food Archives | 麻豆原创 News Central Florida Research, Arts, Technology, Student Life and College News, Stories and More Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:26:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/blogs.dir/20/files/2019/05/cropped-logo-150x150.png food Archives | 麻豆原创 News 32 32 麻豆原创 Alum, Entrepreneur Fires up a Pizza Food Truck /news/ucf-alum-entrepreneur-fires-up-a-pizza-food-truck/ Thu, 09 Feb 2023 15:10:29 +0000 /news/?p=133692 A Rosen College graduate shares his passion for pizza across northeast Florida 鈥 crediting hands-on courses, inspirational professors and an encouraging partner with helping him become an entrepreneur.

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Three billion. That鈥檚 about how many pizzas are sold in the United States every year. This year, 麻豆原创 Rosen College of Hospitality Management alumnus Dylan Pittman 鈥22 plans to serve hundreds of pies through Pizza Pitt Stop, a food truck he recently launched.

Pizza Pitt Stop currently serves customers across Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida. Among its signature offerings is the Talladega, Pittman鈥檚 personal favorite, which has a听green flag sauce,听combining the flavors of Alfredo and pesto with chicken and bacon.

鈥淓ver since I was a kid, I have always wanted to have my own restaurant,鈥 says 21-year-old Pittman. 鈥淚t wasn’t until a few years ago that my mind moved from a traditional brick-and-mortar to a food truck. I just saw a lot of fun opportunities for a situation where every day at work was unique and would never get stale.鈥

To turn his dream into a reality, Pittman earned his bachelor鈥檚 in restaurant and foodservice management from 麻豆原创 Rosen College of Hospitality Management in May 2022. While at the college, he quickly completed his general education classes to concentrate on his primary goal: learning about the food and beverage industry. He completed his degree in three years.

鈥淢y favorite class was Foodservice Operations, where we were in charge of our own pop-up food event on campus for our peers and professors to participate in,鈥 he says. 鈥淢y group developed a pop-up event entirely based around dumplings, where we would use dumplings as a fun and unique vessel for other foods like chicken parmesan.鈥

鈥淚t was great to be able to talk to someone in the industry that could provide a听professional yet personal discussion about the idea of putting together a food truck.鈥澨 Dylan Pittman 鈥22, 麻豆原创 alum

It was during that class that Pittman connected with chef Jay Judy, a senior instructor in the Department of Foodservice and Lodging Management. Judy turned out to be a great mentor for Pittman and his pizza food truck business.

鈥淐hef Jay Judy did a great job supporting our ideas and is just a good听leader. I was always able to come to him with questions and ideas,鈥 Pittman says. 鈥淚 took this class in the last semester of my senior year, so I was really starting to make moves with the truck.鈥

Pittman considered a few different cuisines to build a food truck around, but realized pizza just made sense.

麻豆原创 Rosen College graduate and founder of Pizza Pitt Stop Dylan Pittman opening box of pepperoni pizza
Pittman already had excellent pizza making skills and enough ideas in his head of how to make his food truck dreams a reality.

鈥淎fter the food was set, I moved onto the name to really nail the type of pizza concept I was going for. I wanted to include my family’s name in the truck, but it was a brainstorming session with my two dorm roommates, Tommy and Tyler, that spawned the name Pizza Pitt Stop.鈥

In addition to Judy, Pittman also had mentorship guidance through Global Leadership Enhancement and Mentorship (GLEAM), a nonprofit volunteer network providing mentorship and leadership development to communities in need in the restaurant and foodservice industry.听Associate Professor Cynthia Mejia was chair of the Department of Foodservice and Lodging Management when Pittman was a mentee in the GLEAM program.

Mejia says students in the GLEAM program identify their 鈥渙ne big thing鈥 they would like to work on under the guidance of an industry mentor. Students spend four months working on their project, and present different aspects of their project to their cohort.

鈥淒ylan’s 鈥榦ne big thing鈥 was to open a food truck. He was really passionate and professional about achieving his goal, and I remember the seriousness with which he approached the weekly task,鈥 Mejia says. 鈥淎nd he did it in real life! I’m so proud of him, and really inspired by him.鈥

For someone as young as Pittman to achieve his goals as an entrepreneur may seem unusual, however Mejia says she noticed a particular spark in him.

