When Bon Appétit Fellow Elise Dudley and over a dozen Vassar College students caravanned out to Amenia, NY earlier this year, they expected to learn firsthand about the dairy industry and meet a storied local Farm to Fork partner. They got even more, including a lesson in emerging cooperative models that protect small dairy farms.
Keeping Hudson Valley Dairy Farmers Milking
In New York’s Hudson Valley, Farm to Fork vendor Hudson Valley Fresh Dairy offers an alternative dairying model that insulates small dairy farmers negative trends impacting the dairy industry.
Transforming Student Food Waste into an Opportunity for Creativity and Reflection
The aroma of pizza crust, orange peels, chicken bones, and half-eaten sandwiches has become an all too familiar scent to Bon Appétit Management Company’s Midwest Fellow Elise Kulers and east coast Fellow Elise Dudley, who have weighed over 1,500 pounds of food waste produced by over 8,500 guests at colleges and universities this year.
Farm to Institution Northeast Summit Brings Together Food Systems Professionals
In late April, food system professionals gathered virtually and in person for the annual Northeast Farm to Institution Summit, with Bon Appétiters leading multiple events.
Visiting Horse Listeners Orchard: An Exploration of a Thriving Partnership
Horse Listeners Orchard has been a long-time Farm to Fork partner of Bon Appétit-served colleges and universities in the northeast region from Connecticut to Massachusetts. Beyond cultivating 23 varieties of apples, and vegetables too, they partner with neighboring growers to aggregate produce — enabling them to source a yearlong supply of crushed tomatoes for our chefs — and deliver it all themselves.
Uncovering the Mollusk Mystery: Touring Roger Williams University’s Shellfish Program
On the edge of Roger Williams University’s campus and steps from Rhode Island’s Mt. Hope Bay, faculty, staff, and students are performing cutting-edge research on some truly amazing creatures.
A Conversation about Farmworkers’ Rights
On my table sat a hefty 5-gallon bucket overflowing with green apples. Weighing in at 32 pounds, the fruit represented the average harvest bucket of green tomatoes for which farmworkers in Florida — where most of the tomatoes east of the Mississippi come from in the winter months — are paid a shocking 45 cents per bucket.
Philosophizing About Coffee
Furman University has long served Due South Coffee in their Library Café, keeping students fueled on responsibly sourced and locally roasted beans. So, when Bon Appétit Fellow and Furman Graduate Elise Dudley reached out to Professor Sarah Worth about bringing her Philosophy of Taste students to experience a coffee tasting at Due South’s Roastery, the educator welcomed the opportunity.
A Spring Harvest Dinner at Penn’s Quaker Kitchen
Led by Executive Chef Daniel Stern, the Quaker Kitchen is creating weekly food-centered opportunities for students to build community at University of Pennsylvania. Every Friday students gather together in Quaker Kitchen to prepare and share a meal, but this particular week was distinct. Through a partnership with Penn’s campus farm, a unique group of students were invited to enjoy a simple plant-forward meal highlighting seasonal ingredients.