Riffle brings heart, creativity to BGSU dining services

As executive chef with BGSU Dining by Chartwells, Marissa Riffle has an enormous impact on the daily life of Bowling Green State University. From personal interactions with students and staff to food for special events to the variety of everyday meals, Riffle’s dedication to excellence is beyond compare.

In recognition, she was recently named Executive Chef of the Year for Chartwells Higher Education’s Mid-Atlantic region.

“Her title tells you her job but does not convey the passion with which she does her job,” wrote Jon Zachrich, director of marketing and communications for BGSU Dining, in nominating Riffle for the award. “Her job title cannot accurately describe the joy of food and cooking she communicates with those she teaches and mentors. What she does and who she is shines through in every project she works on, classes taught or people she helps.”

Riffle is involved in all aspects of BGSU Dining, working to support her team’s success, Zachrich said.

“The number of events on Chef’s calendar on any given day is mind-blowing,” he said. “She juggles events, workshops, catering, Teaching Kitchen classes, menu specials, and anything else that may come up with ease and grace. Chef has dedicated countless hours to ensure that the students of BGSU have more than food to eat. She helps create a place they can feel comfortable to live in.”

Along with her team, Riffle has extensively developed the Teaching Kitchen concept, to great acclaim from students and employees. “She has worked with a multitude of groups both on and off BGSU’s campus to create a space for students to learn, cook and enjoy,” Zachrich said. “The Teaching Kitchen has done over 50 different events in only a six-month period with no less than rave reviews.”

Recognizing that people are at the heart of the success of any organization, Riffle is eager to help any employee who shows an interest in learning more or moving up in their job or career, Zachrich said. This included student Allie Godfrey, whom Riffle noticed had been a regular at all the Teaching Kitchen events. She invited Godfrey to be a student intern, and now Godfrey is working as a culinary and graphic design intern for BGSU Dining’s marketing department and has expanded her career directions.

Riffle has been with BGSU Dining for 17 years. Through her wide-reaching network of BGSU faculty and staff, she serves on numerous committees both on and off campus to support the greater mission of the University, Zachrich said. She helped develop and direct the Zero Waste All-Campus Picnic, and BGSU Dining’s interactive exhibits at Women in STEM Day and other community events are always highly popular. With BGSU Registered Dietitian Daria Blachowski-Dreyer, Riffle is supporting special episodes of the PBS show “Ruby’s Lunchtime,” a child-centric cooking show about creating healthy and fun snacks and meals with young children from the Bowling Green community and surrounding area.

“She is involved in her community in many ways, doing her best to bring her love of food to others,” Zachrich said.