Pepperdine University Unveils New Dining and Catering Experiences through Partner Bon Appétit Management Company

Beginning on August 1, 2022, Pepperdine University is excited to unveil a new on-campus dining and catering experience through Bon Appétit Management Company, the University’s new dining services provider. Bon Appétit will usher in a new era of dining with a renewed focus on Pepperdine’s values of fellowship and joy over shared meals. The restaurant company is succeeding Sodexo, which partnered with Pepperdine for more than four decades providing exceptional hospitality services.

"Pepperdine's best partners have historically been those who share in our pursuit of excellence through a values-driven approach to work and community,” says Pepperdine vice president and chief business officer Nicolle Taylor. “Bon Appétit is just that kind of partner, and I couldn't be more excited for the delicious food, commitment to integrity, and exceptional customer service they will bring to our shared life together at Pepperdine."

Since its founding in 1987, Bon Appétit has remained dedicated to providing exceptional food cooked from scratch daily to its clients. The company has become a preeminent on-site restaurant company for universities, corporations, museums, and other specialty venues. Bon Appétit’s chefs and hospitality staff serve in more than 1,000 cafes across 33 states making it one of the leading providers for higher education food service. 

When cofounding Bon Appétit, Fedele Bauccio and Ernie Collins brought an abiding commitment to and value of fresh, healthy, and delicious food to the core of their work. The cofounders also realized that mass-market produce all too often jeapordized flavor, launching Bauccio and Collins into direct conversations with local farmers and subsequently another pillar of Bon Appétit’s food service model—sustainability. In 1999 the company launched its Farm to Fork program, requiring chefs to buy at least 20 percent of their ingredients from farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and food producers within 150 miles of their kitchens. Shortly after Bon Appétit continued to make strides for sustainability, including reducing antibiotic use in farm animals, switching to rBGH-free milk, tackling food’s role in climate change, and upholding farmworkers’ rights. 

Beyond Bon Appétit’s value of sustainability, the restaurant company brings a proven commitment to health and wellness, care for allergies and dietary restrictions, excellent customer service, responsiveness to feedback, and a diverse team-oriented workplace culture to each of its clients, including Pepperdine University. Along with the chefs’ fresh takes on weekly menu options, on the Malibu campus students, faculty, staff, and University guests will be able to discover newly designed cafeteria spaces that elevate Pepperdine’s values of fellowship, togetherness, and joy. 

Overall the new campus dining and catering experiences will have a renewed focus on foundational values—a simple kitchen philosophy focused on cooking from scratch using locally produced, seasonal ingredients; an innovative approach to menu development and a dedication to using whole foods as the foundation of a healthful diet; diverse menu offerings that accommodate a variety of dining restrictions and allergen concerns; and a commitment to sustainability and responsible food sourcing whenever possible—thoughtfully developed by the Bon Appétit team.

To learn more about Bon Appétit and the new offerings, visit the Pepperdine University Dining website.