Size doesn’t matter for the Refectory Cafe at Duke Law School.
For a venue that serves between 500 and 600 people daily, the Refectory Cafe at Duke Law School has a surprisingly small amount of kitchen and storage space, as the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee witnessed Monday. DUSDAC was given a tour of the facility by Laura Hall, owner of Bon Vivant Catering, the company which operates both the Law School and Divinity School branches of the Refectory Cafe.
“One of my goals was to change the whole restaurant model,” Hall said. “What we try to do is take the sugar, salt and fat out of your meals but leave the nutrients and give them interesting flavors.”
DUSDAC members met head chef Jeff Connors, who prepared several fresh pizzas for the group. The pizzas, which were presented to the committee to showcase the eatery’s fresh ingredients, are not available at the cafe because students would be unwilling to wait the eight minutes required to prepare them, Hall said.
Connors, whose name tag reads “Chef Jeff,” spoke highly of the venue’s food quality and meal options.
“‘I like everything,” he said. “I won’t cook it if I won’t eat it.”
Lack of space does not interfere with the quality of the venue, Hall added, noting the cafe’s high sanitation score—101.5 out of 102-—to the committee. The small space does, however, inhibit the Refectory’s commitment to sustainability, as the eatery does not have room for a larger dishwasher and is forced to use disposable plates and utensils.
High standards, social responsibility and good food contribute to the cafe’s ultimate goal, Hall said.
“We’re here to make [customers] happy and well-nourished, and if we’ve done that, we’ve done everything we set out to do,” she said.
Hall called the eatery “socially responsible” because all employees are extended health care benefits and are paid “living wages” of at least $10 per hour.
“That’s what you’re supporting by coming here—people that have a quality of life that is not standard in the United States,” she said.
Better wages also reduce employee turnover, which results in better customer service, Hall added. DUSDAC members agreed, noting that Refectory employees are among the friendliest and most knowledgeable food-service employees at Duke.
“I am so proud of the people as well as the product,” Hall said.
Because the menu changes frequently, the eatery has sought innovative ways to advertise its offerings, such as through Twitter and Facebook.
“We always have something new coming out, which is why we’re on social media,” Hall said.
In addition to serving students, faculty and staff, the Law School branch also serves as the headquarters for a successful catering operation to supplement the locale’s daily sales.
“We have to cater in order to support our business year-round,” Hall said.
Hall also acknowledged that the Divinity School branch of The Refectory Cafe, now in its sixth year of operation, is more successful than the Law School branch.
“There’s a healthy little rivalry,” Connors added.
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