The University Center cafeteria has hired a new executive chef and while some students are excited about the new food options, many feel there is still more to be done to improve their dining experience.
Brian Duhart joined the UC staff this summer and oversees the entire campus food program and its staff. Since his arrival he has brought new items such as a Korean vegan burger with pickled cabbage, a Yucateco Whitefish taco, and a create-your-own ramen noodle bowl to the menu.
“The entrees this year are a lot better, like the bistro station,” said Parsons sophomore Emma Conway. “I feel like they’re more creative. There were things that used to be repeated everyday and now there are things that I’ve never even heard of before.”
The university’s dining program strives to provide naturally grown, socially conscious foods to the New School community while maintaining reasonable prices, explained Jessica Roberts, director of sustainability and campus operations.
Duhart has already created food options that align with these goals and provide students with a variety of simplistic, healthy choices, said Roberts.
Some students, however, feel there is a disconnect between the cafeteria’s objectives and the community’s needs.
“Let me have some regular fuckin’ juice,” said Perez. “What is this cranberry-lemon flavored herbal tea? I don’t understand. How about Gatorade? Simple as that. I’m from Texas. Where’s my sweet tea?”
Jake Seferian, a sophomore at Lang, expressed similar concerns.
“They try to make everything organic, but I wonder how important it actually is to all of the students that everything is organic, especially when it comes to price,” he said.
“I wanted a chocolate bar last year and I couldn’t just get a regular plain chocolate bar. It has a zest and it’s like $5. I want just normal non-zested chocolate.”
Lang sophomore Kat Rowland hopes that with a new executive chef the cafeteria staff will work harder to include students’ input regarding future menu decisions.
“I think they should put out a survey and see what students want and then cater to the students.”
NiQyira is currently an Arts in Context major at the New School. She joined The Free Press in Fall 2013 and enjoys writing for all four of its sections. NiQyira aims to pursue a career in photo journalism, traveling while using photography and writing to explore other cultures. She would like to write for a magazine like National Geographic one day. NiQyira’s hobbies include being the sweatiest girl in the gym, wandering the city with a camera, watching cartoons, writing and eating too much peanut butter.
