The inside of Saint Paul’s new dining hall is done, and students are enjoying the new facility and the new meal service provided by Pigeon Catering.

Plans for this massive $2.7 million project were put together last year, largely due to Saint Paul’s President Joe Dickens, who felt an upgrade was needed. The full remodel started at the end of last school year and is expected to be fully completed in the coming weeks, while the outside seating area is still under construction.

The previous dining hall struggled to keep up with the increased population around campus. Even with the Wolf Bites pavilion by Benilde Hall, students struggled to find healthy and sustainable options for school lunches. As the end of the year drew near, President Dickens decided to draw plans to renovate the decrepit dining hall. 

Renovations took place over the summer, and as school approached, it was questionable whether the dining hall would be open by the start of school on August 8, 2024, considering the nature of large construction projects.

However, the student council, led by moderators Dr. Shannon D’Hemecourt and Ms. Joanna Case, facilitated school lunches from local vendors until the dining hall was ready to serve students a few weeks into the school year. The club did an incredible job bridging that gap.

President Dickens acknowledged the struggles of renovating an aging building. “Anytime you start gutting an old building, you run into innumerable unexpected issues.” These issues are inevitable, but the construction workers have toiled for months, and the dining hall is looking more complete by the day.

“It’s really going to revamp a part of campus that hasn’t seen a renovation in a long time,” said Saint Paul’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Andrew Dart.

One of the main changes is to serve food from Pigeon Catering and Events Services instead of Archdiocese food services. Pigeons Catering has been servicing schools around the New Orleans metropolitan area since 2006.

Accordingly, students now enjoy classic dishes such as Cajun Pasta, chicken tenders, chicken parmesan, mac and cheese, and many more.

Saint Paul’s students have been raving about the new food. “The chicken and waffles melt in your mouth. The quality of food is way better,” said Saint Paul’s freshman Henry Warshauer.

 

Through the EatFitNola program, students can also choose a healthy option every day. Hot lunches are provided every day for $6.50. In addition, students can choose from alternative meals, such as burgers, wraps, sandwiches, and salads, which are all offered on the go. There are also many more beverage and snack options than would be provided by basic vending machines.

Saint Paul’s faculty members are also excited about the new and improved food.

“I think the food offerings are fantastic, and the prices are competitive… Sitting there sharing lunch with my faculty members and students will be a great community-building experience,” said Dart.

Another major change includes a full interior renovation to the indoor dining room and an exterior al fresco seating option. All of these expect to replace the aging row seating with new individual tables and chairs. The al fresco option will include the quick service window with access to a pizza oven for a fresh and authentic experience. This is expected to be completed in the coming weeks, as construction crews are working daily to finalize the project.

President Dickens is positive that the students will enjoy the new renovations and food service. “They will have a first-class dining experience with an upgrade in both the variety and quality of the food,” said Dickens.

The Saint Paul’s dining hall was constructed in 1962. It fed boarding students and day students three meals per day, 365 days a year for 62 years. Designed to be a place of rest and relaxation for the students, new admissions numbers and renovations around campus have left the dining hall strained with increased demand and quality.

Saint Paul’s students and faculty are excited to welcome the new renovation and are excited for the future with Pigeons Catering.

“I’m excited for what this represents… Our campus growing with our student body. I think it’s important that we develop and bring cutting-edge innovations to campus,” said Dart.