Vision Statement:

Our vision is to provide a convenient and nutritious dining program that will be raved about by our residents.  Dining at The Collegian strives to:

• Provide residents food options they can be excited about at each meal.

• Be recognized for use of high quality products; healthy and innovative menus;

• Offer convenience; variety; and cleanliness;

• Afford a friendly, social experience for residents;

• Encourage a caring, respectful environment among residents, guests, and staff.

• Be recognized as the best meal plan available to University of Oregon students.

Mission Statement

The mission of The Collegian’s food service is to enable residents to thrive in their academic and athletic pursuits and encourage healthy, lifelong eating habits by providing:

Balanced Nutrition

• All meals are extensively planned and well prepared using wholesome ingredients to deliver delicious, appetizing, highly nutritious foods. We focus on preparing foods “from scratch.” We minimize canned and frozen goods and seek to eliminate processed foods, trans fats, refined sugar, and excess salt.

• Our motto, “if it isn’t good for you, we probably won’t serve it.” However, we realize that as humans, we all have our weaknesses and that occasionally indulgences are needed.

Convenience

• Dinner late plates are available nightly to make sure residents get fed even when they can’t make it at dinner time.

• Healthy snacks and leftovers in The Collegian’s café which is nearly always open.

• “Take-out” foods and containers for residents who are unable to return home during meal hours.

• A kitchen staff that goes the extra mile to ensure residents get what they need.

Education

• Kitchen management with the expertise and desire to help residents understand and make good diet choices that better their health now and in the future.

Meet the Chef

We are extremely pleased to have Michael Zito as our Head Chef at The Collegian!

Michael’s has been actively building his culinary career over the past 20+ years, and has worked in some amazing restaurants along the way, including:

• French-inspired, Marche Restaurant in Eugene, OR as a Line Cook,

• Belly, a “European Farmhouse” restaurant in Eugene, OR as a Sous Chef,

• 25 Lusk, in San Francisco, CA, featuring “California Cuisine w/ influences from around the world” as an Executive Sous Chef,

• ABR Properties as Chef de Cuisine of Gitane Restaurant and later Executive Chef of Cafe Claude, both in San Francisco, CA,

• Ozumo Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, CA as the Executive Chef,

• Mame Japanese Restaurant (now Akira) as Chef de Cuisine in Eugene, OR, and most recently,

• Uki Uki Sushi & Tiki Lounge as Executive Chef and Owner in Eugene, OR.

Message from Chef Zito:

I’ve worked in kitchens professionally since I was 16 years old and have always been interested in food. Years spent cooking in San Francisco, trial and error, tasting, and research, have continually improved my end results and changed my approach. Good ingredients are the first step to making good food and Eugene has an abundance of amazing produce and products. Making people happy with food is something that reaches across cultures and spans continents. I’m excited to continue to learn and grow as The Collegian’s Head Chef this year.