The National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) announced Campus Dining and Shops (CDS) at the University at Buffalo as a recipient of the NACUFS 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards. CDS received a Gold in the category of Retail Sales – Single Concept of the Year for Sabor Latino. Campus Dining opened Sabor Latino as a fast-casual restaurant this past January in UB’s Student Union and serves authentic Latin American lunch entrées and desserts.

The entry highlighted all the major components of Sabor Latino including Menu and Meal, Facility Design and Merchandising, Marketing, Nutrition and Wellness, and Additional Considerations.

“We are deeply honored to receive this award for the second year in a row, after winning gold and grand prize for One World Café last year,” said Eric Blackledge, executive director for CDS. "These awards are among the most prestigious national honors in higher education food services and a true testament of the passion and perseverance our dedicated staff has.”

Executive Chef Amelia Ruiz, CEC, who has a tremendous background in Latin American culture and cooking, worked with her team crafting an authentic menu that represents many Latin American regions. James Schlierf, general manager of dining operations in the Student Union, and his staff, manage the day-to-day operations of Sabor Latino and serve the nearly 800 guests that come to dine each week for lunch.

“Sabor Latino has been an outstanding addition to the dining options on our University at Buffalo campus,” said Brian Hamluk, vice president for Student Life. “This concept was in direct response to feedback from students, who worked alongside our Campus Dining team on its concept and creation. I have received many positive comments from students and am thrilled to have this new venue - enhancing our student experience and adding to our diverse food offerings.”

As one of the highest scoring submissions, Campus Dining and Shops is now in contention for the Grand Prize Award which will be announced at the 2024 NACUFS National Conference this July in Louisville, Kentucky. A full list of winners can be found at nacufs.org/Awards/LoyalEHortonDiningAwards