UVA Football has had a great deal of coverage this Fall. While the team is climbing up the ladder of rankings, students and Cavaliers alike show their support – more than ever. Through flooding (literally) seats way after halftime to hosting watch parties for away games, fans are holding hope onto Virginia stepping towards the “football school” status after each victory. Nearly every weekend at Scott Stadium, Hoos pack the parking lot with tailgates, excited for what the game holds. And in a special area of the stadium – The President’s Box – select guests have an elevated experience, including a fine selection of foods.
Upon entering the private suite, guests with an eligible ticket are given lanyards with their name and the game details on that specific day. The suite is a long hallway, with entrances to shaded seat sections outside. While walking along the hallway, staff put out baskets of chips, candy, cookies and brownies on tables, where watchers in the outside area can grab snacks. At each end of the hall, there are two bars and identical buffets.
At one end of the table, there are a vast amount of hot sides, including roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash, cheesy scalloped potatoes, and chicken medallions marinated in tarragon and mustard cream sauce. In the middle, there are elegantly embellished spreads, emphasizing the focus on presentation for these dishes. One board is for fruit, where blueberries, melons, grapes, and pineapples are placed into shapes of flowers and spirals, accompanied by a sweet yogurt dipping sauce. Placed next to the fruit is a charcuterie board with over five types of cheese, sweet flavored nuts, dried fruits, jars of honey and preserves, and an assortment of crackers. The last board had sliced raw vegetables. Bell peppers, carrots, and cucumbers sit on a bed of lettuce, perfect sizes for holding and covering them in the French onion dip next to the spread. On the lighter side, a bowl of mixed greens was available, with walnuts and honey mustard dressing on the side for watchers to assemble a simple salad.
The main course of the night was smoked salmon. A fillet was laid out on a wooden cutting board, kept warm by a lamp on the side. Chefs would slice a piece of the fillet and place it on a guest’s plate, where they could drizzle in three different sauces: maple dijon cream, lemon caper dill, and an “experimental” blueberry balsamic compote.
The box had a very welcoming, pleasant atmosphere. The staff were incredibly helpful and open to converse with guests. Volunteers in the UVA dining department helped serve food for the entire game – making the dining experience similar to an unlimited buffet.
“The best part of my job is definitely the people. I get to talk with so many new and old faces at games. And it’s also wonderful to get to hear students’ perspectives on the overall UVA dining experience,” said Matt McDonald, the food service director who oversees all dining halls on grounds.
Many of the volunteers, including McDonald, are fairly new employees who already have a heavy background in food and hospitality. Another volunteer, Rahma Rekik, also recently joined the UVA dining team. She studied nutrition sciences at Cornell and had a dietetic internship at UVA before being fully employed there. Her favorite part of her job was similar to McDonald’s, being “interacting with students.”
“We are focusing on a few key concepts for the dining experience – including the dietary restrictions and the community,” said John Papa, Director of Operations for UVA Dining Services. “Dining halls on grounds are installing stations that cater to those with dietary needs, such as Halal Street Eats at Newcomb and the allergen stations. It’s always fun for the students to come in for special events, where they can try experimental recipes.”
The dining team also added some twists to their selection of classy dishes in the box. Beside the main table was a tail-gate themed stand, adorned with chicken wings, hot dogs, nuggets, and lots of ketchup and mustard. A popcorn machine was placed rear the stand, with servings packed into traditional red-striped boxes. “We make it fun for the kids here by still adding the ‘traditional football experience’ into the menu,” said Papa. “There are also dishes that match the theme of the current game going on.” At the game against Washington State, the dessert stand had cupcakes with paw prints that resembled WSU’s mascot, a cougar. There were also tarts filled with Rainier cherries, a cultivar developed at Washington State. “Traveling fans of the opposing team love the attention to these customized dishes, it makes them feel like they’re at home.”
“We are a new team, but working really hard to improve the dining here,” remarked Papa. Looking at UVA dining as a whole, it is rapidly changing to make the best experience possible for football fans, visitors, and students alike. The team behind it is eager to introduce new and improved recipes provided at all dining areas, making sure to accommodate those with dietary restrictions. With a team eager to hear fresh perspectives, dining continues to evolve.
“The dining here has truly elevated to a transcending experience,” says President Box employee Matt Weber, on a closing note.
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