Feeding a large university is no easy feat. Naturally, it requires vast amounts of food, but also expertise, elbow grease and teamwork. Add to that the complexities of logistics, administration, training and maintenance, and you have an incredibly intricate operation.

Now, imagine being one of the best in the business on top of all that—providing meals that are delicious, nutritious and affordable to tens of thousands of discerning students and employees.

That’s exactly what Eat at State, Michigan State University’s world-class dining program, achieves day-in, day-out. In fact, it has amassed a collection of top national awards over the years to prove it.

“I don't think that you'll find another program in the country that encompasses quite as much as we do with allthe different departments,” said Cheryl Berry, associate director of marketing and communications for Culinary Services. “We still are considered the largest culinary on-campus dining program in the country.”

MSU Culinary Services covers the gamut of dining operations on campus:

• Seven all-you-can-eat dining halls — Akers, Brody, Case, Landon, Owen, Shaw and Snyder Phillips

• Two grab-and-go dining halls — Holden and Holmes

• 14 Sparty’s mini-markets and a Sparty’s Market

• The two Starbucks’ on campus — at 1855 place and The Main Library

• The International Center food court

• Concessions at sporting events on campus

• MSU Bakers

• Food Stores and Procurement

• The Spartan Linen Service

• The Student Organic Farm

•  The Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, which includes The State Room restaurant and all events that the Kellogg Center does.

The only food service on campus that it does not cover is the Dairy Store.

Culinary Services’ core mission is to strive for culinary excellence, and through that mission, they endeavor to provide the best food and the best experiences possible for as many people as possible.

With the wide scope of the culinary program, there are many opportunities for everyone to get involved. The program employs about 600 full-time employees, 600 on-call employees and 1,300-1,500 students.

"Managing our operations requires collaboration across multiple teams and team members, and we are fortunate to have outstanding dining managers leading each of our culinary units," Berry said. "Our managers and frontline staff are deeply focused on the specific units they oversee, allowing them to engage directly with students, understand their needs, and bring that feedback to the broader team. This structure enables us to implement changes at scale, ensuring we can accommodate the needs of all students effectively."

With Culinary Services' core mission in mind, the team behind it is dedicated to excellence in providing food to more than 50,000 students and more than 12,000 faculty and staff.

Learn more about Culinary Services and the Eat at State brand, including menus and special events, at eatatstate.msu.edu.