Eating Like an Athlete at the Grill at 1810

Restaurant in the indoor practice facility allows public to enjoy special nutrition.
Now begins the first fall and first football season at one of the most unique eateries in the Aramark portfolio at Ole Miss. Opened in January, the Grill at 1810 is located in the Olivia and Archie Manning Performance Center (at 1810 Manning Way). Through large windows, guests overlook the turf of the indoor practice facility. But, aside from the view, what really separates the Grill at 1810 from other food outlets on campus is its focus on nutrition.
It’s become a hot spot for Ole Miss athletes to convene for meals, though, like all other restaurants and dining locations on campus, it’s open to all students and faculty and to the public. Unlike those other places, though, the menu is designed for the athletes (and it’s closed to everyone but athletes right now, during football two-a-days, through August 24, lest a civilian have to jockey for postition at the buffet in the midst of hungry linemen). Thus, the Grill at 1810’s invitation to the rest of us is to come “eat like an athlete.”
Whether a guest’s goal is to gain weight, lose weight, or get a high protein meal, it’s all available at the Grill at 1810. Station offerings include fresh fish, a meat carving station, made-to-order sandwiches, expanded salad bar, omelets, and made-to-order eggs. Wheat pizza and pasta are available as well.
Richard Bradley, marketing manager with Aramark at Ole Miss, says the university created the grill to have an outlet on the south side of campus that could cater to the dietary needs of athletes, and the Manning facility is the right fit, as it has become a “hub for athletics.”

Executive Chef Genny Komar is a Johnson & Wales graduate with a master’s degree in food, nutrition, and culinary Sciences. She’s also a registered dietitian/nutritionist, which informs her nutrition-focused menu of athletics-oriented, performance-enhancing meals. She works closely with a nutritionist within the athletic department to fine-tune the menus. “It’s a unique place,” Bradley says. “It can be used for a lot of different things, from catered team meals to day-to-day meal plans. Athletes can buy meal plans specific to this location. All individuals on residential freshman meal plans can come eat here as well.” The grill may even be reserved for events.
Dinner especially, says Bradley, showcases the athletic nutrition angle. “Breakfast and lunch are open to everyone with meal plans, but the dinner is actually an enhanced meal,” he says, noting that the evening meal often features more premium meats, at a higher price point. That’s generally when we really hope to get the public in here to dine. You can see the practice field; it’s an aesthetically pleasing place to eat.”
— Tad Wilkes, tad.wilkes@hottytoddy.com