Sisters of Providence partner with Bon Appetit
You enter the O’Shaughnessy Dining Hall at 10:30 a.m., on a bright, sunny Sunday morning. The aroma of roasted potatoes wafts through the air. You spot an area loaded with French Toast Bakes, smothered with orange chocolate drizzle. And on top of that, you see a yogurt bar!
These are just a few of the items Bon Appetit will be offering at the weekly Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Sunday Brunch. And there’s plenty more!
The Congregation struck up a partnership with Bon Appetit earlier this year to take over the food service at O’Shaughnessy Dining Hall. The organization began serving Sunday Brunch in July. Bon Appetit General Manager Justin Hickam said there will a transition period regarding the brunch menus.
“We will be having more of a homestyle brunch. We’ve been offering themed brunches,” Hickam said. “We plan on transitioning in a few different options.”
Hickam said Bon Appetit also runs food services at Wabash College, DePauw University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Butler University among other areas. They also will be running food services for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College this year.
Hickam said the prospects at O’Shaughnessy leave him very excited for the future.
“This is a banquet space and we want to continue to grow the use of this space,” he said. “From a catering aspect, we want to provide great food services for everyone.”
“We are really excited to bring in a new feel and profile for the Sisters of Providence. It lends itself to a lot of opportunities. We want to bring the community together here and give them a great experience.”
Bon Appetit’s “Farm to Fork” program fits quite well with Executive Chef William Hawkins, who just joined the organization and is ready to move forward. The program involves Bon Appetit’s teaming up with local producers around a 150-mile radius for premium quality product. The organization makes meals from scratch in-house using all those fresh ingredients. In fact, Bon Appetit has already started working with White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence, by using farm fresh produce in its meals. They are also utilizing White Violet Center’s flowers by using them as decorations on tables.
Hawkins spent 10 years in Kentucky prior to coming to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. He also utilized the “Farm to Fork” program at his own restaurant.
“My connection here is multi-fold,” Hawkins said. “I definitely feel the connection with the mission of the Sisters of Providence and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. I want to be here on this campus.”
Hickam said the relationship between Bon Appetit and the Sisters of Providence can only grow from here. “We’re excited to partner with the Sisters of Providence and hope to keep growing our footprint here,” he said.
