The Commons, Commons Market and Commons Express — located on the upper level of the Stevens Student Center at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio — feature multiple menu options in a spacious setting with beautiful views of Cedar Lake. While previous updates included additional food stations, aesthetic upgrades and changing menu options, this latest project represents the first complete renovation of this dining facility since it opened in 2000.

Photos by Jarrin StudioIn the interim, retail operations such as Chick-fil-A, Tossed, Panda Express and The Cafe, were added to the campus, which made the basic dining hall pale in comparison. “The university was looking for a fresh look to modernize the dining hall so it would be a premier dining site to complement new retail operations on campus,” says Christopher Collins, AIA, NCARB, managing principal, Nvironment, in Delaware, Ohio.

The most challenging part of the project was the allotted time frame to complete it. “Other than a sub-phase that started in the mezzanine about a month before the rest of the project, we had 90 days in the summer to convert everything from the ceiling tiles to the flooring,” says Rodney Johnson, Cedarville University’s associate vice president for operations.

Johnson admits the renovation should have been done earlier because the dining hall was falling so far behind in its decor and style of service. “Continuous menu improvements had been made, as well, but the students couldn’t see the culinary activity and didn’t have such extensive choices as they do now. The changes are worth the wait,” Johnson says.

A completely refurbished main-floor seating area offers a focal point for the space with a ceiling element made of a silicone-coated, continuous filament insulation material. Seating areas now include high and low tables, two- and four-person tables and community tables to accommodate larger groups as well as smaller groups and individual diners. Finishes, textures and colors provide a classic, timeless ambience. “We lost 180 seats from the main level,” Johonson says. “We have a record enrollment, but before the renovation, on the main level, existing tables had been ganged together in uninviting long rows, so a reduction in seating was needed to meet design objectives.” The main level contains 763 seats while the mezzanine contains 263 seats.

The refurbishment of the mezzanine level added 38 seats. “This maximized usage of the mezzanine space,” explains Steven Richmond, director of corporate and culinary programs, Pioneer College Caterers, Olathe, Kan.

The mezzanine now also contains a large fireplace along with varied seating experiences and a slightly cozier atmosphere for those students seeking a bit more seclusion or a quieter space. “The gas fireplace has sealed combustion so people can touch the glass but not the soot that comes from the burning gas,” Johnson says.

Deliveries and Back of the House

After staff receive deliveries at a loading dock, they place them in a walk-in cooler, walk-in freezer and dry storage. Staff prepare mise en place and cold ingredients for hot food preparation. They use a food cutter, automatic slicer and 20-quart mixer. They prepare vegetables in a steam-jacketed kettle and convection steamer. They use 15-gallon and 40-gallon tilting braising pans for sauces, soups, starches and braised entree menu items.

On the hot line, staff use a 36-inch, 6-burner range with a standard oven for small-batch sauces, roasted vegetables and meats, baked potatoes and house-made casseroles, a 3-compartment fryer for french fries, chicken tenders and country fried steaks and a 48-inch countertop charbroiler for proteins. They also use the combi oven for proteins, as well as breads and pastries. A smoker attachment offers the culinary staff even more versatility with menu preparation. Staff also use the combi oven to proof dough for pastries and cakes before baking them in the Bake Shoppe convection ovens. Reach-in hot-holding cabinets keep menu items warm before they are moved to the front-of-the-house stations before service.

The dish room contains a rack conveyor dishwasher and a flight-type dishwasher. Attached to the dish room is a rotary accumulator. “The upgrade from a belt conveyor to an accumulator has almost eliminated the line that formed several times a meal period with students trying to drop dishes on their way out,” Collins says. 

Floor Plan

Front of the House

In the front of the house, quartz counters and ceramic mosaic tiles make it easier for staff to clean the servery. Oval-shaped, suspended gypsum soffits break up the space. Columns wrapped in wood contribute to the timeless ambience. Plate shelves on the serving lines allow staff to present the serviceware needed for specific meal periods and backstock enough for other times. Staff can adjust food shields for assisted service and self-service.

The Grille and Self Cook add culinary arts theater to the operation.Throughout the space, touches of blue and yellow, the university’s colors, evoke reminders of school spirit. “A little goes a long way,” Collins says. “Only small 12-inch screens identify stations and menu items. We didn’t want massive electronic screens because we want students to have relationships with servers. Students can find nutritional information on their phones.”

