Yale University: Week Two

Nicole and Brittany's Summary of Week Two: Eatec, Desserts, Shots, Noodles, & Veggie Burgers

Eatec

This week we got to experience the frustrations of implementing a new software system into an organization firsthand. We spent numerous days on the computer trying to make progress on the items in Eatec by filling in their nutritional information, as well as the company and brand name of each item. After finishing a rough completion of the items on Tuesday, we came into the office on Wednesday to realize Eatec randomly saved some information, but not nearly all of the work that we had been spending hours upon hours entering and researching. This was a very frustrating matter to face so we decided to approach the reentry process in a different manner. Instead of entering it directly on Eatec, since all the technical issues are not fixed yet, we developed a spread sheet where we filled in the brand and company name of each item, and made note of any sustainability criteria the item met, such as GMO free, local product, etc. Although we experienced some difficulties with Eatec, we hope to see the positive benefits of the new system by the end of our experience at Yale.  

Nicole

Brittany

Desserts

Even though the bulk our week was spent "yelling and crying" over Eatec, we had the opportunity to meet with numerous food company representatives, wanting to get their product used throughout Yale Dining. The first of four representatives we met with was from Sweet Street Desserts. After introducing their company and giving us a little background on each product, we were able to sample of wide variety of rich sweets from cheesecakes to macaroons to cupcakes. As you can see from the pictures below, we had a wide variety of indulgences to choose from.

Shots

No we were not taking shots of alcohol at work, but instead shots of olive oil. Along with sampling sweets, we also met with a representative from Corto Olive Co., an olive oil making company based in California. We were able to sample their 100% EVOO blend as well as their 51/49 blend, which consisted of 51% EVOO and 49% canola oil. The olive oil was poured into tiny shot size glasses, where we took the time to smell the aroma and the fresh, distinct flavor of the oil. Cheers to getting a break from Eatec! 

Noodles

The third food representative we met with this week gave us a sample of Ramen Noodles and the combinations of broths the noodles can be paired with. We tasted six combinations of Ramen Noodles and broth bases that the representative prepared, which will be implemented into a noodle station in a dining facility that will be opening in the future.

Veggie Burgers

The final food representative we met with this week was from Jens&Marie's, a company that makes all natural veggie burgers. We were presented with the three different types of burgers the company offers, Southwest Black Bean and Sweet Potato, Samosa Cake, and the Mediterranean Quinoa Burger. The burgers were prepared for us and we got to sample them, along with a few sauces the company also makes. 

Overall...

This week went by fast yet again, however it was exhausting and tiring to deal with the complications of Eatec. We got to experience the pain and frustrations that all the full-time employees have been dealing with over many months to understand the system and get it fully functioning for all of their dining operations to utilize. It was interesting to learn the process of how it is decided if a product will be served in Yale dining, considering the cost, how the product is packaged and is sold, and if the product meets the sustainability standards of Yale dining.

Weekend Fun

This weekend we hopped on the Megabus and spent our Saturday in New York City, which is approximately 75 miles away from New Haven. In the morning, we took a stroll in Central Park, exploring this incredibly serene area within the bustling of the city. The day was sunny and gorgeous, and because of this, we had the opportunity to go kayaking on the pond within the park. After grabbing lunch at a restaurant called The West End Bar & Grill, we spent the afternoon watching the Broadway Show, Momma Mia. We had a wonderful day exploring the city, but we both agreed that one day in NYC was enough to last us for awhile.

Central Park

Times Square

Broadway!