Sponsored By

Leftover concession ingredients become awesome quesadillas at Marist College’s new dining pop-up by Sodexo

Does it Dilla asks (and answers) the question: What isn’t great in a quesadilla? Here’s how Marist College’s Sodexo food service team adds fun to the fight against food waste.

Tara Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor

March 4, 2020

6 Slides
FoodService Director logo in a gray background | FoodService Director

In a food waste-fighting move, Marist College’s Retail Manager Nina Cantamessa wanted to prevent concessions ingredients from going to waste after a game, so she decided to offer students the opportunity to create their own quesadilla using proteins and other ingredients from the game-day menu.

Does it Dilla brings ingredients from the college’s McCann Arena into the dining hall, where a pop-up event features a live-action chef station with a flattop, ready to answer the question: Does it Dilla?

“We run this to surprise and engage students,” Cantamessa says, adding that the idea came about because students’ favorite item at a now-closed Mexican concept had been the quesadillas. “The fun part about this pop-up is that it is so interactive and encourages creativity and collaboration.”

Students can choose from an array of proteins, veggies and condiments to create their own customized quesadilla. So far, these have included a cheeseburger quesadilla, a hot dog quesadilla and a chicken-bacon-ranch quesadilla. Breakfast quesadillas and chili quesadillas have also been created, along with a few more. Read on to check them out!

Contact Tara at [email protected]

 Follow her on Twitter @Tara_Fitzie

Read more about:

Sodexo

About the Author

Tara Fitzpatrick

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group

Tara Fitzpatrick is Food Management’s senior editor and a contributor to Restaurant Hospitality and Nation’s Restaurant News, creating editorial content for digital, print and events. Tara holds a bachelor of science degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Kent State University. Before joining Food Management in 2008, Tara was associate editor at National Association of College Stores in Oberlin, Ohio. Prior to that, Tara worked as a newspaper reporter in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, where she lives now. Tara is a fan of food history, legends, lore, ghost stories, urban farming and old cookbooks. 

Tara Fitzpatrick’s areas of expertise include the onsite foodservice industry (K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare and B&I), menu trends, sustainability in foodservice, senior dining, farm-to-table and innovation.

Tara Fitzpatrick is a frequent webinar and podcast host and has served on the board of directors for IFEC (International Food Editors Consortium).

Tara Fitzpatrick’s experience:

Senior Editor, Food Management (Feb 2008-present)

Associate Editor, National Association of College Stores (2005-2008)

Reporter, The Morning Journal (2002-2005)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-fitzpatrick-4a08451/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tara_Fitzie

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tarafitzie/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tara.y.fitzpatrick

Subscribe to FoodService Director Newsletters
Get the foodservice industry news and insights you need for success, right in your inbox.