The Culinary Studio at Jefferson Market serves as a testing center for Culinary Services, where dishes are evaluated before being offered to Ohio University students.
The studio features a salad and hot bar, available from 11 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday, for students with a Flex Meal Plan. The bars are also open to the public for purchase.
The Jefferson Market team oversees the studio, including Matthew Paisley, senior executive chef, and Irene Federspiel, sous chef. A team of chefs experiments with recipes, performs live demonstrations and classes, conducts taste tests and helps prepare the meals Ohio University students enjoy daily.
Chito Trinidad, the assistant director of retail operations, manages the three campus markets and two food trucks. He shared insights about the testing process at venues like the Hungry Cat Food Truck.
Trinidad said the team selects menu items based on their suitability for the specific venue, considering both flavor and presentation.
Trinidad described the research and development phase, during which studio staff and chefs research recipes and ingredients to ensure quality and creativity.
The team sources ingredients to test the best recipes, narrowing them down to one. The process involves an inclusive approach, where the team samples the dishes and shares their feedback.
The studio also involves students in this process. At Jefferson Market, students can taste-test various recipes while passing through, offering their immediate feedback.
“90% of your customers are students, and so we definitely receive feedback from the students on that,” Trinidad said.
The chefs and leadership team carefully consider all the feedback received before selecting one recipe to submit for approval. Once the food item is approved, the studio team will enter the recipe into an inventory program called Food Pro.
“Whenever you look up our website, and you want to see, alright, what’s that pizza at Nelson dining? What is the nutritional information on that?” Trinidad said. “The Food Pro is the app we use that transfers all that information online.”
Trinidad said the culinary team is *dedicated to delivering high food quality, *highlighting the importance of cultural relevance, *supporting student and local farms through produce purchases and *creating experiences that encourage students to return as alumni.
To achieve these goals, Culinary Services sources its produce from Chester Hill Farm and local suppliers.
Julia Peters, president of the Ohio University Nutrition Club and a sophomore studying applied nutrition, shared her experience with the dining halls, food trucks and cafes on campus.
“My honest opinion is I do really think that our university, as compared to other universities does a really good job with having healthy, plant-based options,” Peters said.
Peters said Angela Bohyer, registered dietitian and nutrition educator of culinary services, plays a vital role in assisting the culinary department in creating diverse options to accommodate various dietary needs and restrictions.
Lillian Parker, a sophomore on the Flex Meal Plan, shared her experience, explaining that transitioning from a traditional plan to a Flex plan was smart. She highlighted benefits like using the hot and salad bars as part of her meal swipes.
Trinidad said Smooth Moves is being revamped to provide healthier options, focusing on reducing added sugar in smoothies. The culinary team selects fruits, juices and other ingredients that are significantly lower in sugar for the new recipes.
The new smoothie menu is expected to launch in Spring 2025, with a final sampling event in mid-November.
