Campus News
MUM Dining Hall Wins Recognition
The MUM dining hall was a finalist in the Best Local Food category in the annual restaurant contest featured in the Iowa Source magazine. It is also receiving recognition nationally and has become a model for schools across the nation.
The Iowa Source noted how unusual it is for an institutional food service to receive this recognition: "And finally, in what is probably the first time a university cafeteria has ever won an award in a restaurant contest, readers applauded the MUM Dining Hall, also in Fairfield, for growing as much of their own produce as possible in their own greenhouse."
The food service, which has been under the management of Aladdin Food Management Services since last summer, was featured earlier this year in Food Management Magazine. The article said that it's likely that no other school in the country "can come close to matching the commitment to organic and vegetarian dining practiced at Maharishi University of Management" because of its program meal — including board, retail and catering — that is composed exclusively of vegetarian dishes made with 100 percent organic ingredients.
According to University Vice-President Craig Pearson, Aladdin has been so inspired by what they have done at MUM with organic vegetarian food that they decided to make this their market niche.
He said that Michael Bailey, who is CEO of The Trusthouse Services Group that owns Aladdin, and who is very prominent in the food service industry worldwide, made this decision after visiting campus.
Aladdin is leveraging its experience with MUM to extend organic offerings at its other accounts. A pilot project launched in January introduced an organic component to salad bars and organic entree choices to a small number of the company's other university and private school accounts.
Speaking of the pilot project, Jim McKee, an Aladdin vice president, said that it rolled out with great success and that the students, faculty, and staff are very excited to have this offering in a board meal program.
"Comments range from, 'Wow!' to 'I can't eat this healthy at home!'" Dr. McKee said. " I'm happy this worked out, and frankly, Maharishi University of Management was the catalyst to make this happen. This modified program is probably two years ahead of the industry. I still maintain that MUM's 100% organic is 10 years ahead of where the rest of the world needs to be. It is the right thing to do, and I'm glad to be a part of it."
Aladdin plans to roll out its modified program to its other accounts across the U.S.
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