year. “The Vice President of AVI’s Culinary Center, Jeff McClure, oversees the event,” Daane said. “He prepares a presentation, discusses new food service techniques and demonstrates innovative ways of food presentation. The Vice President of Higher Education spends time with us as well, interacting with clients, AVI and AU staff. And we always dedicate significant time to reviewing food safety, which we revisit every year. This is something very, very important to us.”
On the last day of Training, Daane says the AU Culinary Center is set up with their latest recipes.
“We organize the Culinary Center to ensure everything is prepared as it would be on the day guests arrive,” said Daane. “There are approximately 30 of us, and we rotate through each station, carefully evaluating and tasting the food. We assess what is working well and identify areas for improvement. We review each station, from Pizza to Americana, Grill, Fusion, Deli and Salad.”
Under the direction of AVI, food served at Anderson University is cooked from scratch in their own kitchen by their own staff, supervised by Executive Chef Mike Ballas. According to Daane, executive chefs aren’t behind desks but are in the kitchen taking a hands-on approach to ensure consistent quality with all foods served. Daane says nothing is frozen—everything is fresh and made on campus.
The all-you-can-eat menu offers homestyle and international options, a deli and a place where students can enjoy pizza where they can choose each topping themselves. Anyone with special dietary needs gets to choose from allergen-free and plant-based food options.
The same commitment to excellence found in the AU Culinary Center in the G. Ross Anderson Jr. Student Center can also be found across Anderson’s campus—in the Student Center at Chronicles Cafe and Chick-fil-A, and in Thrift Library at Books n’ Beans. Following the popular trend of mobile food trucks and trailers, AU’s Culinary Services offers delicious, fresh and convenient options at P. Whitty’s near the Rainey Fine Arts Center and at Troy’s, located on the Athletic Campus.
Catering typically comprises a significant portion of a college or university food service and has a crucial role as institutions host important guests. According to Daane, part of training is devoted to catering development. That includes a lot of plating—the way food is presented to enhance the guests’ dining experience.
Much of AVI’s catering at Anderson involves community and professional events in the banquet hall of the Student Center, but there’s also catering for events downtown at Chiquola, or in the President’s Box of the Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium during Trojan football games.
“It is our responsibility to deliver exceptional hospitality for AU,” Thompson said. “Much of this is handled through our partnership with Guest Services. Whenever visitors come to campus, ensuring they are well-fed and that events are properly catered often falls to us. AVI continues to go the extra mile for students, faculty, staff and guests. Everyone who visits our campus is treated with respect and as an honored guest. I find it impressive that in everything we do, that is our top priority.”