Visitors to Yale’s dining halls and cafés are greeted by the enticing aroma of daily lunch offerings such as rotisserie chicken, pork dumplings, or wild mushroom pasta. Small food tags accompany each dish, detailing ingredients and allergens, helping diners make safe eating choices. For those requiring more specific dietary guidance, Sarah Kiel is there to help.
A registered dietitian, Kiel joined Yale Hospitality in 2022 as the Health and Wellness Manager. While a large team works behind the scenes to procure, prepare, and serve meals, Kiel’s primary focus is supporting the health and well-being of students and anyone dining at Yale. She works closely with Student Accessibility Services and Yale Health, often receiving referrals from these departments. For students with food allergies ranging from mild to severe, Kiel serves as the initial point of contact.
“Our team, including chefs, cooks, and dining hall managers, handles day-to-day food accommodations,” she said. “They cultivate relationships with students and become familiar with their specific needs. The team invests considerable care and effort to ensure students are well-fed, satisfied, and enjoy their meals.”
Supporting students
Students and student-athletes connect with Kiel about everything from food allergies to healthier options to certain dietary requirements. “I provide personalized support in various ways,” she said. “For special accommodations, I meet with students and introduce them to the dining hall managers to discuss their needs. I also collaborate with athletic teams, joining them for meals or meeting with their trainers to address sports-specific nutrition.”
Kiel helps students navigate the dining spaces and understand options. For instance, if they eat at Med Café often and want to understand what’s best for them, Kiel will meet them there to help create a nutritious plate.
Beyond her primary responsibilities, Kiel occasionally conducts workshops at The Good Life Center. Topics, tailored for graduate students, cover healthy eating, grocery shopping, and meal preparation.
Menu Development
New menu development at Yale Hospitality is a collaborative effort involving the entire culinary team. Kiel ensures that dishes are accessible to as many students as possible while providing a range of choices that are both healthy and satisfying. “This process involves many individuals — chefs, the marketing team, and procurement staff. My role is just one part of a larger effort,” Kiel explained.
The hospitality team adopts a “plant-forward” approach to menu-planning, shifting the focus away from meat as the centerpiece of every meal. One particularly popular dish among all diners (besides the famous chicken tenders) is the vegetarian stuffed pepper. “The stuffed pepper is substantial and widely enjoyed, so we’re developing more options similar to it for our newest menu,” Kiel added.
Kiel provides personalized support for students in various ways. She meets with students to discuss accommodations and collaborates with athletic teams.
Nutrition misinformation
Kiel was drawn to her profession by a frustration with what she saw as a prevalence of nutrition misinformation, particularly on social media platforms. She felt compelled to provide clarity while fulfilling a desire to help others. “I love food, regional dishes, grocery shopping, farmer’s markets, and trying new recipes,” she said. “Being able to talk about food every day while helping people was key. It’s fun and rewarding.”
Before joining Yale, Kiel gained valuable experience as a registered dietitian for a small, family-owned grocery store chain, which provided her with insights into the retail side of the food business. “Every aspect of the food industry fascinates me,” she added. “I’m particularly interested in food origins, producers, and supply chains.”
Sarah’s recent picks
Kiel enjoys getting out of the office and going to Elm for its delicious coffee and healthy snack choices, including yogurt and the grab-and-go dates.
For comfort food, she’ll stroll up Sachem’s Wood Park to Steep Café for their grilled cheese (with truffle oil) and the great view. When lunching at Commons, which offers four different food stations and lots of variety, Kiel heads straight for the Rooted station and “some excellent veggie options.”
