1885 was the year that Leland Stanford founded Stanford University, one of the most prestigious institutions to Californians and the world alike. Before that, the once Golden State governor struck it rich as a leading railroad tycoon. The innovative man would be proud to see that his school continues to set the standard for the college experience, and we’re not just talking about academics. You guessed it: food. Wealth probably earned old Leland more than a few lavish meals in his day. Based on student feedback and what appears to be a carefully considered approach to dining services, we can’t help but think his appetite for greatness might’ve inspired some of the university’s culinary ideals. From being voted PETA’s number one vegan-friendly campus in the country to award-winning chefs on staff, let’s take a closer look at why Knife and Fork 101 is a crucial main “course” here.
Stanford has the distinction of being the first institution to be Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) Certified by The United States Healthful Food Council. Many other schools boast of their cutting-edge practices, but Stanford gets the official stamp of approval when it comes to its focus on nutrition and sustainability. For nine years in a row, the university has also been recognized by the Financial Times for being the number one executive dining program in the world—that’s right, the world! High praise like that isn’t just awarded to anyone. The school has relied on the principles below to become of the country’s most admired dining programs:
- Provide exceptional customer service to students; their mantra reads “Students (customers) first”.
- Hiring, inspiring and retaining talented team members like acclaimed chefs with a strong knowledge of nutrition.
- Adjusting to change and refining processes (feeding 11,500 students isn’t without its hiccups).
- Being fiscally and ecologically responsible with the university’s academic mission in mind.
Now that’ve got the finer details out of the way, let’s breakdown what the students have to say. First and foremost, many couldn’t be more pleased with the geographical placement of the locations. Every major dorm has a hall within close proximity—convenience at its best. As previous hinted at, this campus couldn’t be more vegan-friendly if it tried to be. “Extremely easy” is what one student had to say about being vegan on campus. Based on what we’ve uncovered at other schools, this is very rarely the case. Healthy entrees and a wide variety keep scholarly types coming back for more. There appears to be a widespread appreciation for the Dining Ambassador program, which allows students to provide input on certain meals they’d like to have, or suggestions on how things could be done differently. One initiative that came from this is the high-quality ethnic-themed dinner that select dining halls host one or twice a quarter. Beyond the halls lie staples like Starbucks and several restaurants which actually accept dining dollars as payment.
The most common complaint among undergraduates is the mandatory aspect of the program, and its expensive pricing. No matter the year, if you live in a dorm then you must get a meal plan. Those with a medical or religious reason to not have one encounter many hoops that commonly result in some kind of opt-out fee. Beyond this, the smallest meal plan available only saves you roughly 5% of the cost for a large one—not exactly economical in the long run.
Thankfully, these minor flaws are more than made up for by courteous staff, well-informed chefs and some truly delicious plates. We highly recommend this campus to the academic eater who’s weary of the fast food-esque offerings that a majority of schools lean on. Quality, nutritious ingredients make all the difference when it comes to powering through a day of classes or all-nighter in the library. Vegans will be especially pleased by the plethora of dishes. The ratings really don’t lie: Stanford knows what it’s doing in the kitchen.
Ryan James is a ’13 alumnus of Ohio University’s College of Arts & Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in writing and media. He currently works as a copywriter for a Fortune 500 e-commerce corporation based in Columbus, OH.