CULINARY COLLABORATION CWU Dining Services and the Jump Start Program
In 2023, CWU Dining Services partnered with the Jump Start Program to offer hands-on cooking classes designed to engage students and foster community. This collaboration brought together Assistant Director of Culinary Operations and Campus Executive Chef Joe Ritchie, Wildcat Pantry’s Brady Smith, and Jump Start Program Coordinator Luis Reyes, combining their expertise to create a unique culinary experience for students. “Cooking classes had been something I wanted to implement since coming to Central, and Jump Start was the perfect fit because of its small group size,” shared Chef Ritchie. The Jump Start Program supports first-year CWU students who are first-generation college students, come from underserved populations, or demonstrate financial need. Through peer mentorship, workshops, and community- building activities, the program provides essential guidance during students’ first year on campus. Two cooking classes, held in the Health Sciences kitchens, gave participants an opportunity to learn directly from Chef Ritchie. Each session began with a live demonstration of a simple, practical recipe, followed by hands-on cooking guided by Ritchie himself. “The demos were designed to feature dishes that students could easily recreate at home,” explained Ritchie. “The response was overwhelmingly positive, with both classes filled to capacity—roughly 20–25 students per session.” These classes not only equipped students with valuable cooking skills but also deepened the connection between CWU Dining Services and the student body.
1891 CATERING Revitalizing the Food Wagon
Top 3 Food Items Sold
Dining Services’ 1891 Catering introduced a fresh look and exciting new menu offerings for the Food Wagon in 2023. To better align with CWU’s brand standards, the wagon underwent a significant redesign, transitioning from its vibrant yellow and orange exterior to a sleek new look featuring deep gray and black with CWU’s iconic crimson. The redesigned wagon now prominently displays Dining Services’ social media handle, @cwueats, in a custom pattern, encouraging students to check weekly menus online. the needs of the growing student body. This revitalization paved the way for a new program: Wagon Wednesdays, launched in Fall 2023. Each Wednesday, the Food Wagon offers made-to-order meals outside Black Hall, capitalizing on high foot traffic and providing students with fresh, innovative dishes unavailable elsewhere on campus. Alongside the exterior transformation, the Food Wagon’s interior was also updated to better meet The weekly rotating menu has quickly become a favorite, featuring options like Thai chicken
Panda Express Two Entrée Plate 49,768 orders
skewers, horchata, buffalo chicken mac and cheese, and breakfast croissants. Social media posts showcasing the new menu consistently attract students, creating bustling lines during peak hours. Beyond its Wednesday appearances, the Food Wagon continued to be a fixture at major campus and community events, including the Welcome BBQ, Plant-Based Picnic, Student Appreciation Day, and Wellington’s Wildfire. These appearances highlight the wagon’s versatility as Dining Services’ premier mobile food center, offering students unique, high- quality meals throughout the year. With its updated design, enhanced programming, and growing popularity, the Food Wagon has firmly established itself as a key element of CWU Dining Services’ mission to nourish the body and mind of our campus community.
Cheeseburger 35,160 orders
Chicken Strips 31,814 orders
“Programs like these help our students see that there are real people behind CWU Dining—people who genuinely care about their experience on campus.” JOE RITCHIE
Top 3 Drinks Ordered
Mochas 14,681 orders Chargers 47,931 orders
Assistant Director of Culinary Operations and Campus Executive Chef, Dining Services
Looking to the future, Ritchie is eager to expand these efforts. “I have ideas for more impromptu demonstrations featuring other chefs or even some of our cooks,” he shared, hinting at continued opportunities for student engagement and community building through food.
Lattes 12,009 orders
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