University of Maryland, College Park,
Dining Services
Length of Rotation: 3 weeks
Made and distributed meals. Developed and marketed four new items for introduction into cycle menu.

I had a wonderful experience at the University of Maryland, Dining Services. I was given many hands-on opportunities as I met and worked with a variety of employees. I interacted with everyone from managers and food service directors to pot washers and line servers. I saw how important every employee was to the success of the operation and gained a respect for what each employee added to the organization.

Some of my hands-on experiences included:

• Receiving and shelving inventory
• Making sandwiches and salads in bulk quantity to be distributed throughout campus
• Serving multiple meals in the dining hall to students
• Developing an allergen poster to help individuals identify the types of allergens found in the food served at UMD's Parents Day
• Writing, making a visual aid, and conducting a basic chemical training for employees
• Writing an article for UMD students to be posted on the dining services web-site

The main project during this rotation was to create and market four new menu items (either salads or sandwiches) that could be used for distribution in the Spring menu cycle. This was a start to finish project that entailed creating a practical yet unique menu item. Some of my tasks included:

• Developing a recipe for each item with exact ingredient amounts
• Determining the cost of each ingredient as well as the cost for the entire dish
• Deciding on the presentation of the item for the greatest student appeal
• Determining a name and a price for each item
• Taste testing each item for quality
• Delivering a marketing presentation to the managers at University of Maryland, dining services
  • During this presentation I discussed the product in regards to how each item was decided upon, how estimated cost was determined, and why they should include this item in their Spring menu cycle

		The Big Bang Salad
The box to the right shows the names and pictures of the developed menu items. Click on the item name for more in-depth information regarding each product.	The West Coast De-Lite Salad
			Bologna and Cheese, Please
		Terp's Turkey Mediterranean Wrap

Riderwood Retirement Community
Length of Rotation: 6 weeks
Produced a theme meal for 300 residents and increased culinary skills.

During my six weeks at Riderwood I had the opportunity to participate in food service for the elderly. In an effort to expose myself to different types of dining, I traveled throughout the campus helping in the various kitchens. One week was spent in the kitchen that oversee's the feeding of all the nursing home patients. At another kitchen, I helped out in the buffet service dining hall. The majority of my time was spent in the Potomac Cafe kitchen which offers cafeteria style dining.

My major project at Riderwood was to produce and host a theme meal for the residents. It was up to my partner and I to select a theme, find corresponding recipes, advertise the event, decorate the Cafe, and prepare all the food on the menu. Since the day of the theme meal was March 15th, we decided to do "Beware the Ides of March". It was a unique idea that surprised and delighted the residents.

The first item of business was to create a menu. Julius Caesar was Roman, but we decided that Italian food had been done often before and so the focus was Greek cuisine. The goal was to choose items that were authentic and yet enjoyable to our target audience. Recipes were found and altered to adjust for the increased quantity need. An order sheet was created to make sure all the ingredients would be available and a production schedule was outlined.

We prepared most of the food the week leading up to the event on Thursday so that the only thing we would have to worry about the day of was cooking the items. A buffet service was set up for lunch.

The night before the event we stayed late to decorate. Research about the ides of March was done and informative history sheets were placed on each table. Also on each table were small pillars that held quotes both from the play Julius Caesar and also from Greek philosophers. We decorated the entire room using fake grapes, columns, a caesar statue, and the main attraction, a large canopy draped with material and silk roses. Obviously I wore a toga and greeted residents as they came to enjoy their meal.

Information collected after the theme meal reported that approximately 300 residents attended the lunch, which we felt was a huge success.

To view additional information pertaining to "Beware the Ides of March" theme meal, please visit the links below.

Menu Recipes Order Sheet Costing Sheet Financial Statement Pictures of the Food