{"id":9996,"date":"2020-10-08T15:11:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-08T19:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/?page_id=9996"},"modified":"2025-10-28T09:09:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:09:42","slug":"about-us-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/about-us-2\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We offer a variety of selections daily to accommodate students\u2019 needs. We realize every person has different preferences, and we strive to provide every student with healthy and enjoyable meal choices. An operation&#8217;s culture personifies and personalizes a team&#8217;s existence.\u00a0 It offers feeling, caring, emotion, enthusiasm and passion for its mission.<\/p>\n<div class=\"btn-wrap\">\n\t<div class=\"btn-action\" id=\"an-award-winning-team\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"btn-title\">An Award Winning Team<\/h3>\n\t\t<div class=\"btn-arrow\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"btn-content\"><\/p>\n<p>Bates College Dining Services&#8217; high standards and commitment to excellence have earned us recognition for a job\u00a0well done!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2026:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #7 Best College Food Service!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2025:<\/span><\/strong> D3 Direct, Rated #1 D3 Dining Hall!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2025:<\/span><\/strong> Rated #6 food service in the nation by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.princetonreview.com\/college-rankings?rankings=best-campus-food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.princetonreview.com\/college-rankings?rankings%3Dbest-campus-food&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1725035234501000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2YCX8-j8yg2wZ53Pn7Fyz7\">Princeton Review<\/a>!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2025:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #6 Best College Food Service!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2024:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #7 Best College Food Service!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2023:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #1 Best College Food Service !<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2022:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #6 Best Food Service!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2021:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #10 Best Food Service!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2020:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, Rated #5 Best Food Service!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2016-2017:<\/span><\/strong> Niche, A+ for campus food!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2013-2017:<\/span> <\/strong>Green Restaurant Association &#8211; 3 Star Certified<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">*<\/span><\/strong> The institution moved to AASHE (Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) Rating System for Sustainability. The AASHE Rating is TBD.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2009-2012:<\/span> <\/strong>Green Restaurant Association &#8211; 2 Star Certified<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2007:<\/span> <\/strong>American Culinary Federation Maine Chapter, Inc. &#8211; Associate Member of the Year<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2005:<\/span> <\/strong>Princeton Review &#8211; #7 of 351 Colleges for Great Food!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2004:<\/span> <\/strong>Princeton Review &#8211; #10 of 351 Colleges for Great Food!<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2003:<\/span> <\/strong>United States Environmental Protection Agency &#8211; Best Management Practices for our Composting Program<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2002:<\/span> <\/strong>Green Restaurant Association, Bates College Dining was the first College to become a member<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2001:<\/span> <\/strong>National Wildlife Federation &#8211; Leading School on their Report Card on Environmental Performance and Sustainability in Higher Education<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2000:<\/span> <\/strong>Stanton Environmental Award for Advancing the Goal of the Bates Green Action Plan<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">2000:<\/span> <\/strong>Best of the Best Earth Day ReNew America National Award for Sustainability &#8211; category of waste prevention \/ recycling<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">1999:<\/span> <\/strong>Special recipient of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award for Environmental Leadership<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">1999:<\/span> <\/strong>National Award for Sustainability &#8211; Recognized for best practices that encourage environmental sustainability by ReNew America and the President&#8217;s Council on Sustainable Development<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #851326;\">1998: <\/span><\/strong>Recognized in &#8220;Greening the Ivory Tower&#8221; (MIT Press, 1998) a book by Sarah Hammond Creighton on best environmental practices among colleges, universities and other institutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bates earned a Gold STARS rating and was in the top ten baccalaureate institution performers in the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aashe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/SCI-2024-Final.pdf\">2024 AASHE Sustainable Campus Index!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To read more about sustainability at Bates, be sure to check out the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/sustainability\/\">Bates Sustainability website.\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"btn-wrap\">\n\t<div class=\"btn-action\" id=\"dining-contacts\">\n\t\t<h3 class=\"btn-title\">Dining Contacts<\/h3>\n\t\t<div class=\"btn-arrow\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"btn-content\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-6361 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Christine-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Christine-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Christine-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Christine-1-600x900.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Christine-1-133x200.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Christine-1.jpg 1279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Christine Schwartz<br \/>\n<\/strong>Associate Vice President for Dining, Conferences and Campus Events<br \/>\n(207) 786-8279<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:cschwart@bates.edu\">cschwart@bates.edu<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-6362 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/John-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"297\" \/><\/strong><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>John Lajoie<br \/>\n<\/strong>Director of Dining<br \/>\n(207) 786-6052<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:jlajoie@bates.edu\">jlajoie@bates.edu<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14185 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-244x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-244x300.webp 244w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-1222x1500.webp 1222w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-768x942.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-512x628.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-1252x1536.webp 1252w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481-163x200.webp 163w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2023\/09\/Justin-Good2-1-e1705678133481.webp 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/>Justin Good<\/strong><br \/>\nAssociate Director of\u00a0Finance, Technology, and Staff Support<br \/>\n(207) 786-6118<br \/>\n<a class=\"rABsFf RffVmb AL18ce\" href=\"mailto:jgood2@bates.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" aria-label=\"jgood2@bates.edu From your Google Contacts\" data-tooltip=\"From your Google Contacts\" data-tooltip-position=\"top\">jgood2@bates.edu<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6359 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/170629_Dining_Services_Staff_0159-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/170629_Dining_Services_Staff_0159-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/170629_Dining_Services_Staff_0159-1-133x200.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/170629_Dining_Services_Staff_0159-1.jpg 299w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/strong><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Michael Staffenski<br \/>\n<\/strong>Associate Director of Culinary and Retail Operations &#038; Executive Chef<br \/>\n(207) 786-6334<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:mstaffen@bates.edu\">mstaffen@bates.edu<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6378 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Chris-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Chris-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Chris-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Chris-1-600x900.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Chris-1-133x200.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Chris-1.jpg 1279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Chris Davis<br \/>\n<\/strong>Assistant Director of Culinary Operations<br \/>\n(207) 786-6334<em id=\"__mceDel\"><br \/>\n<\/em><a href=\"mailto:cdavis@bates.edu\">cdavis@bates.edu<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6370 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Donald-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"180\" height=\"270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Donald-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Donald-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Donald-1-600x900.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Donald-1-133x200.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2014\/10\/Donald-1.jpg 1279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Donald Desrosiers<br \/>\n<\/strong>Catering Manager<br \/>\n(207) 786-6298<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:ddesrosi@bates.edu\">ddesrosi@bates.edu<\/a><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-12791 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/files\/2021\/12\/Garrett-257x300.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"231\" height=\"270\" \/><\/strong><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Garrett Leavitt<\/strong><br \/>\nRetail Operations Manager<br \/>\n(207) 786-8354<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:gleavitt@bates.edu\">gleavitt@bates.edu<\/a><\/h4>\n<h4><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We offer a variety of selections daily to accommodate students\u2019 needs. We&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"About Us","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":0,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"class_list":["post-9996","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","with-sidebar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9996"}],"version-history":[{"count":48,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15071,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9996\/revisions\/15071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/dining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}