The aging Griesedieck cafeteria got a facelift over the summer, and the bandages have finally been peeled away to reveal a brighter, younger spot for Saint Louis University students to dine. The renovated section of the cafeteria opened for the first time this semester on Monday, in time for dinner.
Shining new floors, colorful signs and new dining options make the old space seem bigger, and the addition, complete with a skylight and floor-to-ceiling windows, is slated to open in mid-October, said Denise Taylor, assistant vice president for F0acilities Services. The addition will add 200 seats.
“The addition was designed to accommodate both dining and scheduled functions. The full-height glass wall option was selected to take advantage of the good views of the quadrangle to the north,” Taylor said.
On the east side, near Walsh Hall, the addition stops several feet from the edge of the existing building, leaving a gap.
“The size of the addition was based on the number of new seats needed,” Taylor said. “The emergency exit will be located on the eastern wall; it is not currently visible because it is in the construction area.”
“It is set up more like a food court inside,” said Nadeem Zafar, director of Dining Services at Griesedieck. Each station has a theme, including Origins, which specializes in ethnic foods, and Trattoria, which has pasta and pizza. The Menutainment section features a chef preparing stir-fry and other quick entrees in front of students.
George Wilson, one of the senior members of the staff, donned a chef’s hat and chatted with students at the carving station. Zafar said that 40 percent of the staff from last year remained to work for Chartwells, the new food service provider on campus this year.
Wilson said that there is “good-quality food, and good cooks here. We are taking care of the food as we receive it, and food that gets messed up while it is cooked is caught before it goes out and gets thrown away.”
But what do the students think?
“I think the food is a lot better,” said Leslie Bown, a sophomore.
“The biggest improvement is that they actually keep it clean,” said Tom Ebels, also a sophomore.
“I no longer grab a hamburger just because it’s the only thing I’m willing to eat,” said Richard Libera, a junior.
The Greisedieck cafeteria is currently open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. However the hours may be extended when construction ends. There is no longer a break in operation in the afternoon, with hot breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., continental breakfast from 10 to11, hot lunch from 11 to 1:30, limited lunch from 1:30 to 4:30 and dinner from 4:30 to 7.
Zafar encouraged students to voice their opinions and make suggestions. “We can’t get filet mignon, but we want to hear from the students.”
