From Monday, 11 September, students and academics who prefer to eat vegetarian will find that Academic Canteen offers more than the ubiquitous sweet buns with vanilla custard or rice and vegetables. The new Veggie Bar, which appeared in the canteen over the summer holidays, will offer a wider choice not only to vegetarians but also to vegans and followers of the raw food diet.
The MU Accommodation and Catering Services are trying to accommodate current eating trends and satisfy diners who have long been asking for a similar change. “We refurbished the former employee’s canteen upstairs for this purpose. The Veggie Bar will also be the first self-service canteen in all the university canteens that we manage,” says Roman Tancoš, the manager of the catering services.
The canteen wants to meet the needs of those who prefer vegetarian meals although low-calorie options will also be on the menu. Two soups as well as two vegetarian, two vegan, and two raw meals will be available every day.
“The Veggie Bar will only serve these types of meals although they may also be offered in the normal student canteen downstairs,” explains Tancoš, adding that the prices will be similar to those of normal meals.
The university cooks completed two weekend training courses in June, organized in collaboration with the Czech Association of Cooks and Confectioners, to get ready for the new meals on offer. As Tancoš describes, “The training was attended by the key employees of all four main canteens including chefs, cooks, operations managers, and the employees responsible for food procurement. Altogether, nineteen people attended the training.”