Cafeteria renovation elevates menu choice for prep school students

A joint renovation project of the Commons 51 full-service cafeteria at Savannah Christian Preparatory School in Georgia by the school and dining partner Lexington Independents, a unit of Elior North America, provides students more choices and plenty of snack options.

The fresh new look to the venue incorporates a scatter station food system that lets students pick and choose what they want to get.  

Italian favorites such as handcrafted pizza, garlic knots and traditional pastas can be found at the Soft and Stone station while the Classic Kitchen station serves homestyle comfort food and Global Fare offers trendy and innovative meals such as local favorites Shrimp & Grits with Parmesan Cream Sauce and Low Country Boil.

“We mix it up,” says Jessica Thomas, Lexington Independents director of dining services.  “From low country foods to global fare, we appeal to our diverse student population, providing a menu of options that everyone will love in Commons 51 which accommodates 300 students."    

A weekly menu cycle may feature anything from Peruvian or Mexican selections to Mississippi shrimp bowls and other traditional American favorites. “The one menu item our kids love is the grits!” Thomas adds. 

Supplementing the meals are sweet treats created by Chef William Porter, a trained baker, whose popular desserts include a variety of cookies, pastries, pies and cakes, including a strawberry swirled cheesecake and his famous crème Brulé cheesecake.

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“Our chef also benchmarks from local restaurants, injecting local flavors into our menus,” Thomas adds.

Expanded snack options also give students the ability to recharge at The Crossbones Café coffee shop, located in a space adjacent to the Commons 51. Crossbones Café is open to both students and faculty Monday through Friday, offering snacks and beverages to dine in or on the go.

“A retail dining venue like The Crossbones Café is unique to schools k-12,” Thomas notes. “It gives students a taste of how to manage their ‘dollars’ and to feel a little independent when making their purchases.” 

Younger students—pre-k through fifth grade—can purchase a snack or a freshly made smoothie, while students 13 years old and over can order an iced coffee or Frappuccino.   For breakfast, all students can purchase homemade cinnamon rolls and muffins freshly made by Chef Porter as well as fresh fruit and yogurt. Especially popular are snack packs with combos like Nutella, graham crackers and fresh strawberries; pepperoni and cheese; and hummus snacks. 

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Here's a look at the new cafeteria and coffee shop at Savannah Christian…