Carnegie Mellon University
September 17, 2019

Newly Renovated Schatz Dining Room is Open for Business

Jessica Tones
  • Registered Dietitian, Nutrition Educator and Marketing Coordinator
  • 412-268-4120

Schatz Dining Room has re-opened to the community with a focus on culinary innovation, elevated service and a welcoming and flexible space. Schatz is open exclusively to faculty, staff and graduate students during lunch, Monday – Friday, and is open to all members of the university community for breakfast, dinner and brunch on weekends.

“We are ecstatic to bring an enhanced dining experience to Schatz Dining Room,” notes Gaurav Navin, resident district manager for Chartwells, Carnegie Mellon University’s primary dining vendor.  “From the curated chef-driven menu to an elevated service program, Schatz provides a unique and memorable dining experience to the CMU community.”

A summer-long renovation has resulted in a space transformation that features flexible seating, an inviting and updated space and a complete kitchen remodel, providing Chartwells’ culinary team a state-of-the-art facility.   

Schatz Dining Room features unique elements including a chef action station and Teaching Kitchen, a space for culinary programming where the CMU community can connect and learn in a dynamic, hands-on environment. The Teaching Kitchen program will offer food demonstrations and cooking classes with the goal of connecting the campus community to the food they eat and the people who passionately prepare it.

“The open chef action station will provide a look into the kitchen for our dining guests and Teaching Kitchen program. We want our guests to connect with our carefully crafted food as well as our fantastic chef and culinary team at Schatz,” says Senior Executive Chef Levi Briggs.

Chef Briggs’ new menu comes from his desire to focus on fresh, local ingredients and innovative flavors combined with restaurant-style service. “My connection and approach to food as a chef personally inspired the menu at Schatz,” continues Briggs.

With a brand new kitchen and updated equipment, the culinary team will be able to feature dishes such as marinated flank steak with chimichurri sauce, mahi-mahi with avocado salsa and blackened salmon with creole remoulade. Daily menus will also include a vegetarian entrée, weekly hot sandwich specials, soups and fresh, customizable made-to-order salads.

"The newly renovated Schatz Dining Room provides a more fast-casual restaurant atmosphere that is better suited to meet the diverse needs of our campus community," shares Pascal Petter, director of dining services. "Schatz has been transformed into a comfortable space where faculty, staff and graduate students can entertain guests and network with colleagues over lunch and all students can connect at CMU’s only all-you-care-to-eat dining room for breakfast, brunch or dinner. The Teaching Kitchen provides a space for students to expand their food and nutrition literacy in a hands-on environment, supporting the university's and Dining Services’ strategic goal of developing community dining spaces that serve as social and interactive venues.”