Bridges Cafe wins awards for great food and service

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BY Susan Bubak

December 19, 2006

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/bridges team edited.jpg” caption=”The Bridges Cafe Team won the 2006 CCUFSA Shine Award for outstanding dining, hospitality service and teamwork. From left to right, Bridges chef manager Vijay Nair, apprentices Jennifer Girolami, Eric Wood, Chantall McKay and executive chef David Vothknecht. Photo courtesy of Vicky Lee.”]The Bridges Cafe won several awards this year in recognition of its vegetarian cuisine and staff whose commitment to culinary excellence makes the restaurant a popular choice for students, staff and faculty alike.

“I am proud of our department's achievement and am honoured to have the privilege in receiving those awards on behalf of McMaster University Hospitality Services,” said Albert Ng, director of Hospitality Services “The awards must be credited to the management staff and employees who work at the Bridges Cafe, especially to our chef manager Vijay Nair for his belief, creativity, dedication and hard work [and] also to our executive chef David Vothknecht for his leadership.”

Established in 2005, Bridges specializes in vegetarian and vegan cuisine. It's menu includes soy chicken nuggets, soy burgers and vegetarian chili. The restaurant also features a vegetarian deli and pasta bar.

The student-friendly prices range from $1.99 for a side dish to $6.49 for the “Best of Bridges,” a sampler dish that includes samosa, soy chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, salad and chutney.

But the food isn't the restaurant's only secret to success.

“The secret, if any, behind the hospitality success is our vision, listening to our customers, striving to surpass customers' expectations and having a great team of people who believes in meeting challenges, and does everything with passion,” said Ng.

Here's a list of awards won by Bridges this year:

  • In the spring, the 2006 Canadian College & University Food Service Association (CCUFSA) Culinary Professional Development Grant was awarded to head chef Thomas Lashbrook. The grant is “designed to help promote and develop the culinary skills of CCUFSA professionals.”
  • The 2006 CCUFSA Shine Award was given to the Bridges Cafe Team. The award “acknowledges teams who demonstrate outstanding dining, hospitality service and teamwork to reach a major accomplishment, enhance the Food Service business, or improve the quality of life on campus. The team will have gone beyond their regular duties and responsibilities, going the 'extra mile' to meet the needs of the business or campus community.”
  • In the summer, the 2006 National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) Student Employee of the Year was awarded to biology student Mike Rowe, who worked at Bridges. Rowe received a scholarship for “demonstrating excellence as a student employee in a dining services department.”
  • The 2006 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Award (Silver) was awarded to Bridges for Retail Sales–Single Standalone Concept/Outlet for Medium School. Bridges was the only Canadian recipient of this award in 2006.
  • In the fall, McMaster was ranked peta2's Most Vegetarian-Friendly College in Canada thanks to the vegetarian cuisine at Bridges.