Bon Appetit makes tasty additions to dining at Furman

Bon Appetit Management Co. took over management of dining operations at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., in 2016 and has since been making upgrades to the school’s all-you-care-to-eat residential dining hall as well as adding several retail outlets.

In the five-station Daniel Dining Hall, Bon Appetit added the Pure gluten-free station, which has dedicated grill, oven and fryer units to minimize any potential gluten cross-contact. Pure also offers a daily vegan meal.

Daniel Dining Hall also now includes the “Furman-tation” fermented foods bar to go with the dining venue’s mix of Italian/pizza selections, grilled items, smoked meats, Asian and street foods and baked goods.

Meanwhile, new retail concepts on campus include the concepts Bread and Bowl, Sweet and Savory and Library Café.

As at any Bon Appetit managed operation, local sourcing is a priority. For example, the program purchases all its beef and pork product, except bacon and ham, locally and is in the process of signing up two local producers of whole chickens.

“This area is crazy for getting local stuff,” enthuses Bon Appetit Executive Chef Chris Harris, adding that some of the bounty comes from Furman’s own campus farm, a half-acre plot tended by students.

Last year, 20.3 percent of the Furman dining program’s needs were supplied by local sources, a number that rises to nearly 25 percent when school is in session, Harris notes.