The Heart of Campus: A Look Behind-the-Scenes of Bon Appétit

Article submitted by Katelyn Lam

NEWBERG, Ore. – The air hangs thick with the savory steam of sauces and the sharp scent of freshly chopped herbs. The pizza oven is warming up for its long day of work and the fruit bins are stocked full. It’s the lunch rush and the college kitchen is a blur.

Standing at the center of this controlled chaos are Executive Chef Ryan Garalde and General Manager Ryan Jensen. They aren’t overseeing a Michelin restaurant. They’re orchestrating a daily operation to feed hungry undergraduates, proving that institutional cooking can be just as challenging and rewarding.

Garalde and Jensen are the “people behind the cameras” for Bon Appétit at George Fox University (GFU), commonly referred to as the Bon. Feeding around 2,000 students is no easy task; they run the Bon in a manner that requires patience, experience and passion.

Garalde’s day usually begins around 11 a.m. His critical tasks are reviewing purchasing reports and the day’s catering events. Then it's a quick safety walkthrough and a check-in with his crew to ensure the menu is on track. At the core of the operation is Bon Appétit’s philosophy: “cook from scratch.”

“We truly live by that philosophy,” Garalde said, “Almost everything we serve—soups, sauces, stews, pizza dough, dressings and more—is made from whole, fresh ingredients.”

This commitment to quality food is balanced against budget constraints and the need to utilize seasonal, local ingredients when possible. “We work closely with the administration to create a realistic budget that balances cost and value,” Jensen said.

Creating a diverse and appealing menu for a large student body is perhaps the biggest challenge due to the array of dietary needs, such as allergies and vegan preferences.

“The biggest challenge is making sure every student feels included in the dining experience,” Garalde said. “We want everyone, regardless of dietary preferences or restrictions, to enjoy something delicious and satisfying.”

Menu development is a continuous process driven by two main factors: staying current with food trends and listening to student feedback. Garalde also finds inspiration in his personal life, drawing ideas from exploring local food trucks and home cooking. 

“Cooking at home with my family keeps me creative and reminds me why I love food in the first place,” Garalde said.

However, providing variety brings uncertainty, especially when it comes to food. Some students haven’t been exposed to cuisines from other cultures and some are reluctant to try them. 

Despite some students’ uncertainty toward new foods, the Bon still works to represent different cuisines correctly. “We always seek to prepare dishes as authentically as we can while making them approachable and enjoyable,” Garalde said.

Running a kitchen of large scale requires expert logistics and careful forecasting. “Forecasting is never an exact science. We use past data, menu trends and experience to gauge how much to prepare,” Geralde said. “Understanding which stations are most popular helps us balance minimizing waste while ensuring there’s plenty of food for everyone.”

The most intense, high-pressure time of the day is the 30-minute period before each meal service begins. “That’s when we’re putting on the finishing touches, adjusting seasoning, garnishing and making sure every station is ready,” Garalde said. “It’s hectic but also exciting.”

The team is also adept at crisis management, such as when food deliveries were delayed for multiple days, forcing Geralde to take action. “I ended up making several trips to a store in Wilsonville and loading up my SUV with whatever ingredients I could find to keep our kitchen running,” Garalde said. 

Jensen mirrors this commitment to students with his emphasis on being present, viewing the dining hall as the community's living room. “I make it a priority to be out of my office and in the dining room as much as possible,” Jensen said. “It’s important for me to be present for students and my employees and I really value face-to-face interaction.”

All the hard work, from the early planning to the final garnishes, serves one purpose for Garalde and Jensen: student satisfaction. “Seeing students enjoy the meals my team has prepared is incredibly rewarding,” Garalde said. “Knowing that our food brings comfort and happiness to their day makes all the hard work worthwhile.”