Catering Waiver Policy
About This Policy
Policy Owner: James Robinson, Director of Auxiliary Services
Responsible Office: Dining Services
Policy Contact: msudiningser@montclair.edu
Montclair State University’s Dining Services oversees the campus dining services programs and is charged with:
- Safeguarding the health and safety of the campus community related to food, beverage and alcohol service on University property.
- Ensuring University compliance with federal, state and local laws, regulations, standards and contractual obligations for food, beverages and alcohol being served on campus.
- Mitigating reputational and other risks associated with food, beverage and alcohol service on campus.
To address these responsibilities, the University has contracted with Gourmet Dining LLC (Gourmet) to provide comprehensive dining program management services for the campus, including provision of catering services for meetings and events. Sourcing the campus’s food and beverage products through a single source like Gourmet, ensures consistent and strict adherence to required health and safety practices for the campus. Gourmet has the tools in place to consistently produce and deliver food and beverage services to the campus that meet all laws, standards and regulations. They also track ingredients (farm to table) and record food handling processes (processing plant, trucking, prep, final cooking and presentation stages). These tracking and reporting tools are vital in situations of suspected food-related outbreaks or illnesses and are used extensively by local and State Health Officials.
DEFINITIONS
Outside Food – Outside Food is defined as any consumable food or beverage product to be served to more than one individual on-campus, which was prepared (ingredients combined, cooked, packaged) and transported to campus by individuals other than Montclair State University’s Dining Services contractor Gourmet Dining, LLC . Individuals are always permitted to bring food/beverages to campus for their own personal consumption.
FOOD AND ALCOHOL SERVICE POLICY
- Gourmet Dining LLC is the University’s contracted dining services program manager. Contractually, Gourmet has the exclusive right to provide catering for food and beverage orders on campus with the following exceptions:
- Orders of less than $500 when taking place in Blanton Hall, Cole Hall, Feliciano School of Business, Freeman Hall, Machuga Heights, Red Hawk Diner, Student Center or University Hall. On the Registered student organization fundraising events and events requiring specific religious preparation restrictions or cultural food culinary expertise and products that Gourmet cannot meet.
- For meetings/events taking place in buildings that do not have dining operations. Dining operations exist in Blanton Hall, Cole Hall, Feliciano College of Business, Freeman Hall, Machuga Hall, Red Hawk Diner, Sprague Library, Student Center, University Hall and campus grounds.
- Registered student organization fundraising and religious/cultural food events with special requirements the Gourmet cannot meet.
- Food trucks and pop-up concessions for Athletic and University special events, authorized by Dining Services.
- Presidential Events.
- Under the exceptions listed above, campus departments and registered student organizations that plan to serve outside food on campus assume responsibility for introducing risk to individuals consuming food/beverages obtained under their direction and for ensuring products served have been properly cleaned, prepared, cooked, stored, served and disposed of in accordance with Health Code and food safety standards. Event hosts obtaining outside food further agree to abide by food safety practices. Violations will be incumbent on the campus department or registered student organization sponsoring the event.
- Under the exceptions listed above, campus departments and registered student organizations that plan to serve outside food on campus must follow the Food Waiver procedure and obtain approval to serve “outside food” from sources other than Gourmet prior to the event.
- Gourmet holds and manages the University’s liquor license and has the exclusive right to provide alcohol service throughout campus. Events with alcohol must be approved at least four weeks in advance of the event and all alcohol must be purchased and served by Gourmet via the Catering Office.
- Montclair State University is a Coca-Cola branded campus, which means that all beverages present at any sanctioned, on-campus, catered event are required to be from the Coca-Cola family of products.
- If approved, in no instance shall granting of a food waiver excuse organizers from the prep and clean-up before and after the event.
- University equipment and kitchen facilities are not available for use in support of food waiver events.