The University of California, Davis, has opened a $34 million residential dining facility that has an international focus.
The university says the facility, called Latitude, is a 500-seat dining commons with a separate retail café serving food to go. It serves students on meal plans, but is also open to the general public.
Latitude provides culinary diversity for a campus community from many backgrounds, including students from 113 countries.The chefs try to keep recipes as authentic as possible, says Kraig Brady, director of Hospitality and Dining Services.
“We wanted to bring a sense of comfort for those from abroad and challenge those who haven’t been abroad,” he says.
The eatery has four platforms, dividing food into regions: Latin America, Asia, Europe and India and the Middle East. It offers more than 300 recipes specially developed by the executive chef and showcases ingredients from the campus’s Student Farm, local suppliers, alumni and elsewhere
The two-story building, adjacent to a residence hall area and busy academic buildings, is the fourth major dining commons on the UC Davis campus.
