Many students who eat in the Pentagon and Highland cafeterias are enjoying spicier and tastier food this semester.
Dining Services worked with Tony Chachere’s to develop the new Cajun concept implemented in the cafeteria menus in January, said Aprille Wright, marketing director of Dining Services.
The Creole Concept consists of adding Tony Chachere’s seasoning to a variety of dishes in the cafeterias.
“We surveyed around 200 students last semester to see if students wanted a new Cajun Creole concept and which brand they preferred,” Wright said.
Tony Chachere’s and Zatarain’s were the two brands students could choose from.
The survey showed 96 percent of students wanted to add a new Creole concept and 76 percent preferred Tony’s over other brands, according to a LSU Dining news release.
“We have had nothing but positive feedback from students,” Wright said. “The food tastes very good.”
Tony Chachere’s provided a professional chef who trains the kitchen’s crew, Wright said.
Dining Services plans to keep the new concept around for a while, but may alter the menu depending on feedback from students, Wright said.
“We may alter the menu a little bit in the future if we get feedback from students,” Wright said.
The seasoning is used to spice up existing dishes — seafood gumbo, crawfish etoufee, rice and pasta dishes and vegetables.
So far, there have been no negative responses from students in Pentagon Cafeteria about the new concept, said Ron Steelman, director of Resident Dining.
“Students are eating it very well,” Steelman said. “Everyone seems to be pleased with the change.”
Karen Long, director of Highland Cafeteria, said she agreed the new, spicier dishes are very popular.
“For the most part, students like it,” Long said. “It is a good change from the old way of having fast food-type dishes.”
Students who dine in Pentagon Cafeteria had mixed reactions about the new concept.
Charles Capone, a landscape architecture freshman, did not notice much difference from last semester, but he did have good things to say about what is offered this semester.
“The food there is good,” Capone said. “I pretty much eat everything.”
Brandon Ledgister, a mass communication freshman, agreed that the food is good. Unlike Capone, though, Ledgister said he can taste the new seasoning.
“It’s got a little bit in it,” he said. “It seems a little better than last semester — you can taste the additional seasoning.”
Brandon Kirk, a computer engineering freshman, Amy Schwartz, a psychology freshman, and Stacie Humphries, a biology freshman, all said they did not notice much of a difference from last semester.
“The pasta in the regular line and the pasta in the Tony’s line are not much different,” Kirk said.