FOODWORKS AND COMPASS GROUP PARTNER TO BRING RESTAURANT INCUBATOR CONCEPT TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Partnership brings local dining concepts to Norris University Center
FOODWORKS, a Chicago-based hospitality company, is extending its local food reach to the university setting through its partnership with Compass Group, powered by Chartwells Higher Education with the launch of its pop-up restaurant incubator concept Northwestern University’s Evanston campus.
In June, FOODWORKS will open its newest location on Northwestern’s campus at the Norris University Center with another opening planned for the university’s downtown Chicago campus in (insert date/month). The expansion reflects Compass Group’s and FOODWORKS’ shared commitment to sustainability and supporting local communities on the University’s campuses.
FOODWORKS partners with local restaurants and places them in office buildings, retail complexes and other prime locations. The first two FOODWORKS stations at Northwestern opened in April at the Northwestern Technological Institute and the Kellogg School of Business, bringing a rotating lineup of Chicago-area restaurants to students and staff of the Evanston campus. The FOODWORKS pop-ups offer lunch at the Northwestern Technological Institute on Tuesdays and Thursdays and at the Kellogg School of Business on Wednesdays.
Local restaurants who have begun serving their signature fare at Northwestern on a rotating basis include the fast-casual Olive Mediterranean Grill; beloved barbecue joint Sweet Baby Ray’s; Wicker Park taco stand Flash Taco; Indian kati roll specialist Hakka Bakka; Cajun Connoisseur, the South Side food truck and restaurant; and Thai fusion spot Lime Leaf Thai.
“We really wanted to emphasize local cuisine to help students feel they are part of the larger community,” said Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs at Northwestern University. “We’re excited for FOODWORKS to bring diverse dining options to the Norris Center and expand on students’ current choices.”
FOODWORKS partners with independent restaurants and women- and minority-owned businesses that specialize in a range of cuisines and emphasize quality ingredients, responsible sourcing and sustainability.
“We bring the flavors of different neighborhoods into one space,” says Jim Kallas, FOODWORKS president. “We’re excited to help integrate universities into their local food communities and provide students with culinary options that aren’t traditionally represented on university campuses. Our goal is not only to make lunch more interesting for our guests, but to help local restaurants grow and succeed in the process.”
FOODWORKS launched in Chicago in the spring of 2018 and has since brought its community-based incubator concept to Detroit, Phoenix, Denver and Minneapolis, among other major cities.