MIT Tabs Bon Appetit to Manage New House Dining Program

Bon Appétit Management Co has been selected as the vendor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's new House Dining program. The choice comes after a several month review process by an Evaluation Committee that included students and housemasters representing all five dining hall residences.

“Bon Appétit is well recognized for its commitment to scratch preparation such as stocks, salad dressing and sauces, its use of local suppliers, and its ongoing commitment to leadership in all facets of sustainable food operations,” says Rich Berlin, MIT's director of Campus Dining.

As the vendor for the new program, Bon Appétit will provide all-you-care-to-eat breakfast and dinner at five residence halls, with lunch also available in The Howard Dining Hall at Maseeh. It has been charged with developing menus that put a premium on student choice and for providing food options that maximize nutrition, sustainability and creativity. An on-campus executive chef will oversee regular updates to menus in response to student feedback, changes in seasonally available food products and specialized dietary needs.

Bon Appétit currently manages MIT’s House Dining operations, but its status as the incumbent was no guarantee of success in the evaluation process, Berlin says. “The new House Dining program offers such an expansion in service and scope that it represents a significantly different system,” he notes.