Scottsdale-based Chef J Perry knows what it’s like to cook at both extremes. He’s plated meals for Jeff Bezos and other A-list clients and he’s spent years inside a university dining hall, where 28,000 meals a day had to be delivered with precision, care, and an eye on cost.
“When you cook for high-end clients, budget isn’t a constraint. But in college dining, the challenge is creating the best food possible at the lowest price,” says Chef J Perry.
That contrast- luxury without limits against institutional constraints- revealed a truth often overlooked: campus food matters. It shapes health, focus, and culture. It influences enrollment decisions and student performance. And it deserves to be taken seriously.
That’s the heart of his upcoming book, Food Fight University: The Campus Dining Revolution (Spring 2026), a behind-the-scenes look at today’s college dining programs. It’s equal parts celebration of what they’re doing right and a cautionary flag on the fight it takes to stay at the top.
The book spotlights ten universities leading the charge in campus dining; schools where culinary programs give local restaurants a run for their money at just a fraction of the cost. While not featured in the book, Perry points to UMass Amherst, often ranked number one for campus dining by The Princeton Review, as an example of what’s possible. The school serves more than 45,000 meals a day, sources locally, and even operates its own permaculture gardens.
At UC Davis, birthplace of farm-to-table and neighbor to Napa Valley, Perry spotlights chefs blending sustainability with creativity, serving produce grown outside dorms. At Oregon State, where he spent nearly a decade, the campus became his lab for balancing scale, sustainability, and student needs.
“Oregon State gave me the strong support I needed to push the envelope and the ongoing educational foundation to help drive innovation and culinary excellence. I discovered a story of innovation hiding in plain sight. Universities growing food on-site, installing solar-powered kitchens, and redesigning menus with authenticity so international students felt truly at home.”
He also uncovered a financial reality that surprised him.
“The sheer amount of money it takes to make real changes on campus stopped me cold.”
For parents, Food Fight University is both comfort and guide. Perry notes dining is now central to college decisions, and parents should ask sharper questions: What’s sourced locally? How are allergies managed? Does the menu reflect campus diversity?
“Parents worry about how their kids will eat on campus. My hope is that this book empowers them to look beyond glossy brochures.”
For students, food fuels energy, balance, and focus, with dining hall habits shaping health long after graduation. For administrators, Perry notes dining has shifted from afterthought to vital pillar of student life and a powerful tool for universities.
“This book should be a tool on every campus tour as students make one of the biggest commitments of their lives; dining is no longer a line item in a budget- it’s a reflection of a university’s values and vision. After finding the inspiration to start, I connected with GMK Book Writing & Publishing. I pitched the idea, and Gary Kreb and his team were excited to help me bring it to life.”
And for chefs, Perry sees higher education as a hidden frontier; a place where culinary talent can grow, innovate, and leave a lasting mark.
“Take your career into campus dining. You’ll be challenged, supported, and have the chance to make a real impact.”
The book also looks beyond college.
“K–12 have the biggest need for change and the greatest challenge, and I would love to help start that conversation.”
At its core, Food Fight University is about pulling back the curtain. The Valley Chef hopes the book sparks conversations on campuses, at kitchen tables, and inside boardrooms.
instagram.com/jperrychef
“I realized there’s an untold story about how college dining departments are driving real change; not just for students today, but for the future of how we eat."