News

Chef Ilana Cahill Introduces the Spring 2026 Residential Dining Menu

Campus Dining has been busy. For the past several months, the leadership team, led by its four executive chefs, has been hard at work crafting a brand-new residential dining menu, set to launch in Spring 2026 at all six dining centers (Brockway, Ernie Davis, Shaw, Sadler, Orange, and Graham).

Chef Cahill and the culinary team began by listening to student feedback. They paid attention to what students have told them they want to eat, and they have worked hard to make sure that the latest culinary trends will be represented on the line at each meal.

We chatted with her about the process of putting the menu together and what students can expect when they return this spring:

What did you hear from students that helped you craft this menu?

Students asked for more variety, more authenticity, and more opportunities to explore new foods.

Previously, we offered four hot buffet styles (i.e., Indian food, Middle Eastern food), each with just one menu per week, four total menus. That led to a lot of repetition.

For spring, we’ve doubled the styles to eight, and each concept now features three distinct menus. That brings us to 24 unique menus rotating throughout the semester, six times the variety we’ve offered in the past. These concepts celebrate flavors from around the world and the comfort foods students are looking for: Thai favorites, an Italian fest, Mexican-style street food, pho or ramen bar, and American pub classics are just a taste of what they’ll find offered at dining centers. My goal is to give students more reasons every week to say, “I have to try that!”

We hear from students who are concerned about starting their day with a really well-balanced, healthy meal. What improvements should students expect at breakfast?

Breakfast and brunch are also stepping into the spotlight. I heard students loud and clear; they wanted more excitement in the morning. So, we’ve added creative new options, including dim sum every weekend!

Students can look for a featured item every day at breakfast and brunch, but that’s on top of the classic breakfast staples, including breakfast meats, eggs, and home fries. I don’t think we’ve ever launched anything as popular as the acai bowls – so those are definitely staying!

There are made-to-order omelets at many locations, along with the make-your-own waffles stations. And of course, students can still build avocado toast every day at the cold bar.

How about students with special diets and/or dietary restrictions? What enhancements should they keep an eye out for?

In a nutshell: lots more variety. The vegan station is now on a complete four-week rotating menu – students should especially look for new menu items at breakfast. And we’ve expanded the options; we want to make sure our students choosing vegan options can get a complete meal right at that station.

For students, faculty, and staff stopping in for lunch at the dining centers between classes – what’s new there?

At lunch, our main line will focus on global comfort foods, including a lot of options to build your own sandwich or bowl. For example, we’ll offer options to build your own salmon bowl, build your own po boys, or a New Orleans-style grits bowl. Our goal is to focus on nutritionally dense foods.

For lunches in select locations, students will be able to build their own pasta bowl every day. The stir fry menu has expanded to include Thai and Filipino options. And we’ll be rolling out new proteins for La Najarna – including beef barbacoa, back by popular demand.

What were your guiding principles as you were planning and writing the menu? What do you hope students try in the spring?

This menu has a strong foundation in wellness. Every recipe has been thoughtfully developed to provide nutritionally dense, diverse options that make fueling their bodies easier and more intuitive for students with busy schedules and full academic lives.

Most of all, I hope this menu sparks curiosity. I want students to feel encouraged to try foods they’ve never experienced before and to find new favorites. Food connects us, and this spring, I’m excited to help bring our campus together through bold, authentic flavors and a spirit of discovery.

Chef Jeff Dover Has Built a Team to Transform the Athletic Dining Program

Over the past two years, the University’s athletic dining program has undergone a remarkable transformation under the leadership of chef Jeff Dover, who has worked to establish a standard of nutritional excellence for the Division I student-athletes.

The program was rolled out in stages, expanding alongside the construction at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. The Fallon Family Dining Center in the complex’s Football Performance Center first opened in the spring 2025 semester for use by the football team. In the fall semester, the OneTeam Dining Center opened, effectively doubling the size of the dining program. Dover and his team now serve hundreds of student-athletes every week.

Read the full story at Syracuse University News.

Six Questions with Carrie Frobe, the New Director of Campus Dining

In September, Carrie Frobe was named Interim Director of Campus Dining. Frobe was previously the Associate Director of Retail Dining, a role she had held since beginning her tenure at Syracuse University in October 2024. In that position, she managed all retail dining locations on campus, including campus cafes, convenience stores, and the food courts at Schine and Goldstein Student Centers.

She is excited to bring new ideas to the massive dining program at Syracuse, and she is also aware that she has her work cut out for her – she talks to students and parents on a regular basis and makes a point to hear their concerns.

Read more at the Syracuse University Parent Portal.

Carrie Frobe Named Interim Director of Campus Dining

Syracuse University Campus Dining has named Carrie Frobe as the Interim Director of Campus Dining. Frobe was previously the Associate Director of Retail Dining, a role she had held since beginning her tenure at Syracuse University in October 2024. In that position, she managed all retail dining locations on campus, including campus cafes, convenience stores, and the food courts at Schine and Goldstein Student Centers.

In her new role, Frobe will oversee both retail and residential dining on campus and work closely with Campus Dining culinary and management teams to continue to provide convenient, nutritious, and delicious food to the Syracuse University community. She will report directly to Cheryl Fabrizi, Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services.

According to Frobe, her leadership style will be characterized by boots-on-the-ground listening and learning from students. She’ll be a frequent visitor to dining centers, and wants to hear from students – what they like, what they don’t like, what they want to see more of, etc. She’ll take that feedback and work with Corporate Executive Chef Richard Leonardo, Assistant Director of Nutrition Management Ashley Leone, and Associate Director of Residential Dining Kevin Stillman to ensure that the dining options on campus match current culinary trends, offer students variety, and meet the nutritional needs of the campus community.

Prior to her time at Syracuse, Frobe held leadership roles in campus dining at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University. She has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and food service industry.