Press Center

Creative Dining Services

2 weeks ago

Happy Food Service Worker Day!

We would like to acknowledge and say a BIG THANK YOU to all of our staff from the back of the house to the front! We admire their skill and their passion for the work they do. We are grateful for the many hours they put in to bring great food and hospitality to so many diners at our partnerships. They work hard to create community around the plate and beyond, and they move nimbly to sustain our services through challenges expected and unforeseen, pivoting with creative expertise when necessary. Their work often goes unnoticed but the results are truly amazing, each decision adding to a greater whole.



To the Food Service Workers of Creative Dining, we thank you and appreciate you all!



#nationalfoodserviceworkerday #CreativeDining #HospitalityHeroes #Gratitude #FoodServiceExcellence ... See MoreSee Less

Creative Dining Services

1 month ago

Last night, Creative Dining Services was honored to participate in the Community Foundation Holland/Zeeland's 75th Anniversary Celebration of Philanthropy. This organization (@hollandzeelandcommfound) invests in our community through partnerships and high-impact initiatives that strengthen our region. Thriving communities don't happen by chance and it was amazing to see so many people committed to action through philanthropy.
For us at CDS, it was a fun opportunity to get out of the office, work alongside our culinary team, serve guests, and represent our company in the community. AND the food was amazing!
We delighted folks with grilled salmon, smoked whitefish, veggie and apple slaw, micro greens, and a hot honey drizzle. Delicious!
#CDSbecreative #elevatedbites #CommunityImpact #Philanthropy #HollandMI #ZeelandMI ... See MoreSee Less

Creative Dining Services

1 month ago

☀Hey summertime, can we squeeze in one more barbecue?
As the season gets ready for its final bow, we pause to celebrate Labor Day and those whose efforts helped establish the 8-hour workday, weekends, and safer working conditions.
Wishing everyone a relaxing holiday, good company, and one last barbecue before summer closes shop.
Happy Labor Day Weekend! 🇺🇸

#cdsbecreative #grilloutchillout #backyardfoodie #CreativeDining ... See MoreSee Less

Creative Dining Services

1 month ago

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: IU Northwest Dining Team Steps Up After Devastating Northwest Indiana Storm

A historic and devastating storm swept across Northwest Indiana on Tuesday, August 10, bringing wind speeds exceeding 100 mph, confirmed tornadoes, widespread property damage, flooding, and the largest power outage in NIPSCO history. In Gary, many residents were left without power for more than 15 days.

Lucero Martinez-Donato, Creative Dining Services Food Service Director at Indiana University Northwest, experienced the storm firsthand and understood the fear and uncertainty many community members faced in the aftermath. Knowing how difficult it was for residents to go without power for so long, she felt compelled to find a way to help.

Lucero and her dining team at Indiana University Northwest reached out to local organizations to find a way to assist those in need. That search led her to World Central Kitchen (WCK).

World Central Kitchen is a nonprofit organization that responds to humanitarian, climate, and community crises by providing nourishing meals to people affected by disasters. Through this partnership, the Indiana University Northwest dining team supplied food to people in the community who needed support.

The team prepared and served full-course, home-cooked meals to Gary residents the following week, while continuing to operate the kitchen full-time to serve students.

For Lucero and her team, the effort was about more than providing meals—it was about supporting their community during an incredibly challenging time and using the resources they had available to make a meaningful difference.

#creativediningservices #neighborshelpingneighbors #communitysupport #WorldCentralKitchen #iunorthwest #MakingADifference ... See MoreSee Less