Culinary Team Mission
Our mission is to create exceptional dining experiences, inspire minds, and foster community through sustainable practices and locally sourced food. The Culinary Department supports Riverdale’s mission of developing minds, building character, and creating community through the food we serve. Education around food extends beyond the dining rooms at Riverdale. The Culinary team collaborates with faculty members to create food-based experiential education opportunities, ranging from cooking classes to food history, daily “What’s for Lunch” emails, and panel discussions.
We value our diverse community and want to ensure that everyone has a place at the table, not only to share their cultural heritage but also to be heard and to help create positive change. One way culture is expressed is through the foods we eat. Offering diverse and culturally appropriate meals is a great way for the kitchen to connect and celebrate our community.
Our campuses support local CBOs through student-led initiatives. Students partake in culinary classes using upcycled food from the kitchens to prepare and deliver meals to local community members in need.
Sustainability Practices
- Local sourcing of ingredients aligns with our environmental sustainability goals. By reducing the distance our food travels, Riverdale lowers our carbon footprint and contributes to mitigating climate change. The Riverdale Culinary Team is committed to supporting local farms within a 150-mile radius of Riverdale, including those in the Tri-State Area, as well as our campus farms.
- Our four-week seasonal menu cycles are prepared using locally sourced ingredients, showcasing ingredients at the peak of their growing season to provide the freshest, nutrient-dense meals for our community. Our menus are prepared and cooked from scratch daily, using whole ingredients. Our menus are designed to expose students’ palates to a wide variety of foods and flavors by introducing culturally and ethnically diverse meals. Students have the option of our daily entrees, salad bars, sandwiches, and soup.
- Serviceware: Riverdale campuses utilize non-disposable dishware and utensils in our dining rooms, minimizing our waste stream footprint.
- Waste Management: Our kitchens and dining rooms are committed to reducing items entering our waste stream
- Riverdale CSA – Supporting local farms, providing our community with the freshest local produce.
