A new school lunch provider made its way to Riordan, replacing the Epicurean group. The new provider, CulinArt Group, has been serving various foods ranging from hamburgers and fries to Thai chicken noodle bowls.
This food service seems to cater to everyone. Multiple different dishes are served up daily with Chicken tenders, Hamburgers, and pizza always being an option.
Another option provided to us is the “Chef’s Table” which is another bowl served that is unpredictable. It seems to be whatever the chefs want to cook. It follows no theme but it sure is always delicious.
For the more adventurous they provide an “International Bowl” consisting of a different cuisine from different cultures every day. Some examples of international bowls served are chicken curry, tuna poke bowl, and grilled chicken shawarma superfood bowl. Fish, shrimp, and pork have also been incorporated into meals.
The price of the school lunch has stayed relatively the same as last year ranging from $8.75 to $10.95 for more premium items like barbecue beef brisket.
You are probably wondering how the food tastes. Students seem to think that this food service provides better-tasting food than last year. A couple of my peers have mentioned that the school lunch is delicious and flavorful.
I tried the spicy vindaloo curry and it surprised me. The quality of curry was very high and tasted like it had been stewed for hours on end. It seemed as if the curry came straight from a restaurant. Complex flavors resided in the curry with many spices and seasonings incorporated into the mixture, dancing on my tongue.
Benji McClure ’26 said, “I think it tastes better than last year. The food is more enjoyable. I like the variety of added snacks.”
Culinart also brings funds to renovate the kitchen and has introduced the “Riordan Market” which is a convenience store-style stand selling many snacks and drinks including coffee, popcorn, jerky, and candy. Also, adding a juice and slushie bar that serves many flavors such as strawberry dragonfruit and mandarin cardamom.
I asked a Cafeteria worker Justin N. what they have in store for the future and he said “New flavors and new foods will continue to come. I’ve asked for new flavors such as matcha and coffee to be added to the drink menu. A student asked for chicken wings and I asked my chef if they could add it to the menu and they said it was possible.”
Overall, I think that Culinart is doing a great job so far catering to Riordan. The food served by the chefs always feels home-cooked and has a lot of care put into the meal. Students seem to enjoy the slushies and the food with a line forming during lunch to grab a slushie for themselves. It has benefited our school and I can’t wait to see what they provide in the future.
