Rose Hill Marketplace dining will officially open on September 3, featuring brand new menus, modern food stations and a variety of seating options to create a significantly enhanced dining experience.

The space on the first floor of the McShane Campus Center was redesigned to facilitate the preparation of fresh, customized meals in an open environment while providing ample space for students and staff to socialize and relax.

The renovation is one of the final phases of the McShane Center construction project, and a celebration with special offers and demonstrations will be held on Monday, September 16.

Visitors are greeted by nine stations covering a wide range of cuisines from halal, delicatessen and grill to pizza, salad, vegan, allergen-friendly and dessert.

Deming Yaun, the university’s contract food service officer, said that in the previous space, about 30% of the food was prepared in front of students. In the new space, nearly 70% of the food is prepared outdoors. He touted a variety of new dishes, including a ramen dish with stir-fried pork, young bok choy, carrots, scallions and chili-garlic sauce, and a dish of sautéed shrimp and spaghetti with chipotle cream sauce.

New beginning

The first station visitors encounter upon entering, the vegetarian and vegan station, sets the tone for the new space. Just as supermarket shoppers are greeted by shelves of fresh produce, Marketplace shoppers are greeted by everything they need to put together delicious plant-based meals. The dishes are part of a commitment to help Fordham reduce its carbon footprint by using ingredients that have a low impact on the environment.

In recent years, “students are increasingly preferring plant-based alternatives,” Yaun said. “The station is thus setting a tone of freshness that is being transmitted throughout the facility.”

Space for everyone

Seating is varied: there are booths, high tables, long tables and benches everywhere, so everyone is welcome, from the individual guest who wants to work during lunch to large groups meeting for a communal meal. A dining room can be partitioned off for private gatherings. In total, the space can accommodate almost 800 guests.

One new addition that foodies should keep an eye on is the Chef’s Table. This space serves as a gathering place for cooking demonstrations and a place where chefs showcase their experimental dishes.

A place to recharge and relax

Audrey Hayes, a senior at Fordham College in Rose Hill who was part of a student group that got an early tour of the shop, said she couldn’t wait to try the fresh pasta and could imagine securing a booth at the entrance.

“When I study, I like it to be a bit noisy, so sometimes I study in a cafe,” she said.

Andres Perez, also a senior at Fordham College in Rose Hill, was excited to see a table large enough for the baseball team to use for a meet-up after practice. Perez, who pitches for the Rams, was intrigued by the halal station where he can get chicken and rice with salad.

“It’s nice that it will now be an everyday option,” he said.

James Serruto, FCRH ’24, who chaired the United Student Government’s Facilities and Dining Committee last year, said transparency in food preparation was a major concern for students, who met weekly with administration during construction on Marketplace.

He likes that the space offers students the opportunity to get to know the kitchen staff.

“It’s very easy to switch to chicken fingers and fries, but when you know someone is preparing a steak or a healthy salad in front of you, it creates a sense of trust and understanding,” he said.