Stan State’s Main Dining has reopened its doors and offers a wide range of food options through its 10 buffet stations.
Main Dining reopened on 8/16 and offers $9 breakfast (M-F), $12 brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, $11 lunch (M-F), and $12 dinner 7 days a week.
Edwin Eliazad (Executive Chef), provides a tour of Main Dining where he gives an in-depth description of what each station offers.
At the Nook, waffles, bagels, sliced bread, and cereals are available any time of the day.
There are also milk substitutions and vegan options provided.
The hydration station offers juices, sodas, teas, coffee, and creamers.
At the sweet shop, cookies are available at all times and there are different types of desserts offered daily. 
Global Kitchen offers different types of food options that change 3 times a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Flame Grill is open from 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
“You’ll always be able to find an alternative option—if you don’t like what’s here, or there, or there, you will always be able to get a burger or a grilled chicken sandwich or fries or whatever’s on the menu that day,” said Eliazad.
Condiments for the Flame Grill food items, such as cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles are offered for those looking to spice up their meal.
There are also composed sandwiches available that are ready, wrapped, cut, and made, at this station.
La Mesa, Main Dining’s Latin food station, offers mainly Central American cuisine.
“You’ll always find something different at lunch and at dinner, Monday through Friday. You’ll always be able to get some nachos over here, with some taco meat, always, with cheese and chip. It’ll always be here,” said Elizado.
Another buffet station open at Main Dining is The Cucina, an Italian pasta station, which customers can visit 7 days a week.
The Stanislaus Street Subs station offers sandwiches that front-of-the-house associates can build for anyone who wants one. 
Several sandwich options are available, and are shown on the monitor screen above the station.
Fresh fruit is also always avaiable at Main Dining, unsliced and sliced.
“You’ll always be able to find fresh-cut fruit, melons, and pineapple, peanut butter, whipped butter, cream cheese, strawberry jam, granola,” said Eliazad.
The salad bar has constant-changing items and ingriedients that alternate every week.
Eliazad has been a chef for 18 years and 95% of the people he knows in his life are Stan State alumni.
He believes that currently working at Main Dining feels gratifying since it is at a local university and he has the oppurtunity to serve the community he has grown up in.
“It can be challenging at times, but it’s been extraordinary, you know. It’s a pleasure to be here. I work with extraordinary people. There’s quite a bit of talent in the kitchen, team, and I’m really thankful,” said Eliazad.
He enjoys his time interacting with students, faculty, and staff, and appreciates the positive, lively vibe on campus.
Eliazad believes having a place like Main Dining on campus is important because of the welcoming environment it brings.
“Food is what brings people together, right? I mean when we spend time with each other, you know, we always eat together, right. That’s like the common denominator,” said Eliazad.
To Eliazad, it does not matter what the size or population of the campus is, the dining commons is where many like to gather.
Eliazad is also attentive to the food options on the menu, changing them when he feels that it is needed.
He takes off food he did not like the last time it was served and will replace it with an alternative.
“I can tell what’s good and what’s not, what sells and what doesn’t and so, I pay attention. I want everybody to know that, you know, that we appreciate everybody’s patience,” said Eliazad.
Sunshine Matthews (Alumni, Social Science) started working in Main Dining because it aligned with her previous experience working as a social media intern.
Matthews holds a front-of-the-house position.
“Because I’ve been working here for some time, I’m pretty much an ace of the deck. I can pretty much go anywhere whether it’s sushi, to do a break, or the Market, or cashier, or Warrior Grill. Sunshine typically is your everywhere type of gal,” said Matthews.
Matthews also believes having Main Dining on campus is important because it is a central place that brings everyone together.
“Food is the heart of the campus. It is one place on campus that it doesn’t matter your major, it doesn’t matter what you’re into, what club you’re in, someone is gonna be hungry. Everyone’s gonna be hungry,” said Matthews.
Matthews herself enjoys grabbing a bite at Main Dining.
“I particularly like the Global Kitchen because it’s your opportunity to try food from around the world that you never tried before, so I’ve gotten to try some interesting things and pretty much open up my palette of food,” said Matthews.
“We have shrimp tacos en la mesa, the BEST unlimited shrimp tacos. I’m gonna like have about 6 of them,” adds Matthews.
Matthews also mentioned that Mondays are typically the slowest days at main dining.
She noted that, overall, mornings are the slowest times for foot traffic, where as 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., during lunch, are the busiest times. Things typically pick back up around 6 p.m. for dinner.
Matthews also reccomended that students should look out for Chartwells internship opportunities through Handshake.
Handshake can be accessed through the Stan State student portal.
“We’re always looking for eager students to come in and experience the company and actually further their interests,” said Matthews.
April Gomez (Cook) has been working in Main Dining since its reopening, but has been with Chartwells since 2021.
As a cook, Gomez starts off her workday by getting to Main Dining early in the morning, getting breakfast ready, and having it ready for customers by 7 a.m.
Like Eliazad and Matthews, Gomez also believes having Main Dining on campus is important because of the way it brings people together.
“I think it’s important to have the Main Dining because I feel like it’s just more of togetherness. There’s a lot of people out there and they’re all together, hanging out. They can get their studying done,” said Gomez.
Gomez also eats at Main Dining and enjoys picking something little out from all 10 food stations.
Since its reopening, Main Dining has had a large flow of patrons.
During her shifts, Gomez finds that 10:30 a.m. to noon are the busiest times for foot traffic.
To Gomez, this is typically the norm, but sometimes the amount of customers dining at Main Dining all at the same time will take her by surprise. 
“I’ll turn around, I’ll be making something, I turn around, and it’s like fuuuume, I’m like gosh,” said Gomez.
Gomez noted that if customers have dietary concerns, they are more than welcome to come and ask a chef and the chef can figure out a solution from there.
For more information, visit the Main Dining FAQ.

Gallery • 5 Photos

The "Meet our Team" photo shows a few of the cooks employed Main Dining. (Signal Photo/Natalie Ramos)