Kitchen and Food

campuscooks · #1 05-22-2013, 04:19 PM

Hey Everyone-

I am just checking out some of the posts and seeing if anyone has issues with their kitchen. What's your cook like? What kind of meals was he/she making during the year?

Kevin · #2 05-22-2013, 04:41 PM

Many groups around here find it more cost effective to cater. There's a catering company in Norman which serves many of the fraternity and sorority houses as well as a few local schools.

http://www.keystonefoodservice.com/

weltzinm · #3 06-08-2017, 01:03 PM

Our chapter uses Greek House Chefs, they are the best! we used College Chefs and Uppercrust before them and were never happy. Within the first week of service with greek house chefs the food and chef blew our chapter away. Anyone looking for a great food service I highly suggest greek house chefs. they have a website, facebook, and twitter. Look them up

KatieKate1244 · #4 06-08-2017, 11:00 PM

My house has both an independent cook and now we're using a chef service. I know the chef service has a cookbook of recipes but the chef already had his own set of recipes. He's always willing to take requests from the members to see what they're wanting. This past year was pasta, pasta, pasta. There's also a 24 hr. salad and cereal bar.

Sciencewoman · #5 06-09-2017, 10:03 AM

I spoke with a couple catering vendors at our facilities conference -- College Fresh seemed impressive and some of our chapters are catered by them. Does anyone else have any experience with College Fresh?

modorney · #6 06-10-2017, 01:39 PM

What do these programs cost?

Is catering substantially cheaper than having a cook on site?

KatieKate1244 · #7 06-10-2017, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by modorney

What do these programs cost?

Is catering substantially cheaper than having a cook on site?

I've been told it's comparable to having your own cook.

navane · #8 06-11-2017, 03:35 PM

Remember, the quotes for any service will vary based on the number of members being fed, the number of meals being provided and the type of meal being served.

We are currently using a company called Kitchen Management Services, Inc. The members seem to be generally happy with the service thus far. We have 225 members, with 33 people living in. Meals are Mon-Fri with cold self-serve breakfast, full hot lunch, and full hot dinner. Fridays, a hot brunch is served in lieu of the regular breakfast and lunch. Also, because the Chef knows that we have Monday night formal chapter meetings, he tries to put out a fancier meal on Monday nights. The service is, I believe, is about $121,000 for the two 16-week semesters. I believe we've budgeted $130k for next year due to rising costs. YMMV

KatieKate1244 · #9 06-12-2017, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navane

Remember, the quotes for any service will vary based on the number of members being fed, the number of meals being provided and the type of meal being served.

We are currently using a company called Kitchen Management Services, Inc. The members seem to be generally happy with the service thus far. We have 225 members, with 33 people living in. Meals are Mon-Fri with cold self-serve breakfast, full hot lunch, and full hot dinner. Fridays, a hot brunch is served in lieu of the regular breakfast and lunch. Also, because the Chef knows that we have Monday night formal chapter meetings, he tries to put out a fancier meal on Monday nights. The service is, I believe, is about $121,000 for the two 16-week semesters. I believe we've budgeted $130k for next year due to rising costs. YMMV

Do you allow out of house members to eat meals there? We currently allow formal Monday night dinner and then one other meal a week. Of course, it's impossible to keep track of. Not to mention that anytime there's an event at the house the cereal bar is emptied (but woe to the house manager who puts it up!).

navane · #10 06-12-2017, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatieKate1244

Do you allow out of house members to eat meals there? We currently allow formal Monday night dinner and then one other meal a week. Of course, it's impossible to keep track of. Not to mention that anytime there's an event at the house the cereal bar is emptied (but woe to the house manager who puts it up!).

We have a program similar to yours. Everyone eats formal Monday night dinner (200+ women). For the rest of the week, it's "only" the live-ins (33). Non live-in members are allowed, I believe, 3 meals per week at the house at no extra charge (their dues include the 3 meals). This is to help encourage sisterhood and a sense of belonging for *all* members at the chapter house.

Live-outs are supposed to pay for additional meals beyond the 3rd meal and everyone is supposed to pay for any guests they bring. We have not yet found a system for tracking who is eating extra. Like you, we sometimes have a problem with live-outs coming by and eating out of the live-ins' snack pantry. We've also had problems with girls bringing random guests for free food every week and not paying. We had to put a stop to it as the chef was only preparing enough food for the live-ins and the meals would come up short. It's not currently a problem; but, the issue comes up every few years. If anyone has idea for how to deal with that, I'm all ears.

Titchou · #11 06-12-2017, 02:09 PM

Some places use a swipe card like schools use.

Sciencewoman · #12 06-12-2017, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titchou

Some places use a swipe card like schools use.

The instituted swipe cards at my daughter's school her senior year, last year. It was unpopular at first, but everyone got used to it. Campus dining provides the meals and cooks, and students had to swipe at the campus dining venues...so it was only fair that they swiped in the houses, too. Otherwise, sorority dining could be an additional free meal. Live outs are automatically charged for 5 meals by the university. So, before the swipe cards you could theoretically eat 5 meals on campus, then eat 5 more at the house.

Kevin · #13 06-13-2017, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatieKate1244

I've been told it's comparable to having your own cook.

Except your House Corp only has to worry about paying the bill--not handling all of the H.R. and administrative B.S.

Sciencewoman · #14 06-13-2017, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

Except your House Corp only has to worry about paying the bill--not handling all of the H.R. and administrative B.S.

For the win. Seriously.

weltzinm · #15 06-14-2017, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navane

Remember, the quotes for any service will vary based on the number of members being fed, the number of meals being provided and the type of meal being served.

We are currently using a company called Kitchen Management Services, Inc. The members seem to be generally happy with the service thus far. We have 225 members, with 33 people living in. Meals are Mon-Fri with cold self-serve breakfast, full hot lunch, and full hot dinner. Fridays, a hot brunch is served in lieu of the regular breakfast and lunch. Also, because the Chef knows that we have Monday night formal chapter meetings, he tries to put out a fancier meal on Monday nights. The service is, I believe, is about $121,000 for the two 16-week semesters. I believe we've budgeted $130k for next year due to rising costs. YMMV

We have a similar schedule with the addition of hot breakfast on Tuesday and Thursday and brunch every other sunday. Chef makes us omelettes to order on Tuesdays!! He also makes a huge spread for the sunday brunch. I think we are paying around $165,000 for both semesters with 75 live in members and a total of 180 members on campus. Same deal all members are invited to chapter dinner Monday night and chef goes all out for chapter! Chef always has extra so even when a out of house member shows up to a random lunch or dinner on other days it isn't a problem.