There are some changes in store for Northwestern College’s dining experiences this year under the leadership of new food service director Mike Devenish. Bringing both his culinary and administrative skills to the team, as well as his friendly personality, Devenish works hard to ensure that all of campus is provided with good food and plentiful options.
“High quality is the biggest goal,” Devenish said. “There is a saying ‘If you wouldn’t eat it, we don’t serve it!’”
Devenish handles numerous responsibilities with his role in Creative Dining at NW. “From purchasing to production to service to food waste, it is all part of it,” he said. Due to the busy schedule, good teamwork is crucial. “There are many tasks that must be completed in a day and knowing that you can count on the person next to you is must.”
Julie Elliott, Vice President of Student Life, looks forward to seeing how Devenish’s leadership makes a difference in campus dining. “Mike has a wealth of experience in lots of different food service settings, so he has a good grasp about meeting the needs of customers,” Elliot said. “He also has a real love for good food and wants to ensure that NW students receive high-quality, delicious and creative choices.”
There are several changes students can expect to see, or perhaps have already noticed, throughout this school year. Devenish and Elliott believe these changes will provide NW with higher quality service. Among these changes are an expanded, rotating, more multicultural menu in the cafeteria, a new point-of-sale system called TransACT and a 24/7 convenience store in Christy Suites expected to be open later this semester.
Food preparation processes are also being reevaluated. According to Elliot, Devenish is “exploring ways that our cooks can prepare smaller batches of food at a time to ensure that the food is fresher at the time students eat it.”Devenish also commented on some other changes. “The Grab and Go has been redesigned with the Good-to-Go concept, and we will be coming out with new items such as fruit cups, parfaits and bento boxes that will also be added to the Raider Market,” he said. “Options on the salad bar, pizza, grill and home-style will soon be updated to a more up-to-date menu, including Ecuadorian Arroz con Pollo and Braised Short Ribs. The Hub introduced the smash burger and authentic Philly cheese steaks.”
Speaking of The Hub, many have noticed that the hours are more limited than usual. This is due to insufficient staffing for evenings and weekends. Julie Elliott suggested to students, “If you want the Hub open more hours and you want a good, well-paying job, consider working for Creative Dining Services!”
Through the busyness, Creative Dining is always eager to hear from students. They see and examine any feedback or comments they receive. “If there is something that you want to see happen in food service, leave a suggestion in the box or write it on the white board at the entrance of the café,” Elliott said. “Or, if you see Mike, stop and share your idea with him.”
NW is blessed by its partnership with Creative Dining. “There are few people on campus who work harder than our Creative Dining staff,” Julie Elliott said. “Every year they are focused on doing what they do better so that students, faculty, and staff have the best possible experience. It means a lot to that staff when a student stops to thank them for what they do or to express their satisfaction with a particular dish or experience.”
With so many new improvements on the horizon, the future is bright for dining experiences on campus, and it is the hope of both NW and Creative Dining that community can be further cultivated and strengthened through times of fellowship around the table.