鈥淏eing an entrepreneur has a good amount of risk involved. I’m not sure to the extent that most people, let alone recent graduates, have the tolerance for risk,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hen you talk with Dylan, he exudes a quiet confidence, yet an openness to do what needs to be done.鈥

While Pittman is committed to his pizza food truck, he knows the road will not always be smooth.

鈥淚’ve definitely faced challenges throughout the truck build-out process, and I’m sure there will be more challenges now that the truck is open,鈥 he says. 鈥淏ut I can’t hope to make this a meaningful venture if I’m not prepared to face those challenges head-on. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.鈥

鈥淢y goals for the business now and forever will be to provide a good, quality product with excellent service. Pizza shouldn’t be complicated, and my business won’t be either.鈥澨 Dylan Pittman 鈥22, 麻豆原创 alum

Pittman has an encouraging partner in his pizza entrepreneurship business. Emily Davis 鈥22, who is also a 麻豆原创 Rosen College graduate, has been by his side while also managing her own business, Lemonly鈥檚 Bakery.

鈥淚ronically, I am actually dairy-free,鈥 says 22-year-old Davis, 鈥渂ut Pizza Pitt Stop has vegan cheese on the menu. My favorite pizza is the Daytona, which is a barbecue brisket pizza. Dylan actually smokes his own brisket.鈥

Davis鈥 skills as a baker and digital marketer were noticed by Mejia and other faculty during her time as a student at Rosen College.

鈥淲e learned that [Emily] ran a baking business, and this was particularly impressive during the pandemic,鈥 says Mejia. 鈥淪he has excellent social media and marketing skills and built a following. We found her story uplifting and inspiring, and wanted to share her achievements during the early part of the pandemic to inspire fellow Rosen College students, faculty, and staff.鈥

Davis plans to use her digital marketing skills to boost Pizza Pitt Stop鈥檚 profile, and like Pittman, has a five-year plan.

鈥淚 plan to continue helping with the branding, social media and digital media aspects of Pizza Pitt Stop. Also, in five years I hope there are plans听to build on what we’ve established. Dylan has some great ideas, and I can’t wait to see what happens,鈥 Davis says.

Genyth Travis, senior assistant director of 麻豆原创 Undergraduate Admissions and adjunct instructor for strategies for student success, taught Pittman when he was a freshman. She saw his determination to unleash his potential even then.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how many of our graduates open their own business in less than a year after graduation, but it doesn鈥檛 surprise me that Dylan surrounded himself with people and resources to make his dream a reality,鈥 says Travis. 鈥淚 know he credits the classes and Rosen College for their support in helping him reach his goal, but Dylan worked hard 鈥 earning excellent grades and taking advantage of opportunities presented to him while he was a student. I love that Dylan is taking a risk on himself at the start of his career, surrounding himself with a good team to help his food truck be a success.鈥

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麻豆原创 Rosen College graduate and founder of Pizza Pitt Stop Dylan Pittman opening box of pepperoni pizza
Top 12 Most Instagrammable Places to Eat Near 麻豆原创 /news/top-12-instagrammable-foodie-spots-near-ucf/ Wed, 22 Aug 2018 21:19:31 +0000 /news/?p=89578 麻豆原创 alumna turned food-and-travel blogger Margot Tejera (@the.wandering.maven) shares her picks for the best local eats.

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Whether you’re new to East Orlando or looking for inspiration on where to eat next, this rundown of fun foodie spots near campus gives you plenty of options to make your Instagram followers drool with envy.

麻豆原创 alumna听Margot Tejera ’16 has been recognized as one of the top food influencers in Orlando by WhereTraveler.com and OrlandoDateNightGuide.com thanks to her blog, The Wandering Maven.

Scroll to check out her recommendations.

Jobos Acai Bowl 颅颅鈥 made with banana, strawberries, coconut flakes and Nutella, topped with honey or agave
Photo credit – IG: @purpleoceansuperfoodbar

1. Purple Ocean Super Food Bar
An Orlando-based food truck that promotes healthy, raw, organic and clean eating. Not to mention, the food is beautiful, unique and totally Instagram worthy. The food is perfect to beat the Florida heat, and so much fun to eat. Choose from their acai bowls or smoothies.

