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Two months into her job as director of Boston College Dining Services, Beth Emery has found the sense of community that attracted her to BC in the first place is a very active ingredient.
“Boston College has a reputation for a being a wonderful place to work,” she said. “In my short time on campus, I have already experienced a very warm welcome. I am excited to be able to focus my energy on one campus and be a member of this great community.”
Emery came to BC’s award-winning Dining Services division with a nutritional sciences degree from the University of New Hampshire, extensive training in Portland, Ore., as a registered dietician, as well as 25 years of experience with professional services provider Aramark in their education division.
“Our biggest strength is our people,” said Emery of her staff, which includes more than 200 full-time employees. “We have an experienced and loyal Dining Services team with strong culinary talent across the campus, and a commitment to service. I am incredibly proud to lead this very special team of professionals.”
In her first few months, Emery said the focus has been on across-the-board improvements for Dining Services, utilizing a dining survey to assess which areas require the most attention. She is particularly interested in improving BCDS’ outreach, and has even hired several BC communication majors to support the initiative of boosting the division visibility around campus. Emery also has continued to review BCDS’ catering and operations, benchmarking with local caterers and other universities to ensure that BC’s program remains strong and competitive.
Emery says she is passionate about the food business, and is always looking for opportunities to be innovative. She noted that the BCDS culinary team is constantly testing new menu options, including new pizza recipes; students will be invited in 2014 to participate in focus groups to evaluate new options like naan bread pizza and Sicilian-style pizza. This semester, BCDS plans to introduce a Mediterranean wrap station, with options like gyro, Lebanese chicken and beef with homemade toppings like tabbouleh, feta, garlic sauce and tzatkiki.
Dining Services also will continue its collaborations with other departments and offices, Emery said. Initiatives include the Nourish program with Health Promotions to provide healthy eating advice and options, as well as efforts to promote sustainability, such as increasing the use of china rather than disposable to-go containers.
For news and updates on Boston College Dining Services, see www.bc.edu/dining.