CEO uses local growers to supply cafeterias at colleges, companies

Published: 2005-12-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Fidel Baucchio used to work in the University of Portland's student cafeterias. Now, his company supplies them. Bon Appetit Management Co. is the food service provider for hundreds of colleges and companies throughout the country. The company, which Baucchio founded -- and for which he is still the CEO -- specializes in finding local farmers and ranchers to provide the produce and meat that students and employees eat. Baucchio, a Catholic, said he worked four years in the cafeterias at Portland in Oregon, beginning with washing dishes and working his way up to the position of student manager in which he hired fellow students. "I was on the dish machine for one year," he recalled. "Then the chef grabbed me and asked me if I would like to clean vegetables after class. He taught me how to clean vegetables and clean potatoes and I really liked it."

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