Bon Appétit Management Company

What can you possibly say in 140 characters? A lot, actually! “Twitter chats” are free-form discussions in which people weigh in on a given topic, using an agreed-upon #hashtag. They can be a fun way to tap into the “hive mind.” This Thursday, at 12 p.m. Pacific time, we’ll be hosting a Twitter chat about what “food services for a sustainable future” should look like for Bon Appétit Management Company – follow along via #BAsustain!

School is back in session, and the Daily Meal just wrapped up a summer-long research project — a hunt for the best college food in the country. The team examined the dining programs at every four-year college in America — more than 2,000 of them. Nine Bon Appétit schools made the resulting list of 52!

I had believed that social change came from the world of nonprofits. How could do-gooders both stay true to their vision and make money? Didn’t that take grants and volunteers and 501c3 status? It was exciting to see true sustainability at work: a for-profit business model that was also loyal to a socially responsible mission. From then on, I knew I wanted to work for Bon Appétit.

Birthdays are a great time for reflection. When Bon Appétit Management Company was founded 25 years ago, in 1987, our priorities were cooking restaurant-quality food from scratch using the freshest ingredients, and delivering outstanding customer service. In 2004, we formally committed to sustainability, which we defined as “food choices that celebrate flavor, affirm regional cultural traditions, and support local communities without compromising air, water or soil, now and in the future.” We’ve been looking ahead to our next 25 years, and asking our teams around the country — and our guests — for their input on what should be next.

Making healthy choices often seems tough for college students. Between social activities, doing homework, and participating in extracurricular, personal well-being can often take a back seat. But Bon Appétit makes the healthy choice the easy, default choice in the dining hall and we were recently recognized for our efforts.

CNBC interviewed Bon Appétit Management Company CEO Fedele Bauccio about what it’s been like feeding Silicon Valley for 25 years.

This summer, Bon Appétit chefs gathered around the country to learn the ins and outs of cooking authentic Indian cuisine. At Emmanuel College in Boston, I joined a group of New England chefs attending the culinary training, titled “Flavors from the Turmeric Trail” and given by Raghavan Iyer, a native of Mumbai and a celebrated chef, author, and teacher.

“Which is better for the environment and the economy — a tomato grown nearby or one from the supermarket?” That’s how USA Today starts off a recent piece titled “Local food is trendy, but is it really more eco-friendly?,” discussing two new books that claim to debunk the idea that it is. This argument is a pretty moldy one — it’s been floating around since we launched the Eat Local Challenge, back in 2005 — and it surprises me that anyone still likes to take a bite of it.

Although farmers planted corn in record numbers this year — the most acres since 1937 — the current drought affecting the Midwest means yields are predicted to be well below last year’s. However, very little of the corn planted in the Midwest is edible: most of it goes to feed animals or for fuel. But there are farmers who grow against the grain, so to speak. Last year, when Bon Appétit District Manager Sam Currie discovered Hutterian Brethren Farms had a surplus of the sweetest corn he’d ever had, he jumped at the opportunity to find a way for our accounts to use it.

This agua fresca recipe makes use of any seasonal melons you may have on hand (try your local farmers’ market!) and includes much less added sugar than traditional agua fresca recipes to help you hydrate the healthy way.