Kennesaw State University Among Nation’s 'Best College Dining Halls'

BestColleges.com has ranked Kennesaw State University’s The Commons Student Dining Hall among the nation’s best.

“Debunking the common perceptions of cafeterias in general, the colleges on this list are being recognized for going the extra mile to provide nutrient-rich and delicious food to all their students regardless of their diet,” states the website of BestColleges.com, an online resource for prospective college students. 

“The lunch lady in the kitchen stirring the mystery soup has been replaced at many colleges by an executive chef and well-trained kitchen staff, whose job each day is to create culinary masterpieces sure to delight any college student’s stomach.”

Such is the case at Kennesaw State’s The Commons, where nothing is cooked in advance. The Commons makes all soups from scratch, smokes its own meats and fish, makes its own pickles, and makes all breads in house, including sliced white and wheat breads.

“Just as students look at academic offerings when choosing a college or university, they are also looking at dining hall operations, in a way they didn’t before,” said Gary Coltek, director of Culinary and Hospitality Services, in a press release. 

In its ranking, BestColleges.com noted Kennesaw State grows its own hydroponic lettuce, herbs and shiitake mushrooms, and 20 percent of the produce used in The Commons is grown on campus. 

Kennesaw State was the only public institution in Georgia to make the BestCollege.com rankings.

by Kennesaw State University