All things local and homemade have inspired this year's Welcome Week Picnic for the Class of 2028 and their parents. Our Campus Dining culinary team could not be more excited to welcome first year students and their parents to kick off the first semester. Executive Chef Matt Seitz and his team have created a locally sourced menu not only for the Welcome Week Picnic, but also for their year-round menus. "Our entire culinary team is committed to sourcing as much as we can from local farmers.This keeps the money that we spend local, as well as being better for the environment,” states Seitz.
This year’s Welcome Week Picnic menu highlights Midwestern favorites like sweet corn from Garwood Orchards in LaPorte and Sechler's Pickles in the chicken fritter sandwich. Seitz and his team have put a fresh new spin on the pork tenderloin sandwich, with their Indiana chicken fritter sandwich - topped with Sechler's Pickles from St. Joe, Indiana, and homemade black pepper mayonnaise. The homemade pasta salad includes Wisconsin cheddar cheese and a scratch made sweet corn dressing. The peaches included in the picnic are from Gold Coast Farms in Fennville, Michigan, 70 miles north of campus.
From the Class of 2028’s first meal on campus to their last, our talented culinary teams are committed to being good stewards of the community by partnering with local farms and vendors and crafting homemade meals all year long. Our team also partners with local vendors, such as Pure Green Farms and Crystal Springs Creamery.
Throughout the year, the University partners with Cultivate Food Rescue, a South Bend non-profit organization, to donate leftover food from catering and special events. In 2023, the University donated 47.853 pounds of food to Cultivate. This collaboration is a powerful force to help eliminate food insecurity and food waste.
To learn more about Campus Dining, our values, and our local partner organizations, visit here.