Author: Zi Wang

Mason Dining has worked closely with Mason Hillel and the Chabad at GMU to provide students and faculty/staff with an eclectic mix of Kosher cuisine that will be served at Southside, enabling Jewish students to easily follow Kosher dietary rules. Rabbi Daniel Novick from Mason Hillel said his team is so grateful to their colleagues at Mason and Chabad at GMU for years of partnership to get us to this point.

“We are not only excited about what this means for our Jewish community now, but how this will help our efforts to make George Mason University an attractive destination for Jewish students for years to come.”

The station, known as Mason Mensch, will launch on Monday, January 23, as students return for the spring semester and serve Kosher dinners from 6 pm – 8 pm, Sunday-Thursday on a first-come, first-served basis. The station will be located in between desserts and Simple Servings.

“We are thankful to the Mason administration for their true commitment to inclusion,” said Rabbi Ezra Wiemer, co-director of Chabad at GMU. “There’s a Jewish expression, ‘may we go from strength to strength!’ This is a huge milestone for the Jewish community, and we know that together with Mason Hillel, our community will continue to grow and strengthen.”

Char Bar, a well-known Kosher establishment in downtown D.C., will be providing a selection of brisket tacos, hot honey chicken, burgers, kabobs, sandwiches, and more. Production and service will be overseen by a Mashgiach – an expert Kosher supervisor – to ensure the highest standards of Kosher are followed. Char Bar’s owner, Michael Chelst, said he’s honored to be part of the inaugural Kosher food program at George Mason. “The university’s commitment to inclusion for everyone is a blessing for the Jewish community,” Chelst said.

“Kosher food is part of our tradition and how we live our lives,” said senior Emma Sameth, a Global Affairs major. “It’s a commandment from the Torah, it makes us feel proud to be Jewish, and more connected to who we are,” Sameth stated.

This addition to the dining program has been in the works for years and aligns with the University’s overall mission of inclusion. Mason Dining is thrilled to be able to bring the Mason community food that are both delicious and respectful of Kosher rules. “We are very excited to bring this innovative and inclusive concept to fruition at Mason,” shared Pascal Petter, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services. “With such a diverse campus and requests for foods that fit into a Kosher lifestyle, we know that Char Bar’s Kosher selections will be a great addition to Mason’s dining line-up.”

Joel Hirsch, Sodexo’s Executive Chef at Southside also noted that he is excited to be able to offer Kosher meals for Mason’s students with dietary requirements. “I look forward to rapid growth of the Kosher program,” Hirsch said, “to be able to offer [this program] not only to Mason students, but also the Fairfax community as a whole in the future.”

Operations and Business Services (OBS) is excited to announce several innovative changes to dining options for the fall. Working with Mason Dining to complete a series of renovations to dining and student life facilities this summer, the changes include three new dining concepts, expanding grab-and-go options, electric food carts, and more. Renovations are slated to be completed by the beginning of the 2022 fall semester.

Halal Guys has recently signed on to be the newest dining option in the Johnson Center (JC), taking over the space previously occupied by Garbanzo. Also in the JC, Freshens will be moving to the old Apple Federal Credit Union space and will reopen this fall as their new concept, “FLIP Kitchen,” offering a rotating menu of healthy wraps, salads, bowls, smoothies, and so much more.

Express in the JC is also getting a makeover that will expand to take over the previous smoothie counter operated by Freshens to include more shelving for convenience store items, prepared foods, sushi, grab-and-go items, drinks, and a coffee station. Enhancements to the space will lead to better overall shopping experience for students.

One of the most exciting new additions to campus will be two electric vehicle “Godegas” that will sell quick-service meals, snacks, grab-and-go items, and drinks at different locations around campus. OBS has worked closely with Mason Dining to bring these new, innovative vehicles to campus and is excited to share them with the Mason community. These vehicles will move around the campus on different days and times. Look for one near your location on campus!

Spice Kitchen is another new concept that will replace Wing Zone in The HUB. Spice Kitchen promises Indian fusion dishes, Halal options, and eclectic flavors of chicken wings, fries and other traditional late-night fare.

And lastly – you’ve been waiting for it! – Argo Tea will reopen this fall for the first time since closing during the pandemic, offering an expansive new menu featuring classic teas, seasonal drinks, “teappuccinos” and bubble teas.

“These changes and renovations are aimed to create a better dining experience for students and the Mason community,” said Pascal Petter, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services. “We are especially excited about the electric vehicles which will support our mission of developing innovative dining solutions, while at the same time focusing on sustainability.”

These enhancements to Mason’s dining programs will foster a community that supports learning and growth in all areas of student life. Stop by all the new concepts and try out the food options!