Keene State Dining has been subject to many changes as the dining team looks to create the best possible experience for students when it comes to eating on campus.
With consumer feedback at the helm, Keene State looks to offer students a diverse and plentiful dining experience.
Jen Ferrell, associate VP for student engagement, spoke on the upward trajectory of Keene State Dining, “I’m excited about where the dining program is heading this semester – I think maybe we got off to a little rocky start as we have a lot of new team members.”
According to Ferrell, a big hiring push was made over the summer, resulting in the addition of new managers to the dining team and it took some time to orient these new team members with all the programs and processes, attributing to the “rocky start” seen at the start of the year.
As the fall semester creeps beyond the halfway point, Ferrell said continuing to bring in staff capable of maximizing the potential of the program remains a focal point.
Ferrell said, “One of the most exciting things that has occurred in the last month or so is that we brought on a new executive chef: Austin O’Hara. He comes from another institution of higher ed and so he’s got a good background and is coming in and giving a really thoughtful review of everything we do.”
She continued, “The majority of the dining management team is new this year. This is really exciting because it brings new ideas, different perspectives and thinking on things, and opportunities for them to interact with students.”
Amidst the dining team’s search to create the ideal dining experience, Ferrell said the student body and its concerns remain top priorities.
Ferrell stated, “One of the biggest pushes is getting student feedback to the right people. Sometimes I think if there are concerns or complaints, people will sort of go into the echo chamber of social media opposed to somewhere where people could really make a difference.”
On October 17, students received an email from Jen Ferrell, requesting their participation in a “voice-to-vision” survey that looks to create a dining experience for students, by students.
“Hopefully students used the voice-to-vision survey because we want to use the data that comes in from that survey to help inform decision-making going forward. Over the next week or two we will be able to have all that data together and find out where the dining team is doing really well but also where it’s falling short, especially going into the spring semester,” Ferrell said.
Ferrell went on, stressing the importance of the menu changes, and the constant work toward keeping the dining experience “‘new and different.”
“Another new thing is the way the menus are being set up – and that is something that [O’Hara] is really looking at – being really thoughtful about how to create both things that are foods that everyone wants all the time, and how to do new and different things regularly,” she concluded.
Ferrell said the addition of Executive Chef O’Hara to the dining team is founded on the mutual interest of bringing students the ideal menu.
O’Hara stated in an email to The Equinox, “I’m thrilled to share that I joined the Keene State dining team as the Executive Chef back in October. It’s an exciting opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to collaborate with our talented culinary team. I bring 15 years of experience in the food service industry, with nine of those years dedicated to working in higher education. Engaging with students is something I’m particularly passionate about, and I look forward to learning more about their dining experiences and how we can enhance them together!”
Criticism of both the financial trajectory of Keene State Dining and the content of its menus have become talking points amongst students.
One student, senior Katie Smith, voiced some concern with the inflation of dining prices on campus.
“I feel like the prices of food have increased while our meal plans haven’t changed and that’s why a lot of my friends – myself included – are running out of money a lot faster than we did previously and we’re left with less dining options as a result,” said Smith.
She carried on, “I just wish there was more transparency with it.”
Ferrell responded to this notion of inflation via email, “I believe that there were some adjustments to keep up with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), however I do not remember those specific details and would direct you to Patrick Friley for exact items/amounts if you are looking for that. I do know that they have tried to do more limited-time offers (LTOs) and specials to help with value, beginning over the summer and into this semester.”
Another student, sophomore Community Assistant Owen Warner, considers himself content with the current state of dining on campus.
“I’d say overall I’m generally happy with everything,” Warner said. “Obviously sometimes the menu – specifically in the DC – isn’t always my thing per se, but at least we have places like Lloyd’s and the Hoot & Scoot that consistently have the same things.”
District Manager at KSC dining, Patrick Friley, did not respond to request for comment by print deadline.
Parker Bartlett can be contacted at
pbartlett@kscequinox.com