What to order: Jobos Acai Bowl 颅颅鈥 made with banana, strawberries, coconut flakes and Nutella, topped with honey or agave.

 

Taiyaki 鈥 made with lavender ice cream, toasted coconut, rainbow sprinkles, fruit skewer and vanilla sauce.
Photo credit – IG: @icenbites, @food_a_love_story

2. Ice & Bites Cafe
This cute little caf茅 has some delicious Asian-inspired food. The owner David is always innovating and adding super unique foods to the menu. They have new adult boba tea drinks, and most recently added acai bowls. Their Taiyaki is the biggest one I have ever come across.

What to order: Taiyaki 鈥 made with lavender ice cream, toasted coconut, rainbow sprinkles, fruit skewer and vanilla sauce.听For lunch, grab a delicious rice burger and a boba drink. Another must-get dessert is their affogato cloud 鈥斕齪erfect for an Instagram video.

 

The Pixie 鈥斕齝hef鈥檚 selection of assorted savory and sweet items, served with a traditional biscuit scone and cream and a pot of tea of your choice.
Photo credit – IG:@lemonlilytearoom

3. The Lemon Lily Team Room
Dine like British royalty at this cute, authentic high tea room just minutes from 麻豆原创. Host a party, engagement or any event here. They were ranked No. 12 for high tea in Travel + Leisure Magazine’s听Top 25 Top Tea Rooms in the U.S.听Reservations are required.

What to order: The Pixie 鈥斕齝hef鈥檚 selection of assorted savory and sweet items, served with a traditional biscuit scone and cream and a pot of tea of your choice. Pair it with the Raspberry Hibiscus Tea, made with hibiscus, lemongrass, rosehips, orange peel and raspberry.

 

Blue Cookie Craze Waffle Taco 鈥 definitely Instagram worthy, along with a colorful cone twisted with blue raspberry and black cherry.
Photo credit – IG:@twisteetreat

4.Twistee Treat USA
Get your ice cream swirl fix at Twistee Treat. You can鈥檛 go wrong with a picture of any of their sweet menu items.

What to order: Blue Cookie Craze Waffle Taco 鈥 definitely Instagram worthy, along with a colorful cone twisted with blue raspberry and black cherry.

 

colorful and yummy sushi bowl
Photo credit – IG:@sushieatstation

5. Sus Hi Eatstation
Sus Hi has bold flavor sushi options and made this list on Instagram-worthy food spots near 麻豆原创 in part because they call their team members ninjas. They are known for also making epic videos. Be sure to check out their site to watch.

What to order: Grab their colorful and yummy sushi bowl or tempura fried wraps.

 

Buff Pizza 鈥 made with red sauce, blue cheese crumbles, buffalo chicken, buffalo sauce and baked ranch.
Photo credit – IG:@lazymoonpizza

6. Lazy Moon
The place whose mission has always been the same: “allow the customer to eat, drink and be lazy.鈥

What to order:听Buff Pizza 鈥 made with red sauce, blue cheese crumbles, buffalo chicken, buffalo sauce and baked ranch. You can make your own pizza slice with their variety of toppings. And while they’re known for their slices, consider trying their gigantic calzones.

 

Very Berry Bulls#@$ Drank 鈥 made with their very berry soft serve and drizzle, pink whip, a mini doughnut and mini cone hat
Photo credit – IG:@valkyriedoughnuts

7. Valkyrie Doughnuts
This donut joint is a gem of a place right near 麻豆原创. They offer egg-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly sweets, and some cool dessert options that can only be found at this unique foodie spot.

What to order:听Very Berry Bulls#@$ Drank 鈥 made with their very berry soft serve and drizzle, pink whip, a mini doughnut and mini cone hat. Try their other Instagrammable yummy donuts like their strawberry shortcake and glazed.

 

Tequesta Dragon 鈥 An acai bowl with dragon fruit, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, chia seeds, hemp seeds and bee pollen.
Photo credit – IG: @3nativesucf

8. 3 Natives 麻豆原创
I can never turn down an Instagram moment with an acai bowl, especially those from 3 Natives. Their menu includes beautiful acai bowls, cold pressed juices, smoothies, wraps, salads, bagels, avocado toast and more.

What to order: Tequesta Dragon 鈥 An acai bowl with dragon fruit, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, chia seeds, hemp seeds and bee pollen.

 

Bowl 鈥 with barbecue chicken, avocado, tomatoes, broccoli, sweet potato and cauliflower mash
Photo credit – IG: @eatfreshkitchen

9. Fresh Kitchen
Fresh Kitchen believes in serving fresh, high-quality ingredients that nourish us. Not to mention, their chef inspired food is packed with flavor, and full of colorful, organic foods. They also have cool wall designs, and a neon light with the sign 鈥測ou are beautiful.鈥

What to order:听Bowl 鈥 with barbecue chicken, avocado, tomatoes, broccoli, sweet potato and cauliflower mash. Try their paleo chocolate chip cookies 鈥 so soft and guilt free. FK also offers sweet refreshing teas 鈥 听a must try.

 

Caf茅 Old Fashion 鈥 one of their classics, with the avocado toast.
Photo credit – IG:听@vespr

10.听Vespr Coffeebar
The design of Vespr coffee and their Instagrammable food options makes a perfect place for a foodie capture moment. The baristas here make incredible coffee designs and offer locally made pastries and snacks all day.

What to order: Caf茅 Old Fashion 鈥 one of their classics, with the avocado toast.

 

The Sticky Maple 鈥 flaky biscuit, all natural fried chicken breast and pecan wood-smoked bacon, all topped with Bissell Family real maple syrup.
Photo credit – IG:听@maplestreetbiscuitcompany

11. Maple Street Biscuit Company
Nothing says southern more than a fried chicken biscuit sandwich, especially when they are made fresh and in-house at Maple Street Biscuit Company in Oviedo. They have food that will make people drool at your shots of any of their menu items, especially their flaky buttermilk biscuits.

What to order: The Sticky Maple 鈥 flaky biscuit, all natural fried chicken breast and pecan wood-smoked bacon, all topped with Bissell Family real maple syrup.

 

Domu will be coming to the 麻豆原创 area this fall. Their dessert options are always innovative and rotating
Photo credit – IG:听@domufl

12.听Coming Soon: Domu Near 麻豆原创
Voted one of the best ramen spots in town, Domu will be coming to the 麻豆原创 area this fall. Their dessert options are always innovative and rotating, along with their signature cocktails created by Orlando鈥檚 finest mixologist. In the meantime, check out their original location at East End Market in Orlando.

Margot Tejera ’16
Tejera graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in industrial engineering. When she鈥檚 not clocking in as an engineer at Universal during the day, she spends her free time as a food and travel blogger and publishes at The Wandering Maven. Her photos have been featured on the cover of Where Orlando Magazine.

 

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麻豆原创-InsragramableFood1 Photo credit: @purpleoceansuperfoodbar 麻豆原创-InstagramableFood2 Credit: @icenbites, @food_a_love_story 麻豆原创-InstagramFood3 Photo credit: @lemonlilytearoom 麻豆原创-Instagramabble4 Photo credit: @twisteetreat 麻豆原创_InstagrammableFood5 Photo credit - IG:@sushieatstation 麻豆原创-InstagrammableFood6 Photo credit - IG:@lazymoonpizza 麻豆原创-InstagrammableFood7 Photo credit - IG:@valkyriedoughnuts 麻豆原创-InstagrammableFood8 Photo credit - IG: @3nativesucf 麻豆原创-InstagrammableFood9 Photo credit - IG: @eatfreshkitchen 麻豆原创-InstagramableFood10 Photo credit - IG:听@vespr 麻豆原创-InstagrammableFood11 Photo credit - IG:听@maplestreetbiscuitcompany 麻豆原创-InstagramableFood12 Photo credit - IG:听@domufl
Volunteer: Pack to Attack Hunger /news/volunteer-pack-to-attack-hunger/ Thu, 10 Oct 2013 21:23:17 +0000 /news/?p=54018 As a 6-foot 2-inch, 285-pound offensive lineman, Joey Grant rarely misses a meal. In fact, Grant will often find ways to take advantage of extra opportunities to eat in an effort to balance his caloric intake with the large number of calories he burns as a college football player.

