Behind the Scenes at the Hoch

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Sure, classes, teachers, and all that matter: but no one can forget about food! Here at Harvey Mudd College, students eat at the Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons, a privilege students take very seriously—often lining up 30 minutes before the Hoch opens to be the first to eat! Yesterday, I talked to Miguel Ruvalcaba, the general manager of food services at Mudd, to understand the inner workings of the Hoch and the secrets behind food on campus.

Several large bowls filled with salad

Some made-to order salads! Photo Credit: Serena Mao

In his 12 years at Mudd, Ruvalcaba has come to understand Mudders—and he knows that as engineers and innovators, they love creating. So, he and his team have built the Hoch to reflect this creative mindset, with made-to-order dishes almost every day. On Thursdays for lunch, the Creations salad bar lets Mudders mix in shrimp, chicken, smoked salmon, with Hot Cheetos, mixed berries, and 12 different dressings. Other days, the pasta bar, Hoch Wok, risotto bar, mac and cheese bar, and various other make-your-own stations let Mudders take their love for creating outside the classroom.

A small bowl of fruit next to a plate with a selection of salmon, bread, vegetables, and falafel

A delicious meal with the new falafel! Photo Credit: Serena Mao

It’s not just the food that makes the Hoch special: Ruvalcaba says it’s all about the students. At a small school, it’s especially easy for the Hoch to adapt to student tastes. Every week, the Hoch management meets with a student food committee, taking feedback and suggestions from Mudders for what to change at the Hoch. Just this past semester, I’ve noticed avocado toast stations, falafel, and custom-made poke bowls appear just because a few Mudd students asked. The spice bar, hosting everything from crumbled Lays chips to black truffle sea salt, has also made a comeback, and is still expanding to this day according to student feedback.

If Ruvalcaba could tell prospective Mudders one thing, it’s that when they come to Mudd, they can stress about homework, classes, or clubs, but he will guarantee that they will never worry about food. The food services team genuinely cares about Mudders, and if a student doesn’t like the food, the reaction isn’t “Deal with it,” it’s “How can we make this better?” With such a unique emphasis on students, it’s no surprise that Mudders cherish the Hoch. Ruvalcaba would agree: he claims that out of everywhere he’s worked, he’s never seen students more excited about food than here at Harvey Mudd.