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Good Food on Campus: Creating Great Tastes and International Flavors

DI Dining鈥檚 executive chef works to make sure Kent State鈥檚 cuisine is flavorful and that all students get what they want to eat

March is National Nutrition Month. For this series of stories, Kent State Today interviewed people working in University Culinary Services about the many dining options available to students.

Edward Shawn Hardin Sr. is the executive chef at Kent State鈥檚 Design Innovation Dining facility in the DI Hub. He grew up in Kent and remembers playing basketball on Kent State鈥檚 campus when he was younger. 鈥淚鈥檝e been familiar with Kent State my whole life,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hen I was growing up, I got the culture from the outside. But when I got older, I got to see what it was like on the inside. So, I have the best of both worlds when it comes to campus.鈥

Executive Chef Ed Hardin


That knowledge of Kent State鈥檚 culture, his own skill as a chef and his desire to bring people great dining experiences have helped him maintain high standards of quality and develop creative cuisine in the kitchens of Kent State.

Building a foundation of quality

Hardin said that all the food served in university dining halls is made from scratch with recipes that the executive chefs on campus work together to create. 鈥淎ll the stuff you see over there (pointing to the serving stations) is made from produce that we bring in and then we break down to create a beautiful plate,鈥 he said. 鈥淟ike the mashed potatoes 鈥 that鈥檚 not from a bag. We peeled the potatoes, we steamed them, we mashed them. We added the milk, we added the salt, we added the pepper and the herbs. We add everything in there to get what you get right there."

Nutritional information for Herbed Mashed Potatoes

And they have no microwaves. Hardin laughed, 鈥淪ome of the employees here are a little upset about that because they like to bring stuff from home to eat and they have no way to heat it up. We try to encourage them to eat stuff here. That鈥檚 why we do it the way we do.鈥

International and specialty flavors

Hardin works hand-in-hand with chefs on campus to create international dishes. He鈥檚 worked with one of his chefs on recipes from India, to create authentic chicken masala, butter chicken, tikka masala and other dishes for students to enjoy.

Another chef who worked in DI Dining brought his own Southwestern recipes to the mix, and Hardin has added to them with his own creations.

Taco with rice and black beans and corn

Creative recipes and special considerations

Using his creativity in the kitchen, Hardin said that he can sometimes 鈥渢rick鈥 people into trying foods they wouldn鈥檛 normally consider. 鈥淚 created a pineapple salsa that I combined with tofu,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hen you add to the tofu, the black beans and the pineapple salsa, the combination is fantastic.鈥

Corn and black bean salsa

Some of his favorite things to prepare are vegan dishes. 鈥淏ecause growing up, that wasn鈥檛 a thing,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hen I grew up, it was mainly McDonald鈥檚 and Burger King.  Now we transition to the healthier options.鈥 Hardin takes pride in making vegan recipes that taste as good as their non-vegan versions.

鈥淥ur entire senior management team eats in our own dining halls every day,鈥 Hardin said. 鈥淪o, we know when something鈥檚 鈥榦ff,鈥 when it doesn鈥檛 taste right whatever it might be. And that鈥檚 the biggest thing I say to parents with picky eaters or students with food allergies: 鈥淗ey, I know people who have the same thing and do it safely every day 鈥 it鈥檚 possible to be done鈥.鈥

鈥淎lso, I have a student worker who doesn't eat red meat or pork,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o, when it鈥檚 time for him to go to lunch, he looks to me. So, I lead him to what I think would be best for him, considering his preferences.鈥

Ed Hardin and George Lemons Jr.

Chef Hardin with University Culinary Services cook George Lemons Jr. Lemons Jr., who has been with the university for more than 20 years, is a familiar face at Kent State. He makes it his goal to connect with the students he meets on campus. 

鈥楨at your vegetables鈥

When asked what he might say to a student who is a picky eater, Hardin said, 鈥淲ell, me being a parent myself, this is an easy one. I would say you can always get fries, but be sure to eat your vegetables, because there are plenty here. There are two vegetable options on each station. So, get ahead and get your fries, I鈥檓 okay with that. Get your burger. That鈥檚 okay. But make sure you eat your vegetables and please don鈥檛 tell me there aren鈥檛 any there. Because I know you have plenty of options.鈥

Burger with mushrooms and waffer fries

鈥榊ou always have something here鈥

Parents who have encountered resistance to vegetables may also have witnessed their students at home staring into their well-stocked refrigerators and observing, 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing to eat.鈥 Hardin understands.

鈥淭here have been multiple occasions where I鈥檝e approached a student when I see them looking like there鈥檚 nothing there they want,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o, I come to them, like 鈥業s everything okay?鈥 and they say 鈥榃ell, you don鈥檛 have this. There鈥檚 nothing here鈥.鈥

鈥淲hen you come to me, a chef, and let me know if you want something different that you don鈥檛 see, I have no problem doing it. You always have something here, you just have to say it. Let us know what you want.鈥

Chef Hardin at the Home Zone station

Providing a great dining experience

鈥淚 love the atmosphere here and the interaction with the staff,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd seeing the smiles on the students鈥 faces and the satisfaction when they leave, knowing they鈥檝e had a great, enjoyable experience in the dining hall.鈥

鈥楤ecause that鈥檚 what food鈥檚 about: the experience. And we make sure that we give them the best.鈥

POSTED: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 08:43 PM
Updated: Thursday, March 30, 2023 02:02 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Phil Soencksen