Dear Stanford students, parents and community,

This is an exciting time for R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries as we welcome students back to campus and into the ResX neighborhoods.

It is clear in hearing from students that conversations and making connections over meals form the center of their communities and neighborhoods. Students break bread together, engage in intellectual and lively discussions over their meals with each other, faculty, and members of the Stanford community. This is an essential part of the Stanford residential education experience. The neighborhood student meal plans are aligned with the core principles of ResX to advance diversity, equity & inclusion; to promote opportunities for community & belonging; and to support student health and well-being. Stanford strongly believes in community building over meals and the neighborhood meal program for the Dining Halls, The Row, Suites & Co-ops allows students the ease and flexibility to eat across the campus to develop friendships within their neighborhood and throughout the campus.

Culinary Excellence is a core pillar of R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliary’s programs and purpose. Our chefs are dedicated to inspiring students with delicious flavors, enticing recipes and expertly crafted meals. We believe that food builds community and we often introduce students to new foods, global cuisines, and food experiences which supports the academic mission, and expands their knowledge of the diversity of food cultures. In partnership with Residential Education, we integrate culturally inspired food concepts and culinary celebrations into the residential education experience. Learn more our culinary team and what they are cooking by following us on Instagram @StanfordDining!

We continue to adapt our operations in response to the latest COVID-19 guidance and regulations from the University and Santa Clara County and focus on the health, security, safety and well-being of our students, and that of the dedicated R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries staff. For more details on these efforts, please see our CleanDining program. To find the latest university updates regarding COVID-19, visit healthalerts.stanford.edu. Isolation meal delivery is available for students on campus who are not able to or should not visit the dining halls due to COVID-19 related isolation requirements or illness. Students can reach out to their Residence Dean (RD) or Graduate Life Office (GLO) Dean to find out the procedure for isolation meal delivery. We also invite Stanford students, faculty and staff to purchase take-out meals, grab-n-go items, and groceries from our retail locations and markets across campus. 

R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries prides itself on providing high-quality and nutritious cuisine to meet the wide variety of dietary needs within our diverse Stanford community. The Eat Well @Stanford program is committed to supporting an inclusive dining experience for students with a wide range of dietary needs, and enhancing the development of lifelong eating practices that promote health and wellbeing. Students with special dietary considerations, such as food allergies or religious requirements, can receive assistance navigating their food options in the dining halls by contacting nutritionist@stanford.edu.

Sustainability is a core value of R&DE, and despite the substantial challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to place on foodservice operations and supply chains, Stanford Dining is committed to pursuing bold action to address climate change and support Stanford’s commitment to become a zero-waste campus by 2030. When it comes to long-term strategies in sustainability, there is no imperative as important to address as climate change. Our strategy of climate-smart dining is rooted in the resounding message from climate scientists that our actions to address the climate emergency must be exponential in nature; we are past the time when incremental change is enough. We see tremendous opportunities for climate action through our food program: leveraging our institutional purchasing power and collaborating with thought leaders in climate change research, and across business and industry. We are inspired by the groundswell of student support of this key subject and are grateful to partner with many subject matter experts around climate issues. We also recognize the power of creating delicious plant-forward menus and using more biodiverse and regenerative agriculture ingredients. Our focus with the new One Plate, One Planet program and collaborations with Drawdown Labs and REGEN1, is to enhance and create a more impactful student dining experience for the health of our students and for the good of our planet.

We recognize the importance and essential role that R&DE Stanford Dining, Hospitality & Auxiliaries plays in building community and promoting the health and wellbeing of our students, and we take this responsibility very seriously. We thank you for your support and look forward to gathering and dining as a community on campus. You can reach our staff at diningplans@stanford.edu or leave us a comment, question or concern at https://rde.stanford.edu/rde-feedback.