The seating capacity at Ross was raised from 275 to 450. Proctor, a 1959 vintage eatery that was scarcely changed from its original incarnation, received a much-needed overhaul to add more in-front-of-the-customers cooking capability and bring it in line with modern college dining trends.

Despite one less venue, Middlebury students still have plenty of meal options. The menus at Ross and Proctor are different, giving students daily choice at lunch and dinner. The chefs at each determine the fare, but the emphasis is on freshly made dishes made with locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

Each dining hall seems to have its core of loyal regulars, but in truth, both have plenty of variety, certainly enough to offer everyone from hardcore vegetarians to pizza-and-burger traditionalists something they like.

For example, a typical day's dinner selection would include Chicken Saltimbocca, Shoyu Tofu and Chili-Glazed Salmon with Orange Salsa at Ross, and Bean and Vegetable Saute, Potage Basque and Roast Maple Glazed Salmon at Proctor. Ross also has various pizzas while Proctor has a panini press students can use to make their own hot sandwiches, and both have salad bars, a rotating series of side dishes and desserts.

Trayless dining has been the rule at the dining halls for the past two-plus years, and is noncontroversial. The initiative has not only cut down waste but saved water and energy (no trays or extra dishes to wash).

Special Assignments

While Ross and Proctor satisfy the bulk of the day-to-day dining needs for students, Atwater has been reborn as a the primary special events space on campus, with its spectacular views, showy production stations and large open space. It also holds a liquor license, making it a natural for higher-end and evening events. It is also home to Middlebury's “language table” program (see p. 38) and for cooking oriented events and culinary exhibitions.

Atwater's new full-time role is crucial considering the reductions in campus catering services as part of Middlebury Dining's cost control measures. Among those measures was the elimination of off-premise catering services around campus (groups can still order food for their events if they pick it up, or they can choose an off-campus caterer from a list of approved providers).

The move illustrates a necessary change in mindset for Middlebury Dining Services, from the traditional role of a support department as a provider of an amenity to the institution, to taking a more commercial approach.

“We cut off-premise catering because after the staff reductions, it was just too labor intensive,” Biette says. “While we want to continue to support the college as much as we can, we also have to be more aware of the financial cost of the things we do.”

In addition to Atwater, campus groups can also utilize catering services offered at the retail outlets in the McCullough Student Center (for more on these, see below).

Middlebury Dining also caters events at the college's Bread Loaf Campus, located a few miles from the main campus in the Green Mountains.

The site houses the Bread Loaf School of English, a summer graduate school, and the prestigious Bread Loaf Writers Conference, the nation's oldest such event, which is held every August. Middlebury Dining caters all the meals for the conference.

Limited Retail

There are some on-campus retail dining options in the McCullough Student Center, which includes the Grille and the Juice Bar, along with the MiddXpress c-store. However, student traffic has been slow over the past year, reflecting a new cost consciousness.

“Students say, ‘We already have meals paid for in the dining rooms, so why should we pay more not to eat there,’” says Biette.

The Grille, offering a set menu array of pizzas, sandwiches, salads and grilled items, is the main cash operation for full meals. However, the outlet is primarily patronized by staff and faculty during the day.

Students mainly come to the Grille in the evenings to socialize and play at the pool tables in the middle of the seating area (the Grille is open until 2 am Monday through Friday).

The Grille does offer one unique service — a takeout option that uses campus groups looking to raise funds as the delivery service. The groups sign up for specific times during which they make members available to deliver food from the Grille to locations around campus. There is a two dollar delivery charge for the first $10 in purchases and another dollar for every $5 after that, which the group keeps (along with any tips). It's an innovative way to grab incremental sales on delivery without adding extra labor costs.

The Juice Bar, primarily a place to grab a smoothie or a gourmet coffee or tea, also serves draft beer and wine, making it the closest thing to a campus pub at Middlebury (another alternative is the Bunker, a student-run nightclub with live/recorded music, but that is only open Friday nights).

The only other retail outlet on campus (other than the c-store) is a small coffee bar called the Wilson Café, just inside the main entrance to the library. There, customers can get coffees and other beverages, along with grab and go sandwiches, salads and sweets, to eat at one of the limited number of tables, or to take into the library itself.

Middlebury Dining also manages two small retail operations off campus, at the school's Snow Bowl ski area and at its golf course. These can generate some significant traffic during big events but most of the time they serve as amenities to support the school's activities while breaking even.

Lunching in Tongues

Middlebury College is noted for its language programs. That part of the curriculum has a dining component in the form of Language Tables, daily lunches where beginning and intermediate students can converse over a lunch meal with professors, staff and graduate students fluent in the particular language they are studying. Held in Atwater Dining Commons, where it is the only lunch served, the language table program is catered by the Atwater dining staff. The daily meals are served family style for maximum interaction. During the current semester, there are language tables in a dozen different languages (including American Sign Language), with the number of tables and number of days dedicated to each depending on level of interest and number of willing participants.