Beyond the 50 Power Players: University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame
South Bend, IN

Dining Head: Chris Abayasinghe, director of food services
Total Enrollment: 12,124
Students Living on Campus: 7,047
No. of Meal Plans Sold: 6,450
Annual Dining Program Revenues: $45 million
Cost Range of Residential Meal Plans: included in housing fee
No. of Residential Dining Halls/Commons: 2
No. of Retail Outlets: 27
Management: self-operated
Website: food.nd.edu
Phone: (574) 631-7253

Notre Dame Food Services provides more than 2.8 million meals annually and operates 27 retail units; campus catering operations that service more than 8,000 events per year; coin-operated food and beverage concessions and laundry vending. The department also provides resident foodservice for the Congregation of Holy Cross, including two residences, a seminary and a nursing home, and for the campus student health center and child care center.

Culinary concerns, such as recipe quality and procedures, and productivity are addressed regularly by a 13-member Council of Chefs, most of whom are certified by the ACF, headed by Executive Chef Don Miller, a widely recognized figure in the community for his development of the ACF Culinary Apprenticeship Program at the school.

Sustainability and the use of locally sourced foods are priorities. This year for the annual Opening Mass and Picnic, all food served was locally sourced within 250 miles of campus.

Recent major initiatives include the opening of the new Center for Culinary Excellence, dedicated to catered events and retail/residential dining support. In addition, the catering operation has redesigned its menus and plans to soon launch a new name, logo and branding strategy.

The campus dining operation is headed by Chris Abayasinghe, who was named director of food services in October 2013.