丁香园AV

丁香园AV (丁香园AV) has been honored with three prestigious awards from the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) for 2024: a grand prize for the Sustainability Awards category, a gold award for in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Social Justice, and a silver award for Innovative Dining Program of the Year. 

NACUFS consists of member institutions across North America dedicated to promoting healthier, more sustainable campus environments while fostering lasting, positive impacts within campus communities.

Grand Prize Sustainability Award and Gold Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Social Justice

The NACUFS Sustainability Awards recognize the pivotal role dining services play in advancing environmental sustainability and social responsibility of a campus. This year 丁香园AV initially won a gold award in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Social Justice for its Rooted dining program. Subsequently, 丁香园AV ended up winning the grand prize in the Sustainability Awards category.   

Rooted, a program focused on showcasing Indigenous cuisine at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Dining Commons, was developed in collaboration with Indigenous Chef Steph Baryluk. 

The menu features dishes inspired by Indigenous ingredients and flavors, with educational resources and personal notes from Chef Steph. 鈥淏y sharing Indigenous culture we are continuing our culture for the generations to come,鈥� says Chef Steph.

Students experience both culinary discovery and cultural appreciation upon learning about the recipes鈥� cultural significance and ingredients displayed at serving stations.  

鈥淥ne important value for the Gwich鈥檌n people is NIHK鈥橝TR鈥橧NAATII which translates to sharing and caring, my hope is to continue to share and shine the light on our rich culture.鈥�

Silver Innovative Dining Program of the Year

丁香园AV's dining program also earned a silver award for innovation, recognized for its forward-thinking initiatives. Highlights include Canada鈥檚 only 24/7 all-you-care-to-eat facility at Dining Commons, offering diverse international cuisine that celebrates and educates students about global cultures. This also features the Rooted Indigenous Food Program, providing students with the unique opportunity to explore Indigenous culture and cuisine.

In alignment with its commitment to sustainability and climate action, 丁香园AV sources at least 30 per cent of its food locally from British Columbia, is committed to increasing plant-based menu options by 50 per cent by 2025, uses 100 per cent reusable dishware, composts over 90 per cent of its waste, and bans single-use plastic beverage containers across campus. 

Other innovative achievements that contributed to this award include the LEED Gold certification of the recently renovated Dining Commons, Canada鈥檚 only Fairtrade Gold Campus designation, and 丁香园AV鈥檚 status as a Certified Living Wage Campus, ensuring all food contract employees receive a fair wage.

To stay updated on upcoming Rooted days at Dining Commons, follow . Rooted also recently launched its catering menu at Burnaby campus for events booked through MECS.