Sycamore Bistro adds clean-eating, vegan, vegetarian choices.
Jeremy Bosley, executive chef and director of culinary operations for AVI Foodsystems at Cal U, bastes meat as it cooks in the smoker.
Food made from scratch. Locally sourced ingredients. A menu that fits the lifestyle of students who want clean-eating or vegan options. More convenient hours to enjoy the deliciousness.
It is all on the menu at the Sycamore Bistro, located on the lower level of the Herron Recreation and Fitness Center. The location has adjusted its hours of operation to 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays to better serve students.
Jeremy Bosley, executive chef and director of culinary operations for AVI Foodsystems at Cal U, said the clean-eating movement — avoiding packaged and processed foods, and eating food as close to its natural state as possible — sparked the Sycamore changes.
Vegetarian, vegan and clean-eating options continue to be available at the Gold Rush, Cal U’s main dining facility, too.
“People are more in-depth with their food and want to know the background of what they’re eating,” the chef said. “We’re making the product from scratch, so we know what goes into it.”
Apples arrive from a local orchard. Footprints Farm, a family farm in Fayette County, Pa., supplies meats for several dining locations across campus.
In turn, AVI sends 100-150 pounds of clean vegetable waste weekly to Footprints Farm, where it is used as feed for the animals.
“It’s all done correctly there. The farmers bring the meat to us in whole form, and we break it down ourselves,” Bosley said.
“There are no GMOs (genetically modified organisms), no antibiotics — these are all naturally raised animals. Everything they do uses sustainable practices, and we are on board with that.”
Marinades, dressings and sauces are made on campus; smoking and roasting are also done in-house. Other menu items include falafel, house-smoked pulled pork, prime rib hoagies, pan-seared salmon sandwiches, and pecan-apple-chicken and spinach-quinoa salads.
“We’ve been working on the menu concept at Sycamore Bistro for six months, and it’s an ongoing process,” Bosley said. “We will continue to get feedback from the student body, faculty and all of our customers, because we are gathering a sense for what kind of food is trending in their world, the culinary world, and what we can bring to the table.”
The bistro will now be open later, until 5:30 p.m.
“We looked at the target times and saw we get busier later in the day,” Bosley said.
AVI staff also saw commuters coming in to pick up a meal before late-afternoon and evening classes. Those customers drove the decision to alter the Bistro’s hours
“We want to target the individuals who come to campus and stay later in the day, to make sure they get the same (high-quality) food and service,” Bosley said.
Patrons still can enjoy a variety of Starbucks coffee and specialty drinks, as well as the new menu items. And the public is welcome to stop by.
“We want to highlight the food and to make sure students and all customers understand that they are getting nutritious food prepared the correct way,” Bosley said. “We want to be the culinary ambassadors of food.
“My team and I are proud, excited and ready to roll out this new concept. We want the campus community and the local community to come experience this.”
For more information visit www.aviserves.com/calu or follow @calpadining on social media.