Multiple honors for BC Dining
National Association of College and University Food Services Awards
艾可直播 College Dining Services was a big winner at the National Association of College and University Food Services Awards on July 11, taking the NACUFS grand prize plus two other high honors.
BCDS received the Grand Prize for Catering Program of the Year, as well as gold and bronze Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards for, respectively, Catering Program of the Year and Most Innovative Dining Program. The Horton awards recognize colleges and universities nationwide for their innovative dining concepts and successful implementation. In addition, each year NACUFS selects a particular category鈥攖his year being Catering Program of the Year鈥攖o showcase for the Grand Prize.
Founded in 1958, NACUFS is the first association focused solely on food service in higher education, with members in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and beyond.
NACUFS Trustee Peter Testory, BC Dining Director Beth Emery, Assistant Director Scott Powers, and Associate Director Frank Bailey, and NACUFS Chairman Rahul Shrivastav at the awards ceremony.
鈥淲inning the Grand Prize for our catering program is an immense honor, and it鈥檚 all thanks to the tireless efforts of our incredible team,鈥� said Director of Dining Services Beth Emery, who traveled with Associate Director of Food and Beverages Frank Bailey and Assistant Director of Catering Operations Scott Powers to receive the awards at the NACUFS National Conference in Salt Lake City. 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 be prouder of their menu innovation, impressive food presentations, and ability to delight customers.鈥�
BCDS administrators say the initiatives that earned the grand prize reflects the department鈥檚 commitment to the community dining experience and variety through innovative and forward-thinking strategies.
They note that Executive Chef Phyllis Kaplowitz has spearheaded the rewriting of BC Catering鈥檚 menu offerings, which are divided into two operations: Heights Catering, providing a blend of classic flavors and contemporary culinary elements, featuring menus and packages that showcase a combination of both familiar and refined tastes; and Heights Express, convenient catering for small-scale events with a streamlined ordering system.
鈥淧hyllis and our Heights Catering team have truly elevated campus dining at 艾可直播 College,鈥� said Bailey. 鈥淭heir new menu, with its emphasis on seasonal and global flavor profiles along with their focus on presentation, offers our community access to a world-class dining experience right here on campus.鈥�
Assistant Director of Catering Scott Powers
During the 2024-2025 academic year, Heights Catering served some 2,500 events and delivered more than 750 Heights Express orders to the BC community. Based on the positive response, Kaplowitz is confident that the old menu will be phased out, with BCDS officially adopting the new menu by the end of July.
The new catering menu includes adaptations of international flavors from five different regions and vegetarian options, while balancing a 鈥渟omething for everyone鈥� approach.
鈥淥ur other dining programs offer an extreme variety of items,鈥� said Kaplowitz, 鈥渂ut our catering menu lacked some of these international global flavors and vegetarian options. That鈥檚 where I incorporated new menu items into some different Asian packages, Latin influences, and an 鈥榓round the world鈥� package that encompasses something from five different regions.鈥�
One of Kaplowitz鈥檚 most notable catering events from the past year showcased her expertise in global flavors and her appreciation for a menu challenge. A dinner held to celebrate the naming of the Carroll School of Management鈥檚 Seidner Department of Finance featured an Australian-influenced menu, including a Pacific Rim display featuring sushi, bao buns, fresh spring rolls, an Australian pie buffet station, a carving station, and a pasta station that contained a large parmesan wheel.
The bronze award signifies BCDS鈥� commitment to integrating new technology, culinary excellence, student engagement, and sustainability within its operations over the past year.
With an 谩 la carte approach to its dining model, BC Dining鈥檚 forward-thinking ability is the reason for its inclusion of several new items on the menu, allowing students to customize their meals and access a diverse range of flavors that accommodate various tastes and dietary preferences.
This past year, BCDS hosted seven Global Flavors Pop-Up Concepts, including a Pupusa station, Northern African dishes, and Middle Eastern Shawarma bowls. Many of these global flavors concepts will be incorporated into the offerings at Corcoran, McElroy, and Stuart dining halls.
BC Dining has received numerous silver and gold NACUFS nutrition and sustainability awards, including a grand prize in 2015 when Heights Catering was honored for its work at the Pops on the Heights scholarship gala, as well as the grand prize for last year鈥檚 Nutrition Awards.
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