Fun food
Sodexo offers spring events
From classy nights in New York City to tuneless karaoke evenings, Sodexo’s events never cease to surprise, and the food giant promised to take things to the next level.
“The goal is to knock everything we’ve done before out of the park,” Ryan Wheeler, the company’s unit marketing specialist, said.
Spring — Sodexo anticipates events. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
On Feb. 10, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Sodexo will be hosting a speed dating event at the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall.
“It was a big hit last time we did it, so we are going to revamp it this year,” Wheeler said, referring to a similar event that took place in 2013.
From 5-7 p.m., men and women will have just three minutes to get to know each other before having to switch partners. The following day, those who manage to beguile a special someone will be notified of their achievement via email.
“We’ve had a very sharp increase in followers this year because we’ve really upped our game with students,” Wheeler said of Sodexo’s “Liberty Dining” Twitter account, which currently has 1,223 followers.
Next on Sodexo’s calendar is the Seafood House at the Tilley Student Center. The event will take place Feb. 19, also from 5-7 p.m. Students wishing to visit the premium seafood station will have to hurry, though — last month’s Stone Steak House, an event that offered premium steak options, sold out within an hour and a half.
“We really want to engage with students and offer things that they don’t see every day,” Wheeler said. “It’s a great way for us to showcase our ability and the things we can do.”
Finally, Feb. 24, from 5:30-7 p.m., Campus Dietitian Kristina DiSanto will lead a cooking demo. This event will focus on healthy foods and will be free for everyone. Sodexo has not yet determined its location.
“Sodexo is a very large but very personal company as well,” Wheeler said. “We don’t make any profit or gain off of these events. We want people to have a great impression of our company.”
Last year’s New York City showcase benefit saw proceeds donated to the Lynchburg Daily Bread, an organization dedicated to feeding homeless people. The Reber-Thomas Dining Hall has won Best Dining Hall for two years in a row now from bestcolleges.com, and Wheeler believes these events are a key part of Sodexo’s success.
Moraes is a news reporter.