This page is about The Commons Dining Hall. The main focus and goal of this page is to explain the daily happenings of the busy and accommodating dining facility.

The Commons

The Commons is the main dining hall at Washington & Jefferson College. It seats about 420-440 students in the hall, including the Malcolm Parcell Room. There are 10 different stations: Bravisimo, McMillan Grill, Lincoln St. Deli, Parkside Diner, 1784 Bakery, Pepperazzi, Specialty Bar, Showcase Salad and Soups, Milk and Cereal Stations, and Beverage Stations on both sides of the dining hall. The Commons was remodeled to look the way it is now in 1999, and recently re-renovated to include heating and air conditioning during the summer of 2008. The dining hall, which includes the Malcolm Parcell Room, seats up to 440 people all together.
The Commons stands by the statement of "The Parkhurst Difference". What this means is that they try to provide students with the freshest of fruits, vegetables, and meats. Some of the key standards that Parkhurst stands by are: fresh vegetables daily; USDA Choice and above; minimum of five fresh fruits daily; no processed vegetables on the salad bar; hand-breaded fish; soups made from scratch; fresh eggs made-to-order; pizza dough made from scratch daily; fresh, never frozen, hand-pressed hamburgers; and foods prepared from scratch using real ingredients.
The Menu runs on a 9-week cycle menu, but adjustments are made when suggestions are given via comment cards or conversations. The Bravisimo is a Made-to-Order station-- dishes such as Pasta Asiago, Chef's Salad, and Banana's Fosters are served here. The McMillan Grill serves fresh hamburgers, turkey burgers, hot dogs, and chicken breasts daily. The Lincoln St. Deli has fresh cut meats and cheese, along with fresh toppings and condiments. Parkside Diner has a variety of hot foods and main dishes such as roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables; the Whole Body Cuisine can also be found here-- they serve vegan and vegetarian dishes. At Whole Body Cuisine, no more than 30% of the calories can come from fat, therefore making it more health conscious. The famous Pepperazi offer pizza, made with fresh dough daily, baked in a wood fire pizza over. At the Specialty Bar, you can find the theme bar-- some days it is carnival foods and a wing bar, and other days it will be "Hemisflavors". Hemisflavors is a way W&J tries to diversify the menu. The foods are flavorful, healthy, and authentic. Showcase salads offers a variety of fresh salad and dressings; in addition there are 3 oils and vinegars on top of the salad bar which are more healthy. The milk and cereal station has a range of delicious cereals and milk that contains no hormones. The beverage stations have fountain drinks, coffee, juices, and water-- everything your thirst could possibly desire.

The quick moving long lines are definitely worth the wait, and if you do not find something you like at one station, there are several others to choose from. So go ahead, and enjoy the Parkhurst experience at Washington and Jefferson College.

Menu,Hours of Operation, and Location

The Commons is open daily throughout the week. It is located on South Lincoln Street and right next to the Rossin Campus Center.

Monday through Friday:
Hot Breakfast: 7:15am-9:30am
Includes Parkside Hot Breakfast and Made-To Order Omelettes along
with the continental breakfast items

Continental Breakfast: 9:30am-11:00am
Fresh Fruit, Bagels, Toast, Cereals, Fresh Baked Pastries,
Milk, Soda's, Juices, Coffee & Tea

Lunch: 11:00am-2:00pm
(except Bravisimo & the Grill which close at 1:45pm)

Parkside, Hot Entrees, Fresh Vegetables & Whole Body Cuisine

Pepperazzi, Fresh Pizza Dough, Hand Tossed, baked in our Wood Fire Oven & Pasta
Salad Bar, Fresh FarmSource Vegetables, toppings & Soups from Scratch

Grill, Fresh hand pressed burgers & Fries
Dessert Station, filled with our In-House Bakery Goods.

Bravisimo, Chef Attended Fresh Food Display Cooking.

Deli, Fresh Sliced Meats & Cheese with Condiments and Fresh Baked Breads.
Hemisflavors Station: Variety of Cuisine, from a featured continent

Continuous Dining: 2:00pm-5:00pm
Salad Bar, Deli & Pepperazzi available

Dinner: 5:00pm-8:00pm

Parkside, Hot Entrees, Fresh Vegetables & Whole Body Cuisine

Pepperazzi, Fresh Pizza Dough, Hand Tossed, baked in our Wood Fire Oven & Pasta

Salad Bar, Fresh FarmSource Vegetables, toppings & Soups from Scratch.
Grill, Fresh hand pressed burgers & Fries.
Dessert Station, filled with our In-House Bakery Goods.
Bravisimo Chef Attended Fresh Food Display Cooking.

Deli, Fresh Sliced Meats & Cheese with Condiments and Fresh Baked Breads

Hemisflavors Station: Variety of Cuisine, from a featured continent

Traveling Chefs

The Traveling Chefs is a spectacle that occurs once every semester. The idea was started with bringing a guest chef to campus to bring a different taste to campus. The anticipation of the students begins as soon as advertisements are posted around campus. Foods from around the world are served by renowned chefs who have spent all day in the kitchen preparing these delectable dishes. The menu varies from a selection of Sushi choices, to traditional Indian Cuisine, to foods that can only be found in Brazil. Every seat in the Commons is filled, and the lines are always long, but they keep students moving through at a respectable pace and ensure a tasty meal.

This past semester the Traveling Chefs attended in November and cooked up a fabulous lunch. The number of students who attended between the lunch hours was over 700. The lines wrapped all around the Commons, but it went by without a glitch. The only gripe was that more students wish it was at dinner time so that they could have been there to enjoy a different taste. The Commons definitely did not fail to deliver-- it was just another great idea by Parkhurst. What makes this spectacle even greater is that all the chefs are volunteers who travel to different schools and locations about 4 times a year to feed hungry students and staff. Their creative menus always seem to be fitting and the hard work and long hours are noticeable through the savory flavors and beautiful presentation of the dishes. Traveling Chefs is a treat for the entire campus!

Interview with Parkhurst General Manager

Aaron Weaver, General Manager of Parkhurst at Washington and Jefferson College, was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule of planning and organizing meals to sit down with me and tell me what dining services at W&J were all about. He came to W&J about 5 years ago and was instantly captivated by the students and faculty and from then on, he has been making sure that everyone who eats at the Commons at W&J is content. He works long hours, breakfast to dinner, and is always around, speaking to students, and trying to make sure he is doing everything he can to keep feeding us what we want.

He told me that he has the entire menu planned out until the end of the year already, but it is not set in stone. The comment cards that students fill out are read and taken into consideration, as well as holidays and the general market. If students do not seem to be enjoying a certain meal or type of food, it will no longer be a part of the menu; the same with the opposite. Some of the theme meals that are prepared are the annual Labor Day Picnic, Halloween Dinner, Thanksgiving Dinner, and Christmas Dinner. On Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day, special treats are also prepared for students. Along with these theme meals, the Commons makes sure that exam treats are offered during finals week as well as late night hours for students who are up late studying hard. Aaron says that he could not be happier with his job, and the fact that the students at W&J are respectful and give great feedback makes it easier for Aaron to do his job.

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The Commons

Menu,Hours of Operation, and Location

Traveling Chefs

Interview with Parkhurst General Manager

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