Commons Gets Creative: New Craft and Create Station

By Annie Renz

Roche Dining Commons made some creative updates to their dining options over the summer. If you’ve been to the Commons this semester, you’ve likely seen the new countertop that replaced the old salad station in the middle of Commons. 

That countertop is home to Craft and Create, a Gigis-esque, build-your-own-bowl style station.

Starting Monday, September 14, students can enjoy their own creations during dinner hours Monday through Friday.

The other new change to Commons, the smoothie station, has been open since students returned to campus. Craft and Create took a couple weeks longer to open as the cooking countertop shipment had not come in before the semester started. 

Campus Dining General Manager Jeremy Weaver said they hope to roll out breakfast at Craft and Create sometime during the week of September 21. 

The Craft and Create section has eight heating stations, one of which is ADA. Weaver said the ADA unit will be completed in about two weeks as they wait for a separate countertop in a different color for that station. 

The cooktop at each station is an induction burner, meaning heat will be powered through electricity rather than an open flame. 

Weaver said the concept of Craft and Create is basically a build-your-own-bowl style station. Students will come to this station and select the ingredients they want for their bowl, ranging from different meats to pastas and rice to veggies and sauces. 

“Basically, what you’re doing is bringing everything to temperature. You’re not cooking 100% from scratch,” said Weaver. “You’re not going to be cooking raw meat. It’s a heat up thing; it’s more about customizing.” 

Weaver said there will be a selection of meat from beef and chicken to Italian nights with pepperoni and Italian sausage. Students will get the choice of making their pasta how they like it, or there will be rice every day at the station. 

Customization is the driving factor for Craft and Create. Mixing white and red pasta sauces, pesto or alfredo, or even soy and sweet chili sauce will all be available for students to mix into their bowls. 

If you’re not sure how the cooktop works, Weaver said attendants will be available around the station to help. 

“With everything, there will be some engagement here, telling you how to start it, you know, always start with oil first. Let it start to heat up, build your bowl, add your veggies,” he said. 

Weaver said he hopes this station will bridge the gap for students who are more selective with their dining preferences. 

“Maybe you like pasta, but you don’t like red sauce and pasta. Maybe you want some vegetables,” he said. “We understand that people have diverse tasting that are used to a certain way.”

Because this station has pre-cooked meat ready to go and is more about heating and mixing, Weaver said he anticipates students to need a maximum of five minutes at the cooktop. 

Weaver said the Craft and Create station is gluten-free and will have something for everyone. The selection of food choices offered at the station will be rotated week to week. 

Bus tubs will be under each station to change cookware after each student. Weaver said the station’s attendants will be wiping down cooktops and replacing cookware after each person leaves their station. 

Weaver said he hopes the addition of Craft and Create and the smoothie bar will increase engagement at Commons and excite future Skyhawks on tours. 

“Other schools are doing it, so to keep Stonehill on trend, and what other incoming freshmen might be seeing at other colleges on tours, you know,” said Weaver. “We have smoothies and [Craft and Create] together right now. Other schools might not have smoothies, or smoothies might only be in their athletic building.”

Weaver said he encourages students to check out the monthly calendar next to the smoothie bar at Commons because they will be rolling out different pop-ups and programming throughout each month. Students can expect a caramel apple bar, crispy chicken wraps, and a local partnerships day throughout the month of September. 

Weaver said they are constantly looking at feedback through emails and comment cards, but he also said students should come to the student dining committee meetings that meet biweekly. He said the meetings are open to everyone regardless of whether you are on the committee. 

“We’ll definitely be taking feedback from this of ‘What can be better?’ and ‘What would you like to see?’” he said.