The servery houses 12 culinary concepts, and the renovation improved the customer experience and how guests flow through the servery.

For the first time at this location, much of the routine back-of-the-house kitchen prep equipment now occurs in the front of the house. One such example is Bake Shoppe. “The Bake Shoppe was brought out front and center in a theater-style space not only to showcase the fresh baked goods but help bring the wonderful aromas of fresh baked goods into the dining hall,” Johnson says.

Peering through a glass window at this station, students can see staff using a convection oven to bake assorted cakes, cookies, pastries and pies. Students can also see staff using a 60-quart mixer to make dough. 

At breakfast, students find muffins, pastries, breads, donut holes, yogurt and granola available at Bake Shoppe. They can order waffles here as well. The station also features an ice cream bar containing 12 tubs of scoop ice cream and a soft-serve ice cream machine. Students can add toppings to the ice cream.

Unlike in the previous layout, the Allergen Aware station now sits separate from the greater kitchen and includes a dedicated prep area along with a dedicated hood. All of the utensils and plates used at this station are kept separate from the others to avoid contamination from any allergens. At this station, staff prepare burgers on a charbroiler, pasta and sauces on a 6-burner range and a variety of allergen-friendly and gluten-free menu items in the fryer.

Students prepare omelets and other menu items on induction burners, a flattop grill and a panini press at the Self Cook station. “Windows were added to Allergen Aware to create a theater-style prep/cook area, providing dining hall guests the opportunity to see the fresh preparation of their allergen-friendly meals,” Johnson says. “We always had the Allergen Aware concept, but it was in the back of the house.”

At Self Cook students prepare omelets, pasta and sauces, and proteins, vegetables and rice on induction burners, a flattop griddle and panini press. “There is often a line because students like to cook for themselves,” Johnson says. “The side-by-side area supports efficiency because this is a very busy station. Staff oversees the station to be sure everything goes well.”

Staff at The Grille prepare burgers and hot dogs on a flame grill. They also grill chicken for sandwiches and use fryers for cooking french fries.

Garden Bites, a veggie bar, contains serving equipment for foods including vegetarian lasagna, cheeses, sliced jalapenos, diced onions, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, cheese sauce and soups such as curried sweet potato. 

The Home Cooking station displays menu items, which are prepared in the back of the house, in drop-in pans. At breakfast students find three-cheese omelets, potatoes, sausage patties and pancakes. At lunch they select pastas and sauces along with garlic bread. At dinner they find options including fried chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, potato wedges and succotash.

Power Bar offers baked chicken, mixed vegetables, rice, tossed salad and beef lo mein. “This station is designed to offer high-protein foods,” Johnson says.

The mezzanine level’s fireplace attracts guests who want a quieter, warmer environment to eat and socialize.At Subzone, staff put together guests’ choices of sub-style sandwiches on rolls or tortillas with ingredients such as oven-roasted turkey, honey-baked ham, roast beef, meatballs, salami, cheeses and a variety of toppings. Staff assemble orders on a table with ingredient wells and then can warm sandwiches in a ventless panini press oven.

At Habaneros students see a display of menu items such as shredded chicken, beef, nacho cheese sauce, queso blanco, white and brown rice, black beans and pinto beans. To prepare food items for Habaneros, staff use combi ovens to cook rice and beans, cheese sauces and quesos. Also to improve efficiency, staff use custom spice blends formulated by an outside company.

“Habaneros is our most popular station which is our version of Chipotle,” says Monte Veatch, foodservice director, Pioneer College Caterers. “To offset long lines we added a second Habaneros station so we now have identical stations side by side. We use the tilt skillets to make all of our meats for the Habanero station.” 

At Soup and Salad, students help themselves to lettuces, dressings and soups such as chicken noodle. Students see fresh ingredients in glass-door refrigerators.

Breakfast All Day includes gluten-free and dairy-free options.

Students find breads, bagels, cereals and a make-your-own Belgian waffle area at Breakfast All Day. “Batter is premixed so students can pour onto waffle irons or onto a griddle for pancakes,” Johnson says. Students find gluten-free menu items as well as regular menu items. A conveyor toaster and regular toaster heat bread. They can also find soy milk, almond milk and dairy-free options in an undercounter refrigerator.

