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Commons menu items will change regularly, incorporating local ingredients and taking into account seasonal harvests.
Carter DeWees & Maddie Soule
Contributing reporters
Lucas Holter, collaborating photographer
Seasonal and local ingredients have been added to Commons dining menus, periodically bringing new flavors to students and faculty who dine at the Schwarzman Center.
Commons, the newly renovated student life center food court, will change its menus seasonally, says Adam Millman – senior manager retail, foodservice and ancillary services for Yale Hospitality. Each season will bring new flavors specifically focused on seasonal ingredients, including locally grown beets and late harvest kale, according to David Kuzma, executive chef at Yale. But some basic menu items, such as crispy cauliflower and roast chicken, will remain constant even if other options change. The Schwarzman Center plans to continue offering a single artisanal plate in each kitchen, which is different from the typical buffet experience found in residential college dining halls. The reopening of Commons paralleled the reopening of residential college dining rooms for in-person meals in 2021.
“The concepts and signature dishes were intentionally developed to focus on seasonal ingredients, working closely with chefs like Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy (Rooted), Luca D’onofrio (Pasta e Basta) and Ming Tsai (Lotus ), ”Millman wrote in an email to News.
Kitchen menus have changed seasons for the first time recently and will rotate again in December, according to Kuzma. However, access to various local ingredients could lead to unforeseen changes and adaptations to the menu during the season.
James Benson, Director of Culinary Excellence for Yale Hospitality, emphasized the importance of local sourcing in Yale kitchens.
“We pride ourselves on our sourcing which uses four broad sustainable categories in our purchasing: environmentally friendly, humane, fair trade, and regional / local, ”Benson wrote in an email. “Everyone appreciates a little variety – and while the seasonal changes align directly with the harvest seasons, they also offer an array of dining experiences inspired by global flavors.”
Taimur Moolji ’25, a freshman at Saybrook College, eats lunch at Commons at least twice a week. He said he’s excited to see what the future holds for Commons kitchens. Convenience is a big factor for him, especially when he can’t come back to Saybrook between classes.
Portion sizes can differ from kitchen to kitchen, and while Moolji has said he wishes he could get seconds, he understands that this might not be logistically possible for the staff.
Kuzma, however, conveyed intentionality in each of the different portion sizes in Commons kitchens.
“As you may know, when you dine at Commons, you get a homemade plate,” Kuzma said. “What you may not know is that the elements that make up this plate have been intentionally combined to complement each other. The portions of each dish have been designed to reduce pre- and post-consumer waste, and designed with the knowledge of our registered dietitian, our culinary team and myself to ensure that each meal is nutritionally balanced.
However, the one-plate approach has not escaped criticism from students.
Ava Estacio-Touhey ’25, a freshman at Pierson College, said the approach limits her options. If she doesn’t enjoy her homemade plate, Estacio-Touhey said she can’t get other food from Commons or any other kitchen at Yale after using her meal.
Stacey Hepburn-James, director of hotel operations at the Schwarzman Center, said the reopening of Commons has been successful in more ways than one.
“The [has] did not miss valuable lessons! Hepburn-James said. “Our team has been diligently preparing for the reopening of Commons for years, and it has been wonderful to see it come to life. We are so proud of the work our team has done to support this community so far! “
After being closed for renovation since 2017, Commons reopened in September 2021.
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