In support of the academic mission of the university, the Stanford Food Institute was created by Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) to advance research, education, policy, business, and practice to promote a holistic approach to improving what people eat, how they access food, and the role that food plays in our lives.
To create a wide-reaching platform to inspire and share ideas, and investigate solutions for a better food future
by uniting a community of people who are passionate about delicious, healthy and sustainable food.
The Stanford Food Institute works collaboratively across the university to support food EDUCATION, RESEARCH and FLAVOR & INNOVATION.
Our focus on research and innovation has transformed the Stanford Dining program and we are committed to continuing this journey. It is exciting to think about the new discoveries that lie ahead. We look forward to incorporating them into our work and sharing what we’ve learned with the Stanford community and beyond. The Stanford Food Institute includes collaborators from many disciplines – students, faculty and staff along with producers, chefs and a new generation of entrepreneurs. I am grateful for their contributions; they bring a depth and reach to our work that none of us could have achieved on our own. Together, we are shaping the future of food for the benefit of all humanity."
Senior Associate Vice Provost, Residential & Dining Enterprises
Founder, Stanford Food Institute
Stanford University
R&DE Stanford Dining offers opportunities for students to engage in food education through academic class collaborations with faculty, the R&DE Teaching Kitchen @Stanford cooking classes, food-themed seminars and events, student internships, and partnering on capstone and thesis projects.
R&DE Stanford Dining partners with faculty and students engaged in food systems research - using our dining halls as living laboratories where we bridge applied research with operational innovations - to advance our collective understanding of nutrition, sustainability and human behavior.
The Stanford Flavor Lab is designing taste-focused strategies, delicious food experiences, and exciting new menu items that accelerate culinary innovation and incubate future food solutions for a healthier, more sustainable food system.
January 19-20, 2022
The Menus of Change University Research Collaborative (MCURC) Annual Meeting, hosted by Stanford University, will bring together leaders from our 68 member colleges and universities, ex-officio organizations, research collaborators, and sponsors for two inspiring days of education, collaboration, and innovation that showcase R&DE and MCURC's transformative work to advance healthier, more sustainable diets.
The R&DE Teaching Kitchen @Stanford is inspiring change through food education by providing cooking classes to students, staff, and faculty, and is the culinary training facility for R&DE Stanford Dining.
Click here to learn about upcoming cooking classes and academic courses in partnership with Stanford faculty.
Learn more about food-themed academic courses at Stanford. To collaborate with R&DE Stanford Dining for class assignments, capstone projects or honors theses, complete the R&DE Stanford Dining Student Project Request form or email diningprojects@stanford.edu.
We have developed collaborative partnerships with faculty and researchers interested in advancing nutrition, sustainability and human behavior within and beyond Stanford. Learn more about research projects and faculty collaborations.
R&DE co-founded and co-leads the MCURC, a collaboration of forward-thinking scholars, foodservice leaders, executive chefs, and administrators for colleges and universities who are accelerating efforts to move people toward healthier, more sustainable, and delicious foods using evidence-based research, education, and innovation.
In addition to co-founding and jointly leading the MCURC, Stanford Dining’s history of sustainability-inspired partnerships and collaborations spans its membership in the Google Food Lab, Bay Area Sustainable Sourcing Group, and World Resources Institute’s Better Buying Lab. Building on this history, Stanford Dining has recently joined Drawdown Labs, a consortium of private sector partners working to scale climate solutions.
R&DE Stanford Dining has recently joined REGEN1, a consortium of food system leaders in Northern California supporting farmers who are employing regenerative agriculture principles that improve air, water, and soil quality, enhance biodiversity, and prioritize greater inclusion and equity for all. We look forward to channeling these purchases to especially farmers of color, in alignment with our Black farmers initiative.
The Stanford Flavor Lab is R&DE Stanford Dining's new research and development kitchen. Here we are developing forward-thinking eating experiences and new, exciting menu items, which support R&DE Stanford Dining's culinary, nutrition and sustainable food ethos and values.
R&DE Stanford Dining chefs are central to supporting the academic mission of the university and collaborating on education and research programs through the Stanford Food Institute.
Learn more about R&DE Stanford Dining's chefs and culinary programs.
Senior Associate Vice Provost
Residential & Dining Enterprises
Founder, Stanford Food Institute
Associate Director of Nutrition &
Food Choice Architecture
R&DE Stanford Dining
Associate Director of Culinary Excellence
R&DE Stanford Dining
Research Program Manager
R&DE Stanford Dining
Senior Advisor, Sustainable Food Systems
R&DE Stanford Dining
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Are you a Stanford student, faculty, or researcher interested in working with R&DE Stanford Dining to create a better food future?
Contact us at foodinstitute@stanford.edu!
