Reaching New Heights at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Great food is the cornerstone of what we do at Sodexo. We see firsthand how strong culinary leadership, dynamic menus and trend-setting dishes can greatly impact the campus experience. While food has always been a powerful source of community and connection, it’s even more so for today’s Gen Z students. Gen Z considers food to be a core component of their identity and invests most of their disposable income in food experiences that help build a sense of self.*
Students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida experience exceptional, community-building culinary moments every day on campus. As a leader in aviation and aerospace, Embry-Riddle is a haven of curious exploration and sky-high innovation. Campus dining is no exception. The Sodexo dining team brings the menu to new heights for a uniquely delicious college experience.
Don Feldkamp, Campus General Manager and former Executive Chef at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, says:
As a chef, whether you’re in the kitchen with your team or engaging with students, it’s important to put your passion on display every day. Everyone will see and taste the difference. Our team’s love of food and craving for innovation is what gives Embry-Riddle students a special dining experience.
Boundless Flavor Possibilities
The Boundless Dining Hall at Embry-Riddle is the campus gathering place for all things food. Renovated in 2019, the space features nine brand-new, destination stations serving everything from classic favorites like pressed paninis and buttermilk marinated chicken tenders to one-of-a-kind plant-based entrees, pastries and desserts, and allergen-free meals. One of the best destinations in the dining hall is the Wood Fire Grill, where students can relax in bar seating and watch marinated meats sizzle while they have conversations with the chefs.
All meals at Boundless Dining Hall are prepared with the fresh, local ingredients and served with love and connection. This hub of dining, with all its endless variety, adds enormous value to a student’s meal plan and encourages voluntary meal plan participation. Since the opening of Boundless Dining Hall, student foot traffic has increased 4x over the previous dining space.
Craveable Moments
Tuna Sushi Rolls
The Embry-Riddle dining experience builds intentional moments for students to relax, connect, and create memories around food. Campus dining is the #1 driver of student engagement and events play a crucial role in building a sense of community.
This exclusive ticketed event allowed students to customize tuna maki rolls with add-ins like avocado, cucumber, and spicy crab. Each order was hand-rolled and served with a side of soy sauce by the campus executive chef. The Sodexo team also committed to making this a no-waste event.
Chicken & Rice
The annual chicken and rice festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year at Embry-Riddle. The legendary dish that broke the sound barrier is marinated chicken breasts with tzatziki, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and rice served with hot sauce. T-shirts and social media fan pages are devoted to its deliciousness. The 2022 event served 633 students within four hours.
Prime Rib Dinner
Students swept up tickets for a 12ounce prime rib steak dinner with a loaded baked potato and green beans. Each steak was seared to perfection, then slow roasted until juicy and tender.
The meal was so well prepared and professional that I forgot I was in the dining hall. — Embry-Riddle Student
Succulents + Superfoods
At this wellness event, students tasted avocado kale smoothies, acai berry smoothies and a kale and quinoa salad while also picking out succulent plants for their dorm room. 128 students received succulents.
Crafting Meals Together
Today’s students want to be more involved in their dining program than ever before. The Sodexo team at Embry-Riddle welcomes students into the kitchen, understanding that they bring a valuable perspective to the dining program. Culinary education and collaborative menu planning also forge relationships between students and chefs that educate and inspire.
The Embry-Riddle Student Culinary Council is a group of 20 students of various ages, majors, and cultural backgrounds designed to share feedback and suggestions with Sodexo leadership. All meetings are held as catered events, with salad, entrées, and desserts, introducing students to the latest recipes. Student feedback has resulted in additions like a tea station in Boundless Dining Hall, monthly events at the Simple Servings stations for students with food allergies, and a specialty pasta day.
Campus General Manager and former Executive Chef Don Feldkamp and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Registered Dietitian Stacey Scrabis love to host cooking classes with students to teach healthy and affordable meal prep. One cooking class showed students how to prepare a meal using only Embry-Riddle-approved dorm room appliances. Chef Don transformed an $8 fully cooked rotisserie chicken into multiple meals, including Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas and a Chicken Salad. These lessons are a chance to be an ally to students as they learn to navigate basic life skills on their own.
The Sodexo team at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University understands the role of campus dining in the student experience. Their devotion to the best quality program possible has built a strong reputation that continues to reach new heights.
Graphic: “What does food mean to you?”, “Friendship”, “Fun times”, “An opportunity to experience part of different world cultures”, “A space to share with family and friends”, “Shows love.” — Members of the Embry-Riddle Student Culinary Council
* Cassandra, 2022
** Sodexo Operations