The Table at Reynolda, commonly known as “the Pit,” is a popular dining spot among Wake Forest students, offering a wide variety of options, convenience and tasty meals. What do students not know about their frequented dining hall?
The Pit is Wake Forest’s main dining cafeteria. With a buffet-style setup, students can explore various stations, such as Southern Kitchen, which serves comfort food, the Vegan station, a Sandwich Station, a Pasta Bar and more. However, the Pit offers more than just convenience and variety — Harvest Table, the culinary group behind Wake Forest’s dining services, is committed to making the food not only delicious, but also nutritious and sustainable.
Jonathan Burns, director of culinary development, has been with Harvest Table for over six years. The company operates under five key culinary commitments: scratch-made, additive-free, responsibly sourced, locally procured and nutritionally balanced.
Brian Cohen, assistant director of sustainability engagement at Wake Forest’s Office of Sustainability, explains that Harvest Table prioritizes its plant-forward initiative. One example of this is the Pit’s “Signature Burger,” which is a mix of Brasstown beef and roasted mushroom.
The money saved from reducing meat consumption allows for investing in higher-quality, sustainability sourced meat from smallholders rather than large corporations.
“They’re able to do what we call ‘less meat, better meat,’ Cohen said. “It’s healthier, better for you, better for the environment, and better for the animals.”
Additionally, the ingredients used by Harvest Table are third-party certified — whether USDA Organic, Fairtrade, or Certified Humane — ensuring the food meets high ethical and environmental standards. Harvest Table aims to spend at least 30% of its budget on third-party certified products, making Wake Forest a leader in sustainable dining in higher education.
Variety is key
How does the Pit craft its extensive daily menu?
“If you had your favorite restaurant and you had to go there seven days a week for 16 weeks in a row, what would keep you going there?” Burns said. “Probably not the same chicken alfredo.”
The menu is not set on a rigid cycle but instead evolves based on student feedback and consumption patterns. One of the standout features of the Pit is its tapas station, where students can sample high-end dishes that might otherwise be out of reach.
Student satisfaction is a top priority for Harvest Table, and they strive to accommodate dietary restrictions and health needs.
For example, parents sometimes reach out about students with eating disorders, prompting personal consultations to ensure that the dining program is supportive.
For gluten-free students, the Pit introduced the Stressless Pantry: a safe space where students can access pre-prepared, celiac-friendly meals.
The layout of the cafeteria is also designed with sustainability in mind. For instance, in the Southern Kitchen station, proteins are placed at the end of the line, encouraging students to load up on grains and vegetables before choosing a small portion of meat.
Quin Wolters, sustainability coordinator for Deacon Dining, said that health, wellness and sustainability often overlap.
“Students who are eating in our dining hall regularly are getting exposed to a sustainable and nutritionally balanced diet, and are being empowered to continue that beyond Wake,” Wolters said.
Wolters says the only complaint that comes to mind has been “the Pit’s” recent switch from Chobani to Stonyfield Yogurt. Though Chobani was a favorite among students, Stonyfield’s USDA Organic certification aligns more closely with Harvest Table’s sustainability efforts.
Freshman Siena Smith appreciates the variety the Pit offers, especially for those seeking health options.
“I think the Pit’s healthier than Benson, and I also feel more full throughout the day,” Smith said.
For Patrick Fenlon, a senior and vegan, the Pit is an ideal place to find plenty of plant-based choices.
“I don’t do it for the health benefits, but I think the Pit does a good job of providing a lot of healthy options,” Fenlon said.
Still, Fenlon wasn’t aware of the sustainability initiatives, which he found encouraging.
Despite its broad appeal, the Pit isn’t every student’s first choice. Senior Lilli Ward prefers dining elsewhere for variety but admits she’ll find herself at The Pit out of convenience. As a gluten-free student, she sometimes struggles to find full meals.
“I might have a salad or something that’s safe for me to eat and then I’ll go and grab like a granola bar or just kind of like another side from the Stressless Pantry,” Ward said.
Ward, an environmental studies minor, recognizes the sustainability efforts, such as eliminating trays to mitigate food waste. Still, she’s skeptical that students aren’t fully aware of the impact.
“It’s kind of like, if you go to any buffet or open food, you don’t really think about or care what is going to waste. You just want to eat what tastes good at the moment,” Ward said.
Future of Wake Forest Dining
A successful future for Wake Forest dining is a hope for Harvest Table and students alike.
Burns hopes to provide more outdoor dining opportunities for students. One opportunity is tents with meals outside on April 22, “Earth Day”, and a “Lunch and Learn” on April 23 on the patio of the green room.
Students like Ward and Fenlon hope for The Pit’s sustainability and dietary efforts to come to fruition.
“I think they do a decent amount of effort, like the Vegan station, All Good station, like that’s where I eat the most because it’s also allergen free,” Ward said, “but I still think there is a decent amount of food waste.”
“Are they a sustainable icon? I don’t know. But is that something that I appreciate and would love to see more of? Yeah.” Fenlon said.
Whether you love it or loathe it, The Pit is more than just a convenient dining hall.
