Campus Cooks has always been committed to growing and engaging fraternities and sororities through better food, better chefs and a better overall Greek experience. We realize that as a food service management company, we may appear like other companies on the market. Although we appear similar, we here at Campus Cooks know we are wildly different.

This is how research into defining our differentiators, or “uniques”, began. We wanted to discover what exactly makes Campus Cooks, Campus Cooks. After discussing and gaining insight from various clients, staff and partners across the country, we have identified what elements about our company truly stand out around the rest. We are proud to announce our three “uniques” that support everything we do for our clients at Campus Cooks.

We give Control.

We provide Support.

We offer Transparency.

Today we are diving into how we identified our first unique, Control. We give our clients control in several ways.

What do our Clients have Control over? 

1. Menu

We provide high quality ingredients sourced from various local vendors. The chapter gets to choose the rest. The chapter’s chef shops specifically for them, tailoring to their dietary preferences and restrictions.

• Menu Meetings

Every chapter has at least one representative meet weekly with their private chef to discuss the menu. During this time, the chapter can voice what kind of food they want for the upcoming few weeks. They also have a chance to discuss last week’s service, providing feedback on what dishes they liked and what they may want changed in the future. These meetings are typically open for any chapter member to attend to provide feedback and interact with their chef.

• Crave Sheets

Posted in the dining room and on our Mobile App, the Crave Sheet allows any chapter member to input suggestions as to what food they are craving. The chef uses this sheet to help create dishes for upcoming menus. It can also aid in creating themed nights and in ordering snacks, salad bar items and beverages for the chapter. Our Chefs do their very best to accommodate everything.

• Mobile App

Our Mobile App is the most comprehensive app designed specifically for Greek Students. The app allows members to see the menus for the next two weeks, submit Late Plate requests, notify the Chef of any dietary preferences and provide feedback on past meals. The app enables an entire Sorority or Fraternity connect with their chef and their kitchen, wherever they are.

• Late Plates

Late plates allow students busy with activities during mealtimes to request a plate of food to be saved for them when they return home. No matter how busy the student is, a fresh nutritious meal will always be ready for them.

• Dietary Preferences and Restrictions

Students can let their chef know of any allergies, health concerns, or dietary preferences through our Mobile App or a submission form on our Website. These notifications are active and visible to chefs as they plan their menus. Our Chefs take allergies and dietary restrictions very seriously and take many safety measures accordingly. Not only do our chefs make sure their food is safe to consume for all students, they also make sure it is just as delicious as everything they create! 

2. Program Details

Want lunches from 1pm-2pm? Sure. Want themed chapter dinners every Sunday? You got it. We allow our clients to control what they want to eat, how much and when, among other things.

• Services Offered

The services we give one chapter may vary greatly from another, from the salad bar, snacks, types of meals, disposables, cleaning supplies, meal plan #’s, etc. We want to cater to exactly your chapter may want, not more and not less.

• Time and Days of Service

Our clients have total control over when they want their meals. We do not have set times we require service to run, giving clients an open book to plan out when they would like their meals.

• Special Events

Part of our commitment to actively enhancing the Greek Experience involves supporting and enhancing what makes Greek Life what it is today. Every chapter has different values, philanthropies, special events and goals. We want to be a part of anything from an impromptu Sisterhood Event to a large Spring Philanthropy. This past year, Campus Cooks has donated over 250,000 monetary contributions along with 500 personnel hours to support student-run philanthropies. We encourage every chapter to communicate any special events they may want Campus Cooks involvement in, regardless of if it is communicated through the service agreement or a few weeks prior. 

3. Chef

Our President Bill Reeder emphasizes the importance “Right Person, Right Seat”. He truly believes that a successful chef at Campus Cooks must not only fit our company values, but also be a cultural fit for the house they serve.

• Hiring and Retention Process

When recruiting the right chef for a house, the Regional Supervisor will sit down with key decisionmakers to figure out what kind of chef that person is looking for in terms of skills, personality, etc. The House Director or another decisionmaker in the house can sit in on interviews during the hiring process and provide feedback.

• Consistent Feedback on Performance

The Regional Supervisor consistently interacts with the House Director and other decisionmakers regarding their chef’s performance. Should there be any questions or concerns at all about their chef, the Regional Supervisor and Operations Manager are always there to open communicate and address issues.

• Level of Involvement and Personnel Relations

The house can decide exactly how much they would like to be involved in their kitchen. We have it covered, offering transparency to show how we do what we do, but if they would like to be more involved, they can.

What does Control Mean for our Clients?

• No Complaints

This allows chapter presidents and leaders to focus on the issues within their chapter that actually matter.

• Stronger Sense of Brotherhood/Sisterhood

A lot of life’s greatest moments happen around a table. Campus Cooks brings chapter members to the table. Meals start to become a focus and allow sisters and brothers to come together every day through good food.

• Growth of Your Chapter

A stronger brotherhood/sisterhood means a bigger chapter. This is a ripple effect that we strive to create at every single chapter we serve.

Next week we will dive into Support, and how the support Campus Cooks gives its clients make us truly unique.