Celebrating the Best of SUNY Collaboration & Culinary Creativity

It goes without saying that Sodexo employees go far beyond food service — they embody the very best in higher education dining and are consistently setting the standard for excellence. The ingenuity, creativity, and collaborative spirit displayed each and every day by our campus dining teams is truly inspirational.    

So, I’m always thrilled when they have the opportunity to showcase the culinary magic they use to bring a sense of joy, connection, and belonging to the campuses they serve. Having been participants since its inception, Sodexo teams once again shined at the recent State University of New York Auxiliary Services Association (SASA) Annual Conference. It was the perfect stage for our professionals to dazzle in a culinary showdown, engage in insightful keynote presentations, and celebrate the vital role they play alongside our SUNY partners.    

Clash of Campus Culinary Champions

The 2026 SASA Annual Conference highlighted how Sodexo’s skilled and passionate culinarians are at the heart of unforgettable campus dining experiences, as our chefs from Binghamton University, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY New Paltz, and SUNY Delhi showed up big time in the conference’s Battle of the Chefs.  

Prior to the conference, resident dining teams from nine SUNY schools were randomly assigned a protein ingredient to base their dish on and given specific parameters within which to craft something amazing. Their final creation had to be a small, tapas-style dish, cost no more than $1.50 to produce, and have a vegan/vegetarian version with a comparable protein swap.  

And Sodexo’s teams did not disappoint, preparing the following mouth-watering delights:  

• Binghamton University Dining Services (BUDS): Char Siu Pacific salmon with happy rice, pickled vegetables, sizzling soy, puffed glass noodles, and micro Thai basil. Prepared by Sam Pfaffenbach, Robert Minor, Sean Doyle, and Cory Cook.  
• SUNY Delhi: Crispy golden pork tenderloin served on a house-made pretzel roll with rich bacon jam, whipped Boursin cheese, pickled red onions, and smoky chipotle mayo. Prepared by Michael Stamets, Kim Moody, Trevon Oliver, and Brenda Terry.  
• SUNY New Paltz: Homemade squid-ink striped ravioli with fresh blue mussels, spicy Spanish chorizo, and creamy ricotta cheese, served in a silky Thai coconut cream sauce, finished with crispy fried leeks and fresh Thai basil. Prepared by Matthew Hill, Nicola Denovellis, Brian Wren, and Adam Ross.  
• SUNY Oneonta: Louisiana trio of crispy prawns, deconstructed Bloody Mary, and shrimp and grits tacos. Prepared by Lynn Cross-Matteson, Andrea Ghersi, Charlie Shaw, and Bryan Bennett.  

Judges eagerly tasted every delicious bite before giving conference guests the opportunity to also vote for the tastiest dish. Attendees buzzed from station to station, savoring the samples as chefs kept the plates coming and the final scores were tallied.

Winners were announced at the event after-party, and BUDS won big, not only earning the People’s Choice trophy, but also third place for Judge’s Choice. SUNY Delhi was the proud recipient of the third-place People’s Choice award.  

Perspectives on Partnerships, Career Pathways & Exceptional Campus Dining

Beyond battling it out in the kitchen, Sodexo was well represented at the SASA conference. Our dining team representatives partnered with current and former Sodexo student interns to deliver thoughtful presentations that highlighted the work we do, aligned with the conference theme, “Student Support through Strategic Partnerships.”

Read more about all the ways we support our SUNY students through trusted strategic partnerships by checking out the special SUNY edition of Sodexo’s Inspired Thinking blog.

SUNY Delhi Bronco Dining Marketing Director Tracey Stefanelli and student intern Laurel Brigham discussed the intern’s perspective on the campus dining experience, with Brigham sharing her multi-year experience and Stefanelli offering guidance about how best to support interns. Stefanelli also shared her expertise in digital accessibility in social media at an additional session.

Binghamton University Student Culinary Council President Eason Zhu partnered with the university’s Senior Association Director of Auxiliary Services Cindy Cowden and BUDS Campus Executive Chef Charlie Williams to showcase how past and current SCC initiatives have elevated the dining experience and strengthened student connections on campus.

BUDS Sustainability Manager Chris Harasta joined BU alumna Christina Fuller to highlight Binghamton’s Move Out Project, a donation program Fuller launched as a student. Beyond discussing the program, the team turned the presentation into a guided design lab, helping participants who may want to start a similar program at their campus.

Learn more about Chris’ amazing work and how Sodexo is partnering with SUNY campuses to set a new standard for sustainability leadership by downloading our case study, “Collaborative Sustainability Drives Impact Across SUNY Campuses.”

Showcasing Our Valued New York Partners

During the vendor fair, Sodexo representatives proudly offered samples of delicious products from our local New York partners, including Marquart Farms’ all natural New York Chips created from locally grown potatoes and with flavors inspired by popular Gainesville, N.Y. eateries such as Craig's Creamery, Anchor Bar, State Fair Spiedies, and Bully Hill Vineyards; maple sugar candies from Merle Maple in Attica, N.Y.; organic trail mix from Tierra Farms in Valatie, N.Y.; and peppermint bark prepared by the SUNY Oneonta team.

Beyond Employee Appreciation

While I’m incredibly proud of the recognition our SUNY-based dining professionals received at SASA, I’d also like to personally thank all of the amazing Sodexo culinarians and dining teams who support them, as they bring the spirit of Sodexo to make SUNY campus dining a thrilling, meaningful, and flavorful experience.