CANTON – Da Kitchen restaurant owner, Jody Pitt, recently shared a Jamaican menu at SUNY Canton with help from Chaney Dining Center staff.

Dining center staff invited to Pitt to cook her specialties.

Pitt is a former student who saw the opportunity to share her cooking alongside the dinner service at Chaney

"Chaney provided the ingredients and I provided my recipes," Pitt said, as she stirred a large pot of rice in Chaney's kitchen. "I'm so happy to see students come out. I love to see people enjoying our food."

She prepared ox tail, curry chicken, rice and peas and jerk pork.

Students lined up for the specialty fares. Tracy T. Miller, a Sports Management Major from Brooklyn, was already a regular customer at Da Kitchen. Miller said he loved the convenience of having the food at the dining center. "I wish they had this all the time," he added.

Susan D. Law, director of dining services, said having guest cooks from local restaurants fits in with the overall mission to tie food services with local vendors and growers. "We like to tie our operations with local businesses whenever we can," she said. "In this case it gives students new options while helping Jody market her business."

Steven W. Maiocco, assistant director of dining and executive chef said, "Our students love to try new things and are very appreciative of the expanded selection."

The Dining Center also hosts local vendor and grower exhibitions each semester to highlight its ties with local businesses.