Several students who glanced at the menu did a double-take at the sight of this notice. They wondered what they could cook, how they would cook it, and if it would taste any good. Now that the stir-fry station is here, all these questions have been answered, and a long line awaits any student who is eager to cook their own stir-fry meal.
Besides the stir-fry station, a fresh lineup of dining choices includes brand new panini grills and the option to use the waffle makers at all three meals. After listening to student suggestions, Director of Dining Services Charlie Thompson decided to add these selections in his quest to make meals more exciting. He said that many commented in the past that, “It would be nice to have waffles more often than just at breakfast!” Thompson added, “We’ve wanted to do stir-fry for a while, because a lot of students seemed to want to get involved in preparing their own food. The nice thing about it is that it caters to each individual’s likes and dislikes. I think the stir-fry has been very well received.”
However, the logistics behind a stir-fry station were not simple. Thompson had to deal with several Board of Health and Safety inquiries. “We asked ourselves, ‘Is this doable? Can we do this in the dining area?’”
Once Thompson fit the new set-up into the only open space available, he was forced to wait for a flameless induction burner to go on the market, because it was the only type of cooking equipment that was approved for such a station by the Board of Health and Safety. There are also strict rules that Dining Services must abide by: the stir-fry pans must be washed after each individual use and oil or PAM cannot be used so as to minimize the risk of fires.
Despite all of the hard work that Thompson has put into the stir-fry station, he’s already looking for improvements he might make to it in the future. “Eventually, we want to provide the actual food at the stir-fry station, so that students can do everything in one place. But we have a limited amount of space and it will be hard to choose a selection of food that will satisfy everyone.”
Steve Grigelevich ’10, a vegetarian, said that he’s never had a problem finding food at Valentine to suit his diet, but he welcomes the new stir-fry option as another satisfying alternative. “When the stir-fry station first opened, I was on a breakfast, lunch and dinner stir-fry kick for about a week,” he noted. “I’ve toned down a little since, but I still really like it. It’s prompted me to use more of the raw vegetables, some of which I had previously never used before in meals.”
The do-it-yourself aspect of the stir-fry has certainly appealed to many students. It’s easy enough that one does not have to work too hard to cook, and yet it allows for enough creativity that anyone can transform everyday dining hall food into a new dish. Cate Knuff ’10 eagerly concocts her own creations using the stir-fry. Her favorite invention is not your typical stir-fry fare; she likes to take pasta, tomato sauce and mushrooms and heat it all up together. “Just eating the spaghetti hot off the pan makes the meal taste that much better,” Knuff explained. She plans to experiment further with other recipes in the future.
Grigelevich was also happy to share his “perfect” stir-fry technique: “Put in tofu cubes, onions and shredded carrots with curry. Wait a minute, then add some cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach leaves. Add the Korean teriyaki sauce and rice at the end. Yeah, that’s it right there.”
Now that the installation of the stir-fry station is complete, what’s next for Valentine? “We’re continually assessing the program and looking to improve it.” In line with the college’s increasing all-around sustainability efforts, he is currently working on a food waste composting program with physical plant and the Five College recycling program, which is sure to be lauded by any environmentally-conscious student.