UConn Executive Director of Dining Services Dennis Pierce discussed dining trends for Gen Z at the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) Conference in October.
Click the image below for the article from Food Management Magazine.
Author: Desroches, Rebecca
Chef Profile: Bruce Haney
Hard work and dedication are the ingredients in chef Bruce Haney’s career. In his almost 48 years as a full time chef at UConn Dining Services, he has also held eight other jobs as a chef and caterer in his spare time. If that wasn’t enough, Haney also serves as the treasurer for his union, Unite Here Local 2527T, on the Pension Committee and as co-chairman on the Retirement Plan Committee.
Shortly after receiving his associate’s degree in Culinary Arts, from the Culinary Institute of America, he joined the Army Enlisted Aide Program as part of the Quartermaster School. As an aide under the command of a Lieutenant General he was responsible for purchasing, menu planning, food preparation and serving for all meals, dinner parties and special functions. During his time in the Army he rose to the rank of sergeant and received the Commendation Medal and Good Conduct Medal.
After he was discharged, Bruce began his career at UConn in 1972 as a chef and dining hall manager. During his 31 years in this role he would also bring his talents as an executive chef to numerous venues in the area:
Owner/Executive Chef – Thistles A Caterer, Inc (Pautipaug Country Club), Baltic, CT
Perry’s Restaurant, Willimantic, CT
Frank Davis Resort, Moodus, CT
Pasquaney Inn, Bridgewater, NH
Willimantic Motor Inn, CT
From 1969-1985 he also took on a third job of catering private parties, weddings and banquets for 25-350 people.
In 2003, Bruce received the Dining Services Employee of the Year Award and became a kosher chef at Gelfenbien Commons Dining Hall. Gelfenbien is the only dining hall on campus that offers a kosher kitchen that is certified by the Kashrut Commission of Greater Hartford. All kosher dishes are prepared under the close supervision of our resident Mashgiachs.
Bruce has been married for 47 years and makes his home in South Windham, CT. He has three children, and four grandchildren.
“Since high school I have enjoyed working in food service, with the changing trends, and working at UConn, especially given the diversity of the students. I have especially enjoyed the opportunity to venture into new and varied menus and ethnic foods.”
Thanksgiving Break Meal Request
Student Opportunities at Spring Valley Farm
Earth, Wok & Fire Opens in Student Union
Earth, Wok & Fire officially opened on the lower level of the Student Union this week and will offer a fine selection of Asian cuisine.
Its name was created by UConn students, who offered a fitting reference to the two styles of preparation that is offered at this venue.
Customers have a choice of either selecting carefully prepared Asian dishes with zesty and tangy flavors such as General Tso’s Chicken, Beef & Broccoli, and Vegetable Lo Mein or creating their own masterpiece. Customers can build their own dish by selecting a protein, vegetables and a wide selection of sauces and seasonings. Daily specials will also be offered.
Earth, Wok & Fire’s chefs take the time and effort to ensure quality ingredients by making food from scratch every day.
We thank you for your feedback and patience during our opening week.
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Thursday 11:00am-7:00pm
Fridays 11:00am-5:00pm
Cash, Husky Bucks, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and Discover are accepted.
Easter Pie & Baked Goods Sale
The Department of Dining Services Bakery, “Not Just Desserts”, will be baking their delicious pies and other baked goods for the 2020 Easter holiday.
New this year – online ordering!! ORDER BY MARCH 31ST!
Important to Note:
Online ordering: you can check out as a guest and do not need to sign up for an account in marketplace.
Paper order forms are still available. The order form should be hand delivered or mailed, with payment to:
Department of Dining Services, 3384 Towers Loop Rd., U-4071, Storrs, CT 06269
Please make checks payable to: UConn Dining Services
For more information call 860-486-3128.
Please pick up all orders on Thursday, April 9th, at the Dining Services’ Bakery/Commissary warehouse, 30 Gurleyville Rd. from 9:00am to 3:00pm.
Our money back satisfaction guarantee policy applies. Sorry, no holds or refunds for products not picked up on Thursday, April 9th. All unclaimed baked goods will be donated to charity.
Swipe to Give-A-Meal on October 16th
Swipe Out Hunger, is a nation-wide program that collaborates with colleges to help put an end to student hunger and assist those who struggle with food insecurity. The Department of Dining Services and Community Outreach are collaborating with the Dean of Students Office to launch this program at UConn.
Students with a traditional dining plan interested in supporting the program can do so at two, Give-A-Meal events that will be hosted by Dining Services this semester. On Wednesday, October 16th swipes will be accepted at all eight dining units from 4:15pm-7:15pm. Swipe in one time and donate a flex pass. The October 16th donation will go to the UConn Swipes initiative, the Willimantic No Freeze Shelter and the Covenant Soup Kitchen. A donation of $2.50, the raw food cost, is the value of each swipe.
Additionally, anyone interested in supporting the Students First Fund with a direct donation can do so by visiting https://studentaffairs.uconn.edu/students-first-fund/. The Students First Fund was created by the Division of Student Affairs and is supported by private donations. The program supports students who have experienced unanticipated hardship. Your gift enables the University community to demonstrate the care and concern they have for students, reminding them that they are an important and valuable part of the UConn community.
PRIZE ALERT!! Each Dining unit will have a UConn Swipes poster near the check-in on Oct. 16th. Donate your flex pass and then take a picture of the poster to help spread the word on Instagram. Tag @uconndining in your post and you’ll be entered to win a $10 UConn Dairy Bar gift certificate! Some units will also have selfie frames for photos with your dinner crew.
Family Weekend: Farm Friday at Spring Valley
Friday, October 11, 2019
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: 104 Spring Manor Lane, Mansfield, CT
Join us at the farm!! A representative from the group of eleven students, living and working at UConn Spring Valley Student Farm (SVSF), will lead visitors on a guided tour of the fields, greenhouses, edible forest garden and apiary. The students cultivate a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, honey and small fruits, for use on campus, using organic growing methods. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn how SVSF acts as a Living Learning Laboratory. The tour will include on-going research projects including Aquaponic System, Solar Thermal, Solar Photovoltaic, Air Quality Sampling, Sustainable Community Food Systems immersion program and Field Research in Regenerative Horticulture. SVSP can be reached at (860) 508-7706 for additional information, including directions to the farm.
Family Weekend: Retail & Dining Hall Hours
Welcome families! We hope you get to enjoy a beautiful fall weekend of activities and dining on campus. Parents are encouraged to join their students for breakfast using their student’s flex passes.
Friday, October 11th
Normal Hours for all dining units and retail.
Saturday, October 12th
- Dining Halls: South will be serving breakfast at 7:00am. All dining units open normal hours.
- C-Store: 10:00am-11:00pm
- Food Truck: 11:30am-2:00pm
- Bistro On Union Street: 11:00am-8:00pm
- Dairy Bar Too: 11:00am-8:00pm
- Dairy Bar: 11:00am-8:00pm
- USM Food Court: 8:00am-1:00am
- Market Café – 9:00am-10:00pm
- Freshens – 11:30am-7:00pm (Food menu available 12noon-5:30pm/smoothies all day)
- One Plate, Two Plates – Closed
Sunday, October 13th
- Dining Halls: South will be serving breakfast at 8:00am before regular brunch hours. All dining units open normal hours.
- C-Store: 11:00am-11:00pm
- Food Truck: Closed
- Bistro On Union Street: Closed
- Dairy Bar Too: 4:00pm-8:00pm
- Dairy Bar: 11:00am-8:00pm
- Freshens – 10:30am-10:00pm (Food menu available 12noon-8:00pm/smoothies all day)
- USM Food Court: 8:00am-10:00pm
- Market Cafe: 10:00am-7:00pm
- One Plate, Two Plates – Closed
Chef Profile: Sean Hawkins
I love cooking for the creativity, taking simple ingredients and enhancing their flavors to create a new dish.
Connections to UConn for Chef Sean Hawkins have truly come full circle.
Growing up in Mansfield, Hawkins attended Windham Tech, during which he took on internships at UConn’s South Dining Hall and Union Street Market. After graduating from Windham Tech, he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America and completed an internship at Le Cellier Steakhouse, one of Disney World’s most-booked restaurants. After receiving his Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts in 2009 he went on to work at country clubs in Florida and Connecticut.
Sean’s first sous-chef position brought him to the Spa at Norwich Inn, named “Best Destination Spa in New England” by Yankee Magazine. He continued his passion for cooking locally, refining his skills at places like Dog Lane Café, The Whelk, a farm-to-table restaurant in Westport, and Fenton River Grill in Mansfield.
Sean returned to UConn in November 2018 and has worked as a chef at Putnam Dining Hall, Northwest Dining Hall, and the campus restaurant, Bistro On Union Street, where he helped to create the menu for Connecticut Farm-to-Chef Week featuring locally sourced ingredients.