Summer Conference and Hospitality Operations and Food Services

Summer Conference and Hospitality Operations and Food Services

Did you know we hire several student staff members each summer to assist with conferences, weddings, academic camps?  One of their first comments when they begin working with us is "I had know idea all of this activity happened during the summer."  I expect that is a fairly common comment with staff, faculty and students when it comes to summer food services as well.

How are food services different from May to August compared to September to April?

As an ancillary operation the primary function of our department is to bring business to campus including weddings, banquets, conferences, day meetings, academic camps, etc., all of which require food services while on campus. While board plans are not available during the summer, primarily because the number of students living in residence is very low at this time of year, there are certainly food services operating.

What we offer to our guests:

Conference Dining menus: Available to our groups of 25 people or more, Aramark offers our guests a 7-day rotational menu which offers great variety of hot food items and economical pricing. Dining Halls are reserved per event basis.

Catered menus: These varied menus offer our guests elegant plated and buffet options.  Dining halls are reserved for private use for these events.

Catertrax online menus: these services remain available for internal functions during the summer as well as for our external clients.

How we operate:

All food service for external groups is managed through our department. 

As our client bookings vary in terms of length of stay, the number of people in their group, the time between bookings and facility requirements, the volume of food service business also fluctuates greatly during the summer.

While Gzowski's Robinson Hall has the most frequent group-usage during the summer, the Great Hall is a popular location for weddings and corporate client banquets. Otonabee College and Lady Eaton College Dining Halls are used for groups staying in these colleges or when larger groups require multiple dining halls.

Working with Aramark we can provide food services for groups as large as 1000 people on campus. Some of our past groups have been served using multiple dining halls where for other events we have providing all food outdoors.

Our clients request from our food service much of what our students, staff and faculty do during the rest of the year - sustainable, local, fresh, cultural foods.  An advantage during the summer is that the growing season offers a wider variety of foods which can make it easier to meet these requests.

Food services: consistency, availability, reliability and flexibility are all key aspects which allow us to entice new business and maintain returning clients, business which provides revenue to the University Operating budget. 

For more information on Trent's Conference & Hospitality Services please visit our website: www.meetattrent.com.