One thing every student can agree on is that the best place on campus is the cafeteria. It’s a space where students gather with friends they don’t see in class, connecting over tater tots—an MBS favorite—and steaming bowls of mac and cheese. While the cafeteria was under construction for a redesign, students had been getting their lunch from the catering line set up outside (or inside, depending on the weather) at the MSC. While MBS always ensured their provided food met quality standards, starting the school year without a communal eating space was difficult. Thankfully, as of December 1, students now have an even better dining hall to experience, with brand new tables, deli-style service, and even a Crimson Cafe open for business!
These outstanding renovations, both culinary and structural, have not gone unnoticed by the student body. When asked about his experience, SGA President Daniel Raimer ‘26 said, “I enjoy the wide variety of food options and the enhanced ambiance,” while also expressing his appreciation for the dining hall staff. Raimer said, “I truly admire how seamlessly they have transitioned from their outside setup into the new facilities.”
With fresh white lighting and Crimson colored decorations, the dining hall feels like an elevated place on campus, which students will hopefully wish to preserve by cleaning up after themselves and putting away dishes – another new feature of the upgraded dining hall. For seniors such as Quinn Jeffrey, “the Caf feels like a college dining hall, which is great preparation for next year.” The open layout of the Caf and the variety of food options allow students to have more independence in their meal choices, and will make for an easier transition to the often overwhelming dining experience at college.
But if anything feels like an additional luxury of the renovation, it’s the Crimson Café. At what other high school can you order a cappuccino? With students coming to school early without breakfast, and athletes staying late for practice, the Crimson Café ensures that everyone is not only well fed but also happy with their choices of food. In between periods, there is often a line out the door.
In terms of food, Executive Chef Brian Scalfone is excited about the many new options he can provide for students. He loves how the dining now employs chefs who make sandwiches, and how there are more toppings for hot food, allowing students and faculty to customize their meals.
The Crimson Café also offers more variety based on students’ observed preferences. Scalfone described the Cafe’s approach as growing with the needs of the students. He said, “[MBS] doesn’t want [students] to leave the school to go to any other place like Starbucks when we can provide it on campus.”
The renovations also boast some behind the scenes upgrades. Scalfone said, “The quality of food is going to be better because we have brand new ovens and new equipment to improve the quality.” For example, the old juice machines have been replaced with new ones, and the new oven has allowed for more temperature consistency in cooking.
However, any big change takes some adjustment. While the shift from disposable plates to reusable plasticware has reduced waste, the subsequent dishes can be overwhelming. Scalfone said, “trying to train kids not to pile them and leave them places is going to take some time.”
In terms of waste, however, the dining is doing better than ever as it continues to use the “Waste Not” program, which ensures that all the food is used in the most efficient way possible, and any leftovers are donated to homeless shelters.
Overall, the new dining hall and Crimson Café have been nothing short of a major success. Students not only get to enjoy great food, personalized to their liking, but they also get to experience it with their friends, in a beautifully designed facility.
