KCSOS Looks Toward New Era of Dining at CSUB

For decades, KCSOS Food and Nutrition Services has helped feed students across Kern County. When the fall term begins next week at CSU Bakersfield, the department will assume dining operations at the university, expanding its reach into higher education for the first time.

The partnership began taking shape about 18 months ago after Aramark, CSUB’s previous food service provider, notified the university of its intention to terminate its contract early. CSUB reached out to KCSOS to explore whether a partnership could offer a new approach to campus dining.

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity because we are both public institutions,” said Rafael Juarez, senior director of KCSOS Food and Nutrition Services.

He emphasized that while KCSOS and CSUB may serve students at different stages of their education, their missions are closely aligned. Both exist to support students and help them succeed, making the partnership a natural fit.

It also represents a different approach to university dining than the traditional food service management model found at other CSU campuses. The KCSOS model is one designed to provide quality food and expanded service in the most cost-effective way possible.

“Because KCSOS is a not-for-profit public institution, our goal is to cover the costs of operating the dining program, not turning a profit,” Juarez said. 

The first change the campus community will see is the reopening of Runner Market, formerly Runner Cafe, featuring a Mexican grill, Italian fare and other globally inspired offerings.

Aurelia Briseño, a KCSOS culinarian who is part of the transition team at Runner Market, said she hopes students notice the care behind the new operation as much as the added choices and convenience.

“We want everyone to feel welcome and to know we’re committed to providing healthy, delicious foods made with lots of care and love,” she said.

KCSOS spent the summer preparing the space to serve as the central kitchen and hub for its campus dining operations. Additional eateries, a new dining option near the residence halls, smart vending machines and expanded service to CSUB Antelope Valley will soon follow.

But preparing for the transition has involved more than updating kitchens and developing new dining concepts. It has also meant building a team. 

Under KCSOS’s established merit-based hiring process, positions had to be formally recruited, including those ultimately awarded to longtime employees of CSUB’s previous dining contractor who brought valuable experience and knowledge of the campus operation.

Among them is Eugenio Martinez Beas, who spent 20 years working for contractors providing dining services at CSUB before joining KCSOS as part of the new team.

He says his connection to CSUB is personal. 

One of his daughters graduated from CSUB’s nursing program, while another is in her second year studying engineering after a career in law enforcement. As both a longtime dining employee and CSUB parent, he understands the responsibility that comes with preparing food for students and staff.

“You have to put passion into it,” Martinez Beas emphasized.

On the heels of the opening of Runner Market, several new dining concepts are in the works and slated to open later this fall.  

Local Tare & Taste, on the ground level of the Science III building, will offer a fresh-market experience with build-your-own, pay-by-the-ounce selections and an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. Nearby, Cafecito & Bakery will feature artisan coffee, pastries, deli wraps and grab-and-go options, while World in a Bowl in the Student Union will offer customizable bowls with grains, proteins, vegetables and globally inspired flavors.

The new operation will also create employment opportunities for CSUB students and emphasize local sourcing through partnerships with small agricultural businesses.

Convenience is another focus. 

Students living near the residence halls, for example, will have new breakfast options, while smart vending machines stocked with fresh, refrigerated meals prepared by KCSOS will make food available outside traditional dining hours. The machines will accept dining dollars or credit cards. 

For Briseño, the expansion may bring KCSOS into a new environment, but the purpose behind the work remains much the same.

“I think the most rewarding part is knowing that the work we do makes a difference,” she said. “Providing good meals, helping students stay focused — it’s rewarding to know we’re contributing.”