But when Grant heard representatives from Feeding Children Everywhere and 麻豆原创 Fraternity & Sorority Life talk about the number of children in the Central Florida region who don鈥檛 know when they will eat their next meal, he realized he was literally holding a way he could help in his right hand.

Grant was attending a 麻豆原创 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting, which serves regular meals to its membership. He was eating one of those meals when he learned about 麻豆原创鈥檚 Pack to Attack Hunger project and the serious issue of hunger in Central Florida. That鈥檚 when he cooked up an idea. He put down the fork he was holding and chose to speak up instead of taking another bite of his meal.

鈥淎t our SAAC meetings, they serve us a big dinner 鈥 a lot of food,鈥 Grant said. 鈥淚 thought 鈥榃hy would we need this food? We get Knightro鈥檚. We go to Publix. We have plenty of food.鈥 So I suggested we sacrifice a week and donate the money that would have gone to us to these kids who need food. Everyone seemed to like the idea.鈥

SAAC President Afia Charles said the suggestion coming from a big eater like Grant was ironic, but poignant.

鈥淲hen Joey comes in, the first thing he does is go to the food,鈥 Charles said. 鈥淗e鈥檒l be polite, stack his plate, wait until everyone has finished eating 鈥 then he鈥檒l try to go secretly and get more food and go back to his group. Then, toward the end of the meeting, he鈥檒l go back for even more food. To see that he was willing to give up his dinner on a Monday night to feed people in need, that鈥檚 a really big deal. It鈥檚 a good thing that you have people out there, who are willing to give up what they have for other people.鈥

Of his idea, Grant said: 鈥淚 fill up my plate. I mean, it鈥檚 there. But they were bringing up that all these kids don鈥檛 know when they鈥檙e going to eat next. We know we鈥檙e eating at 6:30 every Monday at the SAAC meeting. Everyone thought it was a great idea to sacrifice a meal so these kids can get fed. That鈥檚 a lot more important to me than filling myself up on a big plate 鈥 or two or three 鈥 on a Monday night.鈥

Assistant Director of Student Services Jessica Francis said the average cost of a SAAC meal is between $150 and $175. Thanks to Grant鈥檚 suggestion, 麻豆原创鈥檚 SAAC will skip its scheduled meal on Nov. 4 and donate at least $150 to Pack to Attack Hunger. While it was his idea, Grant didn鈥檛 want all the credit, saying others were quick to go along with the plan.

鈥淚鈥檓 just glad I could help,鈥 Grant said. 鈥淚 think it will be good for the community.鈥

麻豆原创鈥檚 Pack to Attack Hunger event is slated for Nov. 16 at The Venue at 麻豆原创. It is a partnership that includes 麻豆原创 Student Government Association, 麻豆原创 Fraternity & Sorority Life, 麻豆原创 Athletics and Feeding Children Everywhere.

To donate, volunteer or get more information about 麻豆原创鈥檚 Pack To Attack Hunger project, visit麻豆原创.com.

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Knights Pantry Holds Summer Food Drive /news/knights-pantry-holds-summer-food-drive/ Wed, 06 Jun 2012 12:30:00 +0000 /news/?p=37223 The Knights Helping Knights Pantry is holding a summer food drive through Thursday, June 14.

The 鈥渂ox and bag鈥 food drive is Pantry鈥檚 first summer drive and is meant to raise items for Summer B students.

鈥淲e have seen an increase in visitors over summer, and we want to ensure we have enough food for our fellow Knights,鈥 said Nicole Preston, the outreach coordinator for the Student Union and Knights Pantry.

The Pantry is requesting non-perishable foods packaged in boxes or bags, such as pasta and cereal. More than 639 pounds of food has been donated to the Pantry since the beginning of Summer A, and more than 1,700 pounds of food has been given to nearly 400 visitors since then.

To encourage donations, the Pantry has organized a competition among departments to see which can collect the most. The department with the donation box that collects the most pounds of usable food will earn a photo on the Pantry website, a certificate and balloons for the office.

Drop-off locations include spots in Colbourn Hall, Howard Phillips Hall, Ferrell Commons, the Psychology Building, the College of Sciences, the Nicholson School of Communication, Business Administration 2, the Visual Arts Building, Student Legal Services and the Student Union.

