7 Cutting-Edge Ways Bon Appétit Lewis & Clark Is Redefining College Dining In 2025
The name "Bon Appétit" often conjures images of glossy magazines and viral YouTube cooking videos, but at Lewis & Clark College (L&C) in Portland, Oregon, it signifies a groundbreaking approach to campus dining. As of late 2024 and heading into 2025, the partnership between L&C and the Bon Appétit Management Company (BAMCO) is setting a new industry standard, moving far beyond mere cafeteria food to focus on deep-rooted sustainability, food waste reduction, and ethical sourcing. This is not just about serving meals; it’s a living laboratory for environmental and social change in the food system.
This deep dive explores the cutting-edge initiatives and core philosophies that make the Bon Appétit presence at Lewis & Clark a national model for college food service. The focus is on their updated 2025 commitments, which directly address modern challenges like climate change, food insecurity, and labor rights, making the L&C dining hall a hub of conscious consumption and innovation.
The Bon Appétit Management Company (BAMCO) at Lewis & Clark: A Profile
The Bon Appétit Management Company is the dedicated food service provider for Lewis & Clark College, operating the primary dining facilities and campus cafés. Unlike the Condé Nast-owned Bon Appétit magazine, BAMCO is a large-scale, on-site restaurant company that manages culinary programs for hundreds of universities, corporations, and museums across the country.
- Type: On-site Restaurant Company / Food Service Management
- Founded: 1987
- Headquarters: Palo Alto, California
- Core Philosophy: "Farm to Fork" commitment, focusing on using fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farmers and ranchers.
- Lewis & Clark Partnership Focus: Deep integration of sustainability, food waste reduction, and ethical sourcing into the college's campus culture.
- Key Personnel (Historical/Programmatic): Claire Cummings Bogle (former Lewis & Clark student who later worked on BAMCO's food waste programs), Hillary Swimmer (West Coast Fellow involved in food waste demos).
This partnership is distinct because Lewis & Clark College actively seeks vendors who align with its strong institutional commitment to environmental stewardship and social justice, making BAMCO's pioneering programs a perfect fit.
Seven Revolutionary Programs Redefining Campus Dining
The Bon Appétit team at L&C has implemented several high-impact programs that go well beyond basic college meal plans. These initiatives serve as practical examples of how large-scale food service can operate ethically and sustainably in the 21st century. The latest updates for 2025 demonstrate a renewed commitment to these pillars.
1. The "Waste Not" Program: A 2025 Commitment to Zero Waste
The "Waste Not" program is BAMCO’s proprietary kitchen-waste-tracking system, and it is a cornerstone of the L&C dining operation. This program meticulously measures and tracks all pre-consumer food waste, from vegetable trimmings to over-prepped ingredients.
- The Goal: To minimize the amount of food waste generated in the kitchen, which is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in landfills.
- 2025 Update: BAMCO has recently introduced newly updated food waste commitments for 2024 and beyond, reinforcing the "Waste Not" system with clearer metrics and targets for further reduction at all sites, including Lewis & Clark.
- Student Involvement: Students, including those in the Bates Center Summer Sustainability Internship, are often involved in monitoring and developing new food recovery programs on campus.
2. The Low Carbon Diet Program
Recognizing the significant impact of food production on climate change, BAMCO introduced the Low Carbon Diet program. This initiative specifically addresses the relationship between food choices and carbon footprints.
- Focus: Encouraging the consumption of menu items that have a lower overall carbon impact, such as plant-based meals and sustainably sourced proteins.
- Education: The program includes signage and educational materials to help L&C students understand which menu items are "Low Carbon" choices, empowering them to make climate-conscious decisions daily.
- Menu Engineering: Chefs are trained to develop delicious, appealing recipes that naturally feature lower-carbon ingredients, shifting the default menu toward sustainability.
3. Farm to Fork Sourcing and Local Partnerships
The Farm to Fork program is BAMCO's original and most famous initiative. At Lewis & Clark, this translates to sourcing at least 20% of ingredients from small, owner-operated farms and ranches located within 150 miles of the college.
- Local Economy Support: This commitment ensures that L&C's dining budget directly supports the local Portland and Oregon agricultural economy.
- Freshness and Quality: Shorter supply chains mean fresher, more seasonal ingredients, enhancing the quality and flavor of the meals.
- Transparency: Bon Appétit provides clear information about where the food comes from, fostering trust and transparency with the student body.
4. Pioneering Sustainable Seafood Commitments
BAMCO was the first food service company in the nation to commit to sourcing only sustainable seafood, a policy strictly enforced at the Lewis & Clark dining halls.
- The Standard: They partner with organizations like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program to ensure all served seafood is caught or farmed in ways that minimize environmental impact.
- No Endangered Species: This policy eliminates species that are overfished or harvested using environmentally destructive methods.
5. Ethical Animal Welfare Standards
The company has established stringent animal welfare standards that are often higher than federal requirements. This is a crucial element for Lewis & Clark students concerned about ethical food production.
- Cage-Free Eggs: They were the first to switch to 100% cage-free eggs.
- Humanely Raised Meat: They require that all ground beef and pork be raised without gestation crates and with a focus on humane treatment.
- rBGH-Free Milk: All milk served on campus is required to be free of the synthetic growth hormone rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone).
6. The Bon Appétit Fellows Program
The Bon Appétit Fellows program is a unique initiative that recruits recent college graduates to work on social, environmental, and transparency-related programs within the company.
- L&C Connection: Lewis & Clark students and alumni have been directly involved in this program, bringing fresh perspectives to campus dining issues like food recovery and waste tracking.
- Impact: The fellows act as liaisons between the management company, the college, and the students, ensuring that new initiatives are relevant and effectively implemented on campus.
7. Addressing Farmworker Rights and Social Justice
BAMCO’s commitment extends beyond environmental sustainability to social justice issues, making it a comprehensive model for ethical business.
- The Focus: They actively work to ensure that the farmers and farmworkers who produce the food are treated fairly and receive equitable compensation.
- Transparency and Advocacy: This includes supporting organizations and policies that improve farmworker rights, reflecting Lewis & Clark’s broader commitment to social justice.
The Future of Lewis & Clark Dining and BAMCO
The continuous innovation from the Bon Appétit Management Company at Lewis & Clark College signals a clear trend: college dining is evolving into a key component of a university’s overall sustainability mission. By focusing on programs like Waste Not, the Low Carbon Diet, and rigorous ethical sourcing, the L&C dining halls are not merely places to eat but educational spaces that promote conscious living.
As the company rolls out its updated 2025 commitments, students and faculty at Lewis & Clark can expect an even greater emphasis on transparency, local sourcing, and a continued reduction in their overall environmental footprint. This partnership demonstrates that it is possible to feed thousands of people daily while remaining deeply committed to a healthier planet and a more equitable food system.
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