Something for everyone

Palo Alto CA–based Bon Appetit Management Co. has made its reputation creating one-of-a-kind dining facilities for its clients in the corporate, college/university and specialty sectors. And the demographics of such operations are often consistent with patron interest in variety and dining alternatives. So the firm often takes a singular approach to vegetarian dining options.

For example, vegetarian is a significant factor at American University in Washington, thanks to a sophisticated, multi-national student body that is particularly involved in meal planning and services. "They're all very 'cause-oriented' here," says exec. chef Kimberly Triplett, who joined the account in May 2002. "Less than 6% of the population is vegetarian, but they're very vocal. I've been a chef for a long time, but I've never had such a great opportunity to work with vegetarian and vegan recipes."

Within the vegetarian segment, moreover, lifestyles range from the strictest vegan diet (about 2%) to a more generic concern for healthful eating, so healthy cooking techniques and nutritious ingredients are always utmost in Triplett's plans. Triplett presides over all the foodservice at the university, including two residential facilities serving a total of approx. 3,500 meals a day as well as retail and catering operations.

The 'Farm to Fork' focus: Bon Appetit's Farm to Fork platform is a natural for this politically correct clientele, because the program focuses not only on alternative dining, but also on organic and sustainable agricultural techniques.

"It's as much an educational resource as a servery," notes Triplett. In addition to six different hot wells stocked with fresh-from-the-farm specialties like organic white beets and white bean, mushroom ragout with polenta, the larger Farm to Fork servery at the TDR Terrace residential dining room also dispenses information, in the form of brochures, flyers, recipes and nutritional plans. "We take that part of it pretty seriously."

Triplett herself has learned by doing. The Farm to Fork program at American University kicked off with Triplett selecting an organic farm in Maryland to partner with. The farm, run by a former chef, grows organic specialty produce as well as chickens and pigs for American U. and five restaurants in the DC area.

"I spent an entire day walking the farm and picking with the owner," says Triplett, who recalls in particular a baby doll watermelon so delicious, she says, it brought tears to her eyes. With products so inspiring, including a wealth of Asian greens and specialty squashes, Triplett and her staff have created a number of vegan and vegetarian options that also appeal to mainstream diners.

"We all eat these things, even if we're not vegetarians, so it has to please us, too," says the chef. "Expanding my culinary horizons with techniques and products like this is the reason I became a chef."

Just like the real thing: In addition to Farm to Fork, vegetarian students gravitate to Cucina Verde, Bon Appetit's vegetarian/vegan concept. Here the fare runs the whole gamut from vegan chicken nuggets and breakfast sausage—"it looks and tastes just like the stuff they won't eat," laughs Triplett—to grain- and legume-based items like couscous and lentils.

One item that's particularly popular with no-meat eaters is the Philly "steak" sandwich, made with seitan, peppers and onions for vegans, or with the addition of cheese for vegetarians. Triplett has also experimented widely with products such as tempeh and tofu, including a silky tofu product that she buys from an organic company based in Pennsylvania.

At Intel Corp. in Hillsborough, OR, another Bon Appetit account, executive chef Bruce Cohen caters to a culturally diverse population—including many vegetarians—with a wide-ranging selection of ethnic items. "Our patrons are from all over the world, and they're very well educated and traveled," says Cohen. "They're interested in seeing cool stuff."

Cost benefit point-of-view: In Hillsborough, the cool stuff includes an Indian menu that takes advantage of such house-made products as dal, chutney and breads, as well as vegetarian and nonvegetarian items from the Mediterranean and Central and South America. Like his colleague at American University, Cohen also buys seasonal produce and other ingredients from local organic and specialty farmers. "In season, it's competitive from a cost point-of-view," notes Cohen. "And you can't beat the quality and freshness."

Cohen figures that the vegetarian population at Intel is about 5%-10%, but it's all part of the challenge of offering something for everyone. The flagship Jones Farm Five Cafe offers eight different dining venues, each with a significant vegetarian component. Many of these concepts are ethnic in inspiration, including:

Global and Pacific Rim, including a wok station and noodle soups.

Regional Mexican, featuring unusual items like steamed corn with smoked jalapeno roasted tomatillo sauce.

A pizza and pasta station where the wood-burning pizza oven is also used to create tandoori style breads.

In addition, there is a tossed-to-order salad station at which customers can order such upscale alternatives as panko-crusted goat cheese salad with roasted shallot and red wine vinaigrette; and Thai-style salad with green papaya, toasted coconut and kafir lime vinaigrette.