Pantry volunteers will pick up donations from the 15 boxes twice a week, and the Pantry will send out an email with the total amount collected once the food drive is complete.

For more information on the Knights Helping Knights Pantry, visit .

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Event Offers Guests a Taste of the 1920’s /news/student-produced-epicurean-event-to-offer-guests-a-taste-of-the-1920s/ Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:20:36 +0000 /news/?p=34375 Calling all dames & gentlemen! 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management invites you to experience the glamour of Hollywood, the jazz of New Orleans, and the mobster-filled speakeasies of Chicago in the 1920鈥檚, as Event Management II students host the third annual Cabaret & Cabernet (Cab & Cab) event on Saturday, April 21. This year鈥檚 installment of the all student-produced epicurean event offers its guests a taste of the 1920鈥檚, as they will journey through three cities, four courses of gourmet food and wine pairings, and live entertainment that highlights the best of the era.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 Cab & Cab is going to be focused on three American cities with rich cultures in the 1920’s,鈥 said Brianna Hartigan, a Rosen College senior graduating this May with a double major in Event Management and Hospitality Management. 鈥淲e are taking guests to the heart of this era and are immersing them in that setting. It will be an interactive experience for our guests, as they will not only be observing the atmosphere, but actually feel as though they are at an exclusive 1920鈥檚 party in each of these cities.鈥

Under the guidance of Instructor Suzan Bunn, students will transform the Rosen College campus into an unforgettable evening of food, wine and live Broadway-inspired performances.

Bunn鈥檚 Event Management II class is responsible for organizing and producing the event, while the culinary efforts will be provided by Chef Renee Bence and Chef Jay Judy鈥檚 Food Preparation for Catered Events class. The event鈥檚 entertainment will also showcase musical and vocal talent from throughout the 麻豆原创 community.

Tickets to Cab & Cab are now on sale for $65, which includes event admission, parking, food, wine and entertainment. Proceeds will support the Rosen College Event Department. A limited amount of tickets will be sold, so secure your tickets today at .

The 麻豆原创 Rosen College of Hospitality Management is located at 9907 Universal Blvd. in Orlando, FL.

For more event information, e-mail cabcab.ucf@gmail.com.

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Chef’s Goal: Best Food on Campus /news/chefs-goal-best-food-on-campus/ Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:18:12 +0000 /news/?p=33531 New restaurant on campus is hit among students

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Many eating establishments come and go at 麻豆原创, but one restaurant recently added last month hopes to stick around.

Skewerz, a new restaurant recently added to the broad spectrum of eateries outside of the 麻豆原创 Arena, is attempting to thrive and grow through unique food, a wide range of ingredients and fresh ideas.

Established this semester and located between the Domino’s and the Subway at Knights Plaza, Skewerz seeks to bring something different to the table: cuisine inspired by owner Randy Reich’s life in Israel.

“The culmination of Skewerz is simple: When I was in the army in Israel and when I was growing up in Israel, this was my favorite meal,” Reich said. “I’d order two skewers and I’d put it on a fresh-made flatbread of laffa and I would load it up with everything. 鈥 It would be massive, it would be like a three-pounder almost. You just sit there and eat it; I didn’t have to eat for the rest of the day.”

At Skewerz, it all starts off with selecting the type and amount of meat you’d like. After choosing between chicken, pork, beef, shrimp and vegetables, customers then decide to have it wrapped, tossed in a salad or plated with sides. The meat, which is cooked on skewers, is then applied to a laffa, a type of flatbread wrap, and topped with ingredients ranging from cheddar cheese, relish, jalape帽os, cucumbers and many more.

Reich feels that the end product is a unique blend of flavors.

“The way I describe it is you have this infusion of all the flavors that you can think of that you like at one time jumping into your palate, as opposed to separately eating things that you like, it all just comes together,” Reich said. “Nothing does that. Not even a burrito, so to speak, because I believe the starches take away from the flavor.”

Samuel Ward, a sophomore at Valencia College majoring in public relations/organizational communications visiting Skewerz for the first time, also felt that the food was on a level of its own.

