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Around the Campus

Pepperdine University Opens ‘Forward-Thinking’ Venue

n March 19, Pepperdine Univer- These concepts included “ZA,” a nator, “We are able to serve vegan and
Osity opened the Oasis Pizzeria and forward-thinking Artisan pizza “house” gluten-free students as we offer a vegan
Noodle Bar for the university community featuring customized Artisan house-made crust, cheese and noodles in addition to
on the Malibu, Calif., campus. Early re- pizza (“ZA”), which Penwell said was a gluten-free crust and noodle options.
ports are that there has been a tremendous “built from a variety of traditional and The Oasis really caters to every student.”
volume of students, faculty, and admin- modern sauces, toppings and flavors, • The “ZA” Concept: “This concept
istrators who are excited about the meal and baked in our oven, which was fabri- allows for all lovers of pizza to create
choices the new venue brings to them. cated in Italy by Morelli Forni,” a lead- their own ‘Artisan ZA’ from a wide range

THE VISION
Characterizing the new dining option
as “forward-thinking,” Randy D. Pen-
well, resident district manager, Sodexo
Campus Services at the university, said
that he had been thinking about “how
and where to install a ‘true’ pizza oven
and a way to incorporate a noodle con-
cept since my arrival to the Pepperdine
campus seven-plus years ago. Over this
time, as we met with the Pepperdine
administration, Student Government and
the student body, we painted a picture of
what the future could look like.”
Penwell said that the vision that he
had included “two fresh made-to-order ing manufacturer of electric and gas
customized concepts inside the footprint, ovens, whose pizza ovens are made
creating an ‘oasis’ from the daily hustle to ensure outstanding performance.
and bustle of academic life in all forms “The company’s shipping time to
to nurture the mind, body, and soul, de- America was a 12-week process,”
veloping and bringing the Pepperdine the district manager added.
community together.” Penwell said the second con-
cept was a noodle bar “featuring
a variety of Asian and worldwide
—Continued from page 4, Pierce noodles, farm fresh toppings and
house-made broths.”
trend setter. Think outside of the box. Be The district manager recalled, “The of freshly-prepared
concerned with your daily operations but more we discussed this vision, the more seasonal ingredients available to us.”
also be a visionary and plan a year ahead.” traction was gained, and we knew these • Operating Hours: “The Oasis will
• “Read everything food-related that ideas were on trend and would meet the be open until 11 p.m., providing late-
you can get your hands on, from the food diversity of the Pepperdine community night healthy dining options for those
section of the Wednesday New York Times by providing two new and distinctly dif- who tend to dine later than others.”
to every trade journal that you can sign ferent types of dining venues with quality • Community Experience: “The proj-
up for. Find a seed of an idea? Tear out and healthy quick-casual foods as the ect provided us an opportunity to create
the page and create a file system that you focus for the typical busy lifestyle of a a greater community experience for our
can draw from when you are in search campus community.” residents on campus within a larger venue
of ideas.” to gather, share ideas and get to know
Significant changes to campus feed- EXCITEMENT each other better.”
ing have been made over the years, and Penwell said that there are four rea-
Pierce said, “All of it has come from sons to be excited by the “Oasis” project: PHASE TWO
meeting and listening to our customers. • Healthy Options: “The Noodle With the pizzeria and noodle bar in
When I look back to my years working Bar is a quick-casual concept serving place, Penwell told On-Campus Hospital-
at the University of Delaware, we had ‘clean’ food, which fits into one of our ity there is a “Phase Two” to the project.
one dining unit on campus that served philosophies of how food should be “The vision is to create a ‘southern
vegetarian. When I arrived at UConn, prepared, that it be from scratch and California laid-back feel’ to the current
you could not find tofu on the salad bar with minimal ingredients. This concept outdoor patio area with soft seating,
… now we are serving roasted crickets provides options for a wide range of market lighting, gas fireplace, market
as a topping for tacos.” dietary requirements meeting nutritional umbrellas and possibly an AV sound
Pierce was nominated for the award and low-caloric options.” system overlooking Point Dume to the
by IFMA member Basic American Foods According to Sarah Dhillon, Sodexo west and Catalina Island to the south of
and foodservice distributor Sysco. Campus Services unit marketing coordi- Malibu Bay.”

6 | MARCH/APRIL 2018 ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY