Chef’s Station is a monthly highlight section for Executive Chef Damian Price to share some of his favorite features offered by Colgate Dining Services.
The Coop – where students can vote for their favorite menu items
The Coop is by far the students’ favorite dining location on campus, and I wanted their feedback on new dinner menus for the Mongolian Grill. During the fall semester, my chefs and I highlighted four retail brands: Tu Taco, Smashed, Bowl Life, and a made-to-order Mongolian Grill menu. 
We invited students to sample the menus and vote on their favorite, with the winning concept then being featured at the grill throughout the spring semester.
Tu Taco is an authentic West Coast–style street taco where the protein and sauces are creative yet simple. The menu features a vegan cactus pad taco, ropa vieja, and various house-made salsas that pay homage to Tex-Mex and Cali influences.
Smashed is a baked potato bar that is taken to the next level with toppings like curried chickpeas, quinoa, corn, and chicken tikka. These items can be added to a traditional baked potato or a baked yam.
Bowl Life capitalizes on a current trend: meals in a large bowl. The menu features Chinese lacquered chicken (a sweet soy hoisin–glazed chicken) with brown rice, bok choy, snow peas, and carrots topped with a scrambled egg or Jamaican jerk chicken with cilantro lime rice, sweet plantains, steamed yuca, and papaya salsa. That said, the bowls are customizable, so students can request to substitute their favorite fresh ingredients.
The Made-to-Order Mongolian Grill provides a selection of proteins, starches, and fresh vegetables that are then stir-fried on our Mongolian grill. In addition, students can order more traditional grill items, such as hamburgers, veggie burgers, and our famous turkey burgers, as well as chicken tenders and fries.
After the votes were tallied, it was obvious that students enjoyed all four of the retail brands. Each brand provides a simple, customizable menu and features delicious flavors with wholesome ingredients. Throughout the spring semester, we have featured each concept on a weekly rotation. Students have enjoyed the dinner selection at the Coop, and it’s all because of their feedback.
My chefs and I will be hard at work this summer coming up with new innovative brands for the fall 2019 semester. We are looking forward to sharing upcoming featured menus, so be sure to follow this blog all summer long.
Damian Price, Executive Chef
dprice@colgate.edu
(315) 228-7670