“It’s epic, I’m just about done in less than five minutes,” Ward said as he took the final bites of his wrap. “I’m a big fan of Chipotle. At first I thought it was gonna rival Chipotle, but to me it’s just another class by itself. 鈥 I can’t make a comparison between the two, but this is still epic.”

Reich believes that 麻豆原创’s campus is an ideal location for Skewerz to grow and succeed.

“The energy on a campus is really the biggest thing,” Reich said. “You go anywhere in the world, especially in the Middle East and Israel in a market, and it’s very casual and informal. You’re not there to be dressed in a suit, sit down, and wine and dine; you’re there to have a good solid meal without breaking your pocket. 鈥 And that’s exactly what this is. There’s no better place to try that and see the reaction than the energy on a campus.”

Soukaina Aroui, a 麻豆原创 junior majoring in civil engineering, also felt that Skewerz had something special to offer.

“I like it; it’s different. 麻豆原创 doesn’t have these kinds of restaurants, so this is unique,” Aroui said. “They do a really good job, that’s why I’m here today.”

Jennifer Coliton, an employee at Skewerz and a 麻豆原创 freshman majoring in elementary education, felt that the quality of the ingredients also helps the food to stand out.

“Everything we make is fresh; we don’t own a freezer in the place,” Coliton said. “None of the meats are frozen and stored. Everything you have is completely fresh. We make the dough right in front of your face, and we cook the meat right in front of your face.”

Skewerz has also recently begun serving breakfast, where customers can order scrambled egg wraps and pancakes.

Reich said that the establishment also plans on enhancing the menu even further in the near future.

“We’re gonna get into a dessert line once we hit the summer,” Reich said. “We wanna do s’mores, which we’ll do marshmallows on a skewer and offer it on the side with chocolate sauce, you know what I mean? So people can put it on there with a graham cracker laffa.”

Taking a look at the restaurant’s revenue, Reich feels like the hard work has paid off so far.

“I’m at 70 percent of my targeted number to reach as far as the sustaining amount that I’m comfortable with the possibility of a slight profit margin in there,” Reich said. “From opening, I was at roughly 50 percent. So I’ve grown 20 percent, and I’ve only been open now going on seven weeks, which is kinda huge.”

Skewerz has also recently added a card reader that accepts Knight Cash, which Reich thinks will help their business even further.

Though a profit is important to the restaurant’s success, Reich stressed that making good food comes first.

“I just want everyone to say that they loved it,” Reich said. “If I closed tomorrow because I couldn’t financially make it, I’ll always have the fact that it was the most favorite food on campus and that everybody loved. What else can a chef and an owner ask for?”

Reich said that Skewerz is currently seeking stability at 麻豆原创 and that more success could mean branching out to several more locations nearby in the future.

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麻豆原创 to Host Sustainable Food Week /news/food-4-thought-to-celebrate-sustainable-food/ Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:49:36 +0000 /news/?p=29979 Members of the 麻豆原创 community and the public are invited to 鈥淔ood 4 Thought,鈥 a weeklong celebration at 麻豆原创 that will highlight sustainable food.

Events will run from Monday, Nov. 14, through Friday, Nov. 18. They will include a film screening, guest speaker and panel discussion. Other highlights include a luncheon featuring locally-sourced ingredients and a tasting of responsibly-sourced coffee.

A full listing of events can be seen here.

鈥淔ood 4 Thought鈥 is hosted by 麻豆原创 Dining Services in partnership with the 麻豆原创 Library, I.D.E.A.S. for 麻豆原创, E.Co, the 麻豆原创 General Education Program Unifying Theme and Slow Food Orlando.

Throughout November, 麻豆原创 Dining Services and the 麻豆原创 Library also are hosting an exhibit that focuses on sustainable food initiatives at 麻豆原创, in the community and throughout the globe.

The green-minded food lovers exhibit includes books such as 鈥淔ood Rules鈥 by Michael Pollan and 鈥淲aste and Want鈥 by Susan Strasser, and films such as 鈥淭he Cove鈥 and 鈥淎 Crude Awakening.鈥

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An 'International Food Crisis' /news/an-international-food-crisis/ Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:36:31 +0000 /news/?p=10967 Global food-policy specialist and activist Raj Patel discussed what he calls an 鈥渋nternational food crisis鈥 with an audience of nearly 200 at the 麻豆原创 on Thursday.

