Last week’s Rose Cafe featured Hans Butler, the chef at Rose House. Since the talk was less populated than usual, probably as a result of fall break, it was a great opportunity to have a really open discussion. I really enjoyed hearing from Hans about his vision for Rose house, and learning about the work that goes on behind the scenes at Rose House Dining. I’ve always enjoyed dinners at Rose, and eat there almost exclusively, but I had no idea the lengths Hans goes to to ensure that we are getting fresh, quality meals. It was also interesting to hear how Hans’ work at Rose goes beyond just producing great food. Hans talked about how he likes to cook Middle Eastern and South American food at Rose because it is underrepresented on campus, which I think is an excellent and perhaps underrated way to promote diversity/inclusivity on campus.

Hans also described one program that was particularly impressive, which allows Rose House Dining to get fresh seafood from fisherman located in Boston. I have always enjoyed the quantity of seafood that is available at Rose, and so I love to hear that the program which brings in the product is committed to both freshness and sustainability. Overall, I am very impressed with Rose Dining and it is a part of my experience on campus at Cornell for which I am very grateful.