Bon Appétit Introduces “Curated,” a New App-Based Ordering System Offering Guests Wide Range of Dietary Options
Food service pioneer provides personalized menu choices for guests with specific dietary needs.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (July 27, 2021) – Bon Appétit Management Company is proud to launch Curated, an app-based ordering system that allows guests to order meals tailored to their specific dietary needs. Developed by Bon Appétit chefs and Registered Dietitians, Curated offers meals that meet the requirements of 12 different diets, including plant-forward, plant-based, high-protein/low-carb, and options for guests needing to avoid any of the major allergens or gluten.
Curated combines front-of-house and back-of-house innovations to offer order-ahead personalized nutrition to guests at participating Bon Appétit cafés at corporations and universities. The system removes the frustrating aspects of ordering a highly customized meal, such as having to explain dietary requirements. Instead, Curated provides the ability for the user to determine precisely what will be in their salad or bowl, from the base ingredients to its garnish, and pick it up on the go.
Once a diet selection is made, the app automatically filters menu options accordingly, showing guests a line-up of offerings to add to their meals, such as local greens and braised black lentils or riced cauliflower and harissa chicken. Guests can turn up the heat with a chili-lime sauce or choose items like house-pickled vegetables, allowing for detailed customization. By offering a variety of dietary options to choose from, Bon Appétit ensures that guests can find dishes that are simultaneously safe and satisfying.
“There’s clear evidence to suggest that many of today’s dietary preferences are here to stay,” says Bon Appétit Director of Nutrition and Wellness Terri Brownlee. “Allergen-sensitive meals are increasingly important with one in 10 adults suffering from food allergies. For these guests, ensuring they are ordering the right foods can be difficult and even dangerous at times. Curated fills an essential niche for a growing number of guests who are seeking personalized options without the stress of sifting through menus to meet their needs.”
Bon Appétit chefs and Registered Dietitians collaborated to create comprehensive back-of-house instructions that orient food production to minimize cross-contact between ingredients in open kitchen environments. Planograms for station setup, equipment recommendations, and crystal-clear orders from the app greatly reduce the possibilities of human error in meal preparation. Designed to expand on service and operational lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, Curated leverages café and kitchen infrastructure in new ways — such as mobile order/pickup systems and conversion of spaces to ghost kitchens — to efficiently meet the needs of guests.
Curated also caters to what has been a significant shift in the way consumers think about the ethical and environmental implications of the food they eat. A recent poll by Datassential indicated that 44% of respondents were trying to increase their consumption of plant-based proteins. Bon Appétit has been at the forefront of putting plant-forward menus first. As more guests (flexitarians included) recognize vegan, vegetarian, and plant-forward food as critically necessary in the fight against climate change, Curated makes these choices easily accessible.
About Bon Appétit Management Company
Bon Appétit Management Company (www.bamco.com) is an on-site restaurant company based in Redwood City, Calif. that operates cafés in 33 states for corporations, universities, and cultural institutions, including Twitter, Chase Center (home of the Golden State Warriors), Oracle Park (home of the San Francisco Giants), Case Western Reserve University, and many others. Bon Appétit chefs create unique menus and cook from scratch, including sauces, stocks, and soups at every location. “Food service for a sustainable future” is the heart of Bon Appétit’s business philosophy and the company is a recognized industry leader in environmentally and socially responsible practices, with awards from organizations including the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, Acterra, James Beard Foundation, and many others.
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