LV Life

Fresh ideas meet student demands

Food Service Director Armen Ananian (right) and Gustavo Baten meet students' demands for a better Davenport Dining Hall with the new pasta bar. Other new improvements include a coat of paint and a location shift of the deli bar. Because of the UPS strike at the end of August, the new pizza oven will not be installed until next week. / photo by Laura Ambriz
Food Service Director Armen Ananian (right) and Gustavo Baten meet students’ demands for a better Davenport Dining Hall with the new pasta bar. Other new improvements include a coat of paint and a location shift of the deli bar. Because of the UPS strike at the end of August, the new pizza oven will not be installed until next week. / photo by Laura Ambriz

by Ryan Sones
Staff Writer

Things are now beginning to change for the better in Davenport Dining Hall. A fresh, new outlook on food preparation allows students more eating options.

Recent renovations and additions by the Aramark staff have begun to transform Davenport, thanks to the power of the student surveys distributed over the past year by Aramark Food Director Armen Ananian.

“According to the student surveys I presented to the students, they expressed a growing interest in not only more, but fresher pasta, and this really allowed the change to happen,” said Ananian.

With the new introduction of a fresh, made-to-order pasta bar and the fresh “tossed before you” salads, students are finding a new problem-waiting in line.

“Well, I have heard the pasta bar is really great, but the line is always too friggin’ long to stand in,” said junior Sean Douglas.

“The pasta bar is really awesome and so fresh, and it always gives us a sure alternative of something to eat that will be actually good,” said senior William Baccus.

The concept of the pasta bar began when Aramark recently introduced its Pangeos fresh pasta and pizza stations.

“This past August, I went to Aramark training just for the Pangeos program being introduced here at La Verne,” said Ananian.

Also being incorporated with the salad and pasta bars is a new pizza oven bar. This will allow students and faculty to create their own gourmet pitas or french bread pizzas with a choice of marinara, pesto or alfredo sauces and just about any topping imaginable.

“These will not be just your average personal pizzas, and they should already be available to the students, but with the recent UPS strike, they seemed to have lost the pizza ovens and serving tables,” said Ananian.

Once the pizza oven is installed sometime next week, there will be a rotation of the pizza and salad, and the pasta and salad bar, from lunch to dinner. The rotation will take place for one week at a time, as the pizza and salad will be served for lunch, and the pasta and salad for dinner, and vice versa the following week.

Ryan Sones
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Laura Ambriz, Photography Editor
Laura Ambriz
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