Patel is a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley鈥檚 Center for African Studies, a fellow at the School of Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a fellow at The Institute for Food and Development Policy. In his first book, 鈥淪tuffed and Starved: Markets, Power and the Hidden Battle for the World鈥檚 Food System,鈥 he asserts that powerful distributors control the health of the entire world. His most recent book, 鈥淭he Value of Nothing: How to Reshape Market Society and Redefine Democracy,鈥 focusing on the 鈥渇inancial madness鈥 of the global food system, is a New York Times bestseller.

During the presentation, which was organized by the 麻豆原创 Global Perspectives Office, Patel stated that we live in a world in which a billion people are overweight, while another billion starve. He declared that the United States, despite its superpower status, is not free from this problem. Patel noted that in 2009 alone, 49.2 million people went hungry in the United States. He further claimed that one in five Americans goes hungry today.

Pulling out a candy bar, Patel jokingly claimed to have the key to the global food system. He commented on how people purchase and eat such items without knowing what is in them or even where they originate. Patel declared that inconvenient food becomes convenient because of the rhythm of our lives. People then routinely take up rather abnormal eating habits, such as eating a candy bar with peculiar-sounding ingredients.听

Patel encouraged the audience to imagine an hourglass shape which represents the global food system, with the thousands of farmers at the top, a handful of companies in the middle and the mass of consumers at the bottom. He further indicated that consumers are led to believe they come out ahead when corporations compete. However, he said, this is not necessarily so. 鈥淭here is no free market,鈥 Patel said.

Patel then contended that the poor suffer the most in the global food system. On one hand, independent farmers are unable to stand against the strength of the corporations in the market, and on the other hand, the poor 鈥 as consumers 鈥 are victims.

He further argued that there is more than enough food to feed the world 鈥渙ne and a half times over,鈥 but not under the current capitalist, market-based structure of the global food system, where large corporations receive huge tax incentives and are able to shape the rules to their advantage. To help resolve the problem, Patel encouraged students to get involved and stand for change, either on campus or through global organizations such as La Via Campesina and Slow Food. He maintained that only when all of the concerned parties are at the table can real progress be made toward a more democratic food system.

He said it鈥檚 important for people to consume more locally grown food in order to support a projected world population of 9 billion by 2050. He said he views local food systems as stepping stones towards a democracy within the broader food system.

In addition to the Global Perspectives Office, sponsors of this event included The India Program at 麻豆原创, the Anil and Chitra Deshpande India Program Endowed Fund, the 麻豆原创 Political Science Department, the 麻豆原创 International Services Center, Lawrence J. Chastang and the Chastang Foundation, 麻豆原创 LIFE and the Global Connections Foundation.

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'Stuffed and Starved' /news/stuffed-and-starved/ Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:18:04 +0000 /news/?p=10748 Raj Patel, a global food policy expert, author and activist, will speak Thursday, March 4, at the 麻豆原创.

Patel will give a presentation entitled 鈥淪tuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System鈥 at 3 p.m. in the Key West Ballroom of the Student Union. The event, organized by the 麻豆原创 Global Perspectives Office, is free and open to the public.

Patel, a sometimes controversial and often outspoken critic of the current structure of the global food system, has worked for some of the world鈥檚 most prominent international organizations and protested against many of their policies, seeking to find ways to improve global food distribution.

To continue reading about Patel’s presentation, click here.

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CBA Alumni Give Business Students Some Food For Thought /news/cba-alumni-give-business-students-some-food-for-thought/ /news/cba-alumni-give-business-students-some-food-for-thought/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:51:44 +0000 /news/?p=8749 Once again this semester, students studying for exams received a special treat from College of Business Administration alumni鈥擣REE donuts and bagels! Volunteers from the College of Business Administration Alumni Chapter distributed the food as well as Red Bull Energy Drinks to students preparing for their finals. The Red Bulls were donated by Eleet Technologies, and the food was donated by LarsonAllen CPAs, Consultants & Advisors. In addition to getting some much appreciated food and drink, the students were able to learn more about joining the chapter in the future and giving back to their (soon-to-be) alma mater.

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