Food Truck Process

In consideration of the partnership between Pepperdine University and Bon Appetit, the University’s dining services provider, we must be mindful of the following protocol for bringing mobile food vendors to the Malibu campus. Mobile food vendors include food trucks, trailers, pushcarts, and sidewalk grills, but do not include catering food, which is cooked elsewhere and simply delivered to campus. While Pepperdine’s agreement with Bon Appetit allows it the exclusive right to operate food services on the Malibu campus, Bon Appetit has graciously agreed to allow mobile food vendors on campus for special events.

Choosing a Mobile Food Vendor (Step One)

A department or campus organization may bring a mobile food vendor onto campus via Food Fleet or the standard contracting process.

Food Fleet

Bon Appetit has a partnership with Food Fleet a food truck broker with many food trucks already approved through the University. A list of food trucks currently serving the Pepperdine community is available on the website.

Pepperdine's Standard Contracting Process

For any mobile food vendor not part of the Food Fleet network, the University’s standard contracting procedures must be followed:

• A pre-approved mobile food vendor contract template can be obtained from the Office of General Counsel. Any substantive changes to the template must be forwarded to the General Counsel’s office and the Office of Insurance and Risk for review and approval prior to signature or down payment. Ideally, this review should take place at least two weeks before the event.
• Mobile food vendors must also have a current L.A. County health department certificate verifying an “A” rating. 
• The host department must obtain a certificate of insurance from the mobile food vendor and ensure it meets the requirements listed in the contract.

Notifying Departments (Step Two)

Once a mobile food vendor is chosen, notify the following departments/individuals. Mobile food vendor requests received less than 30 days before the event date may be denied due to insufficient processing time at the Los Angeles County Fire Prevention Office.

Pepperdine Business Services

Inform Marcus Williams at marcus.williams@pepperdine.edu, Samara Kleinfinger at samara.kleinfinger@pepperdine.edu, and Jean-Philippe Simonet at jean-philippe.simonet@cafebonappetit.com. 

Public Safety

• Initiate the Fire Life Safety (FLS) Team approval process by completing the FLS Request Form.
  • This ensures the proposed location for the food truck is allowable.
  • The FLS Team will request documentation of applicable food truck inspections, including hood systems and fire extinguishers. 
  • For questions regarding the FLS form, please reach out to jason.jensen@pepperdine.edu and mark.lauren@pepperdine.edu.
• If there is a need for reserved parking after FLS approvals are made, the requestor complete the Parking Reservation formor contact parking@pepperdine.edu. 

Please contact the Offices of the General Counsel or Insurance & Risk Management with any questions.