5 things: Morrison engages local celebrity chef Doug Katz to elevate foodservice at Cleveland Clinic

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

 1.    Celebrity chef Doug Katz to help elevate the food at Cleveland Clinic

Local celebrity chef/restaurateur Doug Katz has been engaged by Morrison Healthcare to consult on elevating the food for staff and patients at the Cleveland Clinic. Katz is the chef-owner of Zhug and Amba restaurants in Cleveland as well as the chef-partner of Provenance at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read more: Chef Doug Katz contracted as culinary consultant for Cleveland Clinic

 2.    Cal Poly Pomona debuts ice cream brand

Cal Poly Pomona recently launched its first university-brand ice cream, Cal Poly Pomona Farms Ice Cream, in partnership with the Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture, Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises and artisanal ice cream company Coney Island Creamery. Available at the farm store and select on-campus dining locations this fall are flavors that include Haas avocado (which won Gold for the judges choice award at the 2023 Los Angeles International Dairy Competition in April) and Satsuma mandarin orange, both inspired by fruits grown at the university’s certified organic farms.

Read more: Cal Poly Pomona unveils new ice cream brand

Related:5 tech things: Delaware North to open Just Walk Out store at NFL stadium in Jacksonville

 3.    LAUSD rolls out food truck program

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has launched its food truck program, with the first truck hitting the streets the first week of September. The vehicle can serve up to 400 students at a time with choices like tacos, dumplings, nachos, vegan dishes, chicken wings, salads and fruit. Three more trucks are in the works, so each of the district’s four regions will have a dedicated truck.

Read more: LAUSD spices up students’ day with new food truck program

 4.    Kent State to convert dining hall to nut-free facility

The Design Innovation Hub, home to one of the two dining halls on the Kent State University campus in Ohio, will be a nut-free facility by January 2024 at the earliest. The move comes in response to surveys indicating a high number of students with nut allergies, said Sarah Korzan, assistant director and dietitian for culinary.

Read more: Expectations set for soon to be nut-free Design Innovation Dining

 5.    Loyola Chicago Dining to engage student influencers

Loyola University Chicago Dining Services is partnering with Aramark to launch a student influencer program for all Loyola dining locations. Students in the program will be paid to produce social media content promoting campus dining halls beginning this semester.

Related:5 things: Philadelphia Schools cafeteria workers authorize strike option

Read more: Loyola Dining Services Launches Student Influencer Program

Bonus: Aramark expands NFL service window to brunch and late-night

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]