Cal Poly Partners

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Campus Dining is making the switch to paper straws at the beginning of the 2018-19 academic year, taking another step toward Cal Poly’s zero waste goal.
The move away from plastic straws to a more recyclable alternative supports Cal Poly’s commitment to sustainability as the university works toward diverting 80 percent of consumer waste away from landfills by 2020.
“Feeding the campus community has the potential to create a lot of waste, yet we continue to reduce our footprint through all of the programs that we have put in place and the changes we have made,” Campus Dining Assistant Director Russell Monteath said. “We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our waste and are more than happy to do our part as we move toward zero waste.”
Cal Poly plans to partner with San Luis Paper, a local paper supply company. Because the straws are made of paper, they are fully compostable and decompose within 30 to 60 days.
Currently students, faculty, staff and visitors use close to 1 million straws per year, on average. Although plastic straws are a small portion of overall plastic pollution, they are high on the list of most common objects collected during beach cleanups and in the ocean, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Campus Dining’s adoption of paper straws follows a nationwide trend of companies and city governments moving to recyclable alternatives, including Santa Barbara, which has banned plastic straws, and San Luis Obispo, which made plastic straws available only by request.

Paper straws used by Campus Dining at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly Campus Dining Switches to Compostable Paper Straws

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA &#8211; For the second time this academic year Campus Dining has a burger in the James Beard Foundation’s Blended Burger Project.
The Bishop Mountain Burger, the brainchild of Executive Chef Ken Kline, is built on a foundation of 100 percent grass-fed sirloin from Swanton Pacific Ranch, blended 50/50 with portabella mushrooms and stacked tall with melted gruyere cheese, a thick heirloom tomato slice, shredded lettuce, avocado, bacon and chipotle sauce on a buttered and toasted brioche bun.
The Blended Burger Project is an innovative program by the James Beard Foundation that strives to inspire a reimagined burger that is delicious, healthier and more sustainable.
Participants can vote once a day at <a href="https://wyng.io/4iP9XZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://wyng.io/4iP9XZ</a>. The burger is available at Myron’s bistro-style restaurant for a limited time.

Mountain Burger at Cal Poly Campus Dining

Campus Dining Burger Again in the Running for James Beard Award

Campus Dining Increases Dining Plan Options for 2018-19

SAN LUIS OBISPO — This fall Cal Poly students and staff will have a number of new dining options available with a variety of fresh meals to power their day.
Renovations to <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Campus Dining</a> facilities, including an update to two venues in The Avenue and a reboot of the former 19 Metro, took place throughout the summer resulting in seven new restaurants as well as numerous upgraded and improved menus at established locations.
Venues throughout campus now offer a wide variety of options from Sambazon organic acai bowls and power kale salads, to craft burgers and breakfast burritos to go.
This has all been done in line with Campus Dining’s effort to lessen the campus’ environmental impact through programs, products and services that reduce Cal Poly’s “foodprint.”
Additionally, a registered dietitian is available to work with students and dining staff to accommodate dietary restrictions, develop educational programs and improve overall student health.
The following are some of the new venues and offerings on campus.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/805kitchen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">805 Kitchen</a> – Campus Dining’s all-you-care-to-eat venue received a makeover this summer from its dining room to its menu. The new venue will feature a variety of eclectic cuisines including sustainable eats, Mediterranean fare and an action station where meals are prepared in front of the customer. Even with the upgrade, 805 Kitchen still boasts the best value on campus.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/805cafe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">805 Café</a> – Located in the atrium of 805 Kitchen, 805 Café offers a variety of Poly Fresh on-the-go salads, sandwiches and pastries as well as Seattle’s Best coffee and an assortment of aromatic teas, organic Sambazon Acai Bowls, Whalebird Kombucha and a freezer filled with tasty ice cream.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/canyoncafe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canyon Café</a> – This modern diner features local ingredients and homemade recipes for everything from breakfast burritos or burgers, to a side of crispy onion rings. Located in Poly Canyon Village this is a great place to gather with friends and grab a bite.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/polydeli/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poly Deli</a> – The campus’ new sandwich shop is located in the heart of campus in the lower University Union Plaza, and features breakfast sandwiches served all day and artisan-crafted creations made with fresh baked bread from a local bakery.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/studentchoice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Student Choice</a> – New for 2017-18, Student Choice brings excitement and variety to Cal Poly dining. Twice a quarter, Campus Dining will survey students, and its chefs will design a menu featuring the favorite fare at this new venue located in The Avenue. This fall, Student Choice will feature Thai noodle bowls with a selection of Asian noodles, flavorful protein (meat or plant based) and delicious, homemade Thai Tom Kha Gai broth.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/shakesmart/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shake Smart</a> – New to Cal Poly, Shake Smart offers freshly blended protein shakes, organic acai bowls and all-natural sandwiches. Started by two college students who found it difficult to find healthy options while living an on-the-go lifestyle, Shake Smart makes healthy eating more accessible. The new Shake Smart is located outside the Recreation Center.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/tutaco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tu Taco</a> – Build your own burrito from a variety of fresh, flavorful ingredients, or simply order your favorite tacos from the menu. They make the perfect pairing for a quick lunch, tasty dinner or late-night snack.</li>
</ul>
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Cal Poly Unveils New Dining Options Across Campus

