EXCLUSIVE: New Origins Menu Revealed

InQuire can exclusively reveal what the new Origins Menu will look like when it changes this September.

From 16 September, Origins will be serving an American Smokehouse style menu, featuring pulled pork, beef brisket, and halloumi burgers.

Ditching the very popular Tex-mex theme, this new menu will also offer a “brand new dining experience on campus – something that hasn’t been done before”.

The new style will be in place ready for Freshers’ Week, and we are told that the menu will be better value for money and the prices will reflect a student budget.

In response to the changes, InQuire ran a poll, in which 52% of people said that it was time for a change and the menu should be updated.

Chris Terry, the food and beverage manager for Darwin College, Origins, and Sibson Café, has spoken with us about the changes.

Why are changes being made?

“There are a few reasons why we decided to change the Origins menu: our first and main priority is always to improve the student experience. The menu will offer a brand new dining experience on campus – something that hasn’t been done before – and we hope that students will be as passionate about the new menu as they were about the Tex-Mex theme! We are constantly carrying out market research and benchmarking our services against those on the high street and other universities to ensure our offer evolves, improves, and meets the needs of all our customers. This is evident in the time and effort we have invested into creating the Sibson Café menu, which focusses on vegetarian and vegan food, and K-Bar – a relaxed, chilled out venue that has turned into the most popular bar on campus since its refurbishment in 2016.”

What will the new menu look like?

“The new theme for Origins is American Smokehouse; think beef brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, po’ boys, Texas toast and mouth-watering desserts including campfire classic skillet s’mores. We have vegan and vegetarian dishes too, such as pulled BBQ mushrooms, vegan homeslaw and halloumi burgers with guacamole.”

Were students consulted on the changes?

“Whenever we make changes to our menus, we consult students and staff and arrange focus groups to ensure our customers’ voices are heard. We consulted students on the new Origins menu and they have played a key role throughout the process. We created sample dishes for the large body of students working for Kent Hospitality, and received enthusiastic and positive reactions!”

Will the prices of meals increase with the changes?

“Our prices will continue to be competitive and mindful of the student budget. Our new menu offers better value for money than high street restaurants, but is of the same high quality as would be expected from the popular chains. The new menu has more affordable, lighter options in response to student feedback received via the Mystery Diner scheme. Students are still able to use their FLEX Catering Package (if purchased) and spend their credits on one substantial, hearty meal, or buy two lighter meals instead.”

The responses to the changes have been mixed, what would you say to people who are not a fan?

“We understand that the Origins Tex-Mex menu was well-loved, and the response to our Facebook post announcing the change shows the positive impact the outlet has had on our students’ university experience. We want our outlets to continue to be vibrant, exciting, and fresh, and we feel it is important to introduce changes to stay relevant and keep up with other restaurants. We will still have the same Origins charm, friendly staff and popular Ruby Tuesdays indie nights every Tuesday, 8pm till late. We hope our new menu will be a hit with our students, as we have put in a lot of effort to make it as delicious and contemporary as possible. Please do come and check it out, we will be serving our new menu from September 16th onwards!”

What do you think of the new menu? Let us know in the comments below.