Jon Webster, executive director of hospitality services announced today that Joe Sidoni, longtime associate director of catering in Food Services, has accepted a new role as the food and beverage director at Drumlins Country Club. Paula Elerick will step into the catering position vacated by Sidoni in the Syracuse University Food Services department.
The move is a result of the Auxiliary Services department’s effort to effectively share resources between campus food service operations and Drumlins. Drumlins recently insourced its food and beverage operations after relying on a third-party operator for many years. The new system required a seasoned management presence to develop the program, the success of which will benefit both Drumlins members and the broader Syracuse University community.
“This is a move that will allow for Drumlins to realize the true potential of their food and beverage program while simultaneously increasing the operational efficiency of our department as a whole,” said Webster. “It’s about putting our people in places where they will succeed and utilizing our staff’s diverse skill sets to operate all aspects of the business in a manner that best serves our customers and the University.”
Sidoni will assume responsibility for food and beverage operations at the country club, home to Bistro 1926, a poolside “snack shack,” and a robust catering and events operation.
Elerick, who started her tenure at Syracuse University in September, brings over 20 years of catering experience to the University’s Catering Services team, most notably at Turning Stone and Sodexo. Most recently, she was the Regional Director of Operations for Sodexo’s college and university accounts in the Northeast. She will oversee a re-structure of the University’s catering department, which has seen demand for its services return to pre-pandemic levels this fall.
Webster acknowledged that this is a particularly difficult time for Catering Services. Demand has risen as the entire Food Services team has faced the same labor shortage as their peers throughout the industry. He envisions a “re-set” for the department. Looking forward, the next step will be searching for and hiring a chef dedicated solely to the University’s catering services.
“In order to better serve our campus and to take care of our employees, we’re going to look at everything we do and make sure we’re doing right by all of our stakeholders,” Webster said. “Our goal is to offer top-quality food and customer service at all of our outlets, and these steps will help get us there.”