<h2>Burger competition raises funds, scholarships for agricultural youth programs</h2>
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Over the Labor Day weekend, chefs from Cal Poly Corporation&#8217;s Campus Dining competed in a burger cook-off to raise scholarship funds for students. Chefs Darrell Janes and Jeremy Jones competed in the seventh annual San Luis Obispo County California Women for Agriculture (CWA) Burgers and Brews festival and competition.
The event was held at the Loading Chute Barn and Gardens in Creston. Using Cal Poly beef, Chefs Janes and Jones provided their own special burger recipes in tasting portions to event guests and celebrity judges.  Beef was provided in partnership with Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
The Burgers and Brews event raised money for CWA 4-H, Future Farmers of America and collegiate scholarship funds.

Campus Dining Chefs Make Burgers to Support Students

<h2>Renovations and food concept changes underway as new dining complex is built</h2>
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Campus Dining has several changes in store for students this fall. With the new Vista Grande dining complex under construction, updates are being made to many of the university’s current dining locations to provide a variety of dining options in the interim. The new dining complex, which replaces the 43-year-old Vista Grande facility, will break ground in November and is set for completion in Fall 2018.
“As we strive to build <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/newdiningcomplex/">a better dining experience</a> for our campus community, we are fully committed to meeting all of Cal Poly’s dining needs throughout the transition,” said Lorlie Leetham, executive director for the Cal Poly Corporation and associate vice president of commercial services. “We are making some truly innovative upgrades to our current venues. Not only will these changes allow us to increase dining capacity, they will enable us to maximize and diversify our fresh, healthful food offerings for students, faculty and staff.”
<a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/theavenue/">The Avenue</a> will extend its hours to serve the late-night crowd that traditionally dined at Vista Grande. In addition, The Avenue’s floorplan is being redesigned to accommodate more guests and an extra checkout station. Customers will also find a complete transformation of three of The Avenue’s former venues. <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/bishopsburgers/">Bishop’s Burgers</a>, a California-style burger spot, will replace Fusion Bowl; <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/picos/">Picos</a>, a Cali Fresh Mex restaurant, will replace City Deli; and <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/zenbowl/">Zen Bowl</a>, an Asian-style bowl restaurant, will replace Tapango’s.
The University Union will also see some changes as Ciao! restaurant gets a new look and a new name:<a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/MustangStation/">Mustang Station</a>. The restaurant will continue to serve pizza and calzones and will expand its menu to include appetizers as well as beer and wine for customers 21 and older. Connected to <a href="https://www.mustanglanes.com/">Mustang Lanes</a>, Mustang Station will provide an on-campus hub for food, drink and entertainment.
Myron’s, a new white table-cloth restaurant, is also launching this fall and will be located upstairs in building 19. Named after Cal Poly’s founder Myron Angel, the spot will feature a rotational menu of fresh, local American cuisine. Another way Campus Dining will be growing its dining options is with the introduction of two mobile food trucks that will service different areas of campus throughout the day. The <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/centralcoaster/">Central Coaster</a> will serve seasonally-inspired, local food options; and a Starbucks© truck will also be on campus. Both trucks will be trackable via the Campus Dining Twitter handle and the hashtag #CentralCoaster and #starbucks, respectively.
Campus Market is being redesigned to allow for increased access and efficiency. The store is also enhancing its product mix to include a wider selection of fresh, whole foods and Cal Poly products, which will be featured at the front of the market for added convenience.
<a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/sandwichfactory/">Sandwich Factory</a> is also revamping its layout and will expand and customize its product offerings.
Leetham said that these changes were inspired by the university’s vision to provide world class facilities and services. “As Cal Poly continues to grow, we need to keep pace with the changing needs of the campus and our customers,” said Leetham. “We are devoted to supporting the university’s overall expansion efforts that will fuel the future for our students.” For additional information about the new Vista Grande dining complex, visit<a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/newdiningcomplex/">https://www.calpolydining.com/newdiningcomplex/</a>.

Cal Poly Campus Dining Switches to Compostable Paper Straws

Campus Dining Burger Again in the Running for James Beard Award

Campus Dining Increases Dining Plan Options for 2018-19

Cal Poly Unveils New Dining Options Across Campus

Campus Dining Chefs Make Burgers to Support Students

Campus Dining Rolling Out New Options This Fall