At Italian station, guests watch staff place pizza ingredients such as pepperoni, cheese, veggies and marinara sauce on the dough and watch the pies bake in a showpiece deck pizza oven with a gas flame. Staff also cook Italian dishes such as rigatoni and alfredo in the oven. The pizza oven stands out with the university’s mascot positioned on a bright yellow board above the oven. Counter seating allows students and guests to see the culinary action up close.

Guests can see into the bakery and watch the culinary team prepare baked goods. The transparency supports promoting fresh production.“This station was designed to be sectioned off from the rest of the dining hall,” Richmond says. “It also serves as a stand-alone pizza restaurant for a late-night meal option, which helps drive efficiency into the operation.” Students can also order a Caesar salad here.

The design intentionally keeps the Italian and The Grille stations, which are two of the more popular dining options, apart from one another to ease congestion. 

During late-night hours, guests find tacos and other Mexican menu items from the main kitchen and pizza from Italian station at Commons Express.

Commons Market contains convenience store items. It also includes the grab-and-go program, Commons Express, featuring a mobile order pickup for the ghost kitchen taco concept. Students can order tacos, nachos, burritos and quesadillas. 

Since its opening, Commons is receiving positive reviews. “We’re absolutely pleased with the new dining hall,” Johnson says. “It is a completely different place.”

As the project team enjoys the results of its efforts, Johnson advises others embarking on an ambitious design to “have a good idea what you want to accomplish. Make sure you get administrative leaders to buy into the concept from the beginning. Show them drawings and renderings. We had to go through about 30 iterations because we had a massive committee involved in approving the project. So be patient and thorough.” 

At Garden Bites, Home Cooking and Power Bar flexible food shields allow staff to serve guests or guests to serve themselves when appropriate.

About the Project

• Opened: August 2025
• Scope of project: Complete renovation of The Commons with student-facing platforms; Commons Market with mobile order pickup for grab-and-go; and Commons Express for a late-night option
• Website: cedarville.edu
• Size: 26,767 sq. ft.
• Seats: 1,026, including 763 seats on the main level and 263 seats
  on the mezzanine
• Daily Transactions: 4,100
• Menu Concepts
  • The Commons: All-you-care-to-eat concepts include Bake Shoppe, Self Cook, The Grille, Allergen Aware, Garden Bites, Home Cooking, Power Bar, Subzone, Habaneros, Soup and Salad, Breakfast All Day, Italian. 
  • Commons Market: Convenience store items and Grab+Go Market, part of the meal plan option, in which students can order fresh prepared and prepackaged sandwiches, salads and more menu items. 
  • Commons Express: Late-night options via mobile orders — includes tacos, nachos, burritos and quesadillas (supported by ghost kitchen) and pizza (supported by Italian concept in The Commons) 
• The warewashing area includes a rack conveyor dishwasher. Photo by Scott Huck, Cedarville UniversityHours: 
• The Commons:
  • Monday through Friday
    • Hot breakfast, 7 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
    • Continental breakfast, 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
    • Lunch, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
    • Dinner, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday
    • Continental breakfast, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
    • Brunch, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • Dinner, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • Sunday
    • Hot breakfast, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
    • Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    • Dinner, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Commons Market:
  • Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Grab-and-go meals available at lunch and dinner
• Commons Express: 
  • Sunday through Friday, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Staff: 32 employees and 150 students working part-time
• Total Project Cost: $7.5 million
• Equipment Investment: $1.15 million

The back of the house contains combi ovens, a tilt skillet, a steam-jacketed kettle and tilting braising pans. Photo by Scott Huck, Cedarville University

Key Players

• Owner: Cedarville University, Cedarville, Ohio
• Associate vice president for operations, business office: Rodney Johnson
• Director of interior design: Dedra Wrigglesworth
• Foodservice provider: Pioneer College Caterers, Olathe, Kan.
• Director of corporate and culinary programs: Steven Richmond
• Senior vice president: Johnathan Craven
• Foodservice director: Monte Veatch
• Executive chef: Paul Ramos
• Architect, foodservice designer and foodservice consultant: Nvironment, Delaware, Ohio: Christopher Collins, AIA, NCARB, managing principal
• Interior designer: Nvironment: Liz Hauswald, principal, design
• Equipment dealer: Johnson-Lancaster and Associates, Baltimore, Md.