This post was updated May 8 at 10:53 p.m.
Feast at Rieber has relocated to De Neve Plaza due to a rat infestation – and may remain closed for the rest of the academic year.
Feast – also known as the Spice Kitchen at Feast – relocated April 30 following reports of rodent activity at its Rieber Hall location, according to a written statement from UCLA Housing and Hospitality spokesperson. The quick-service dining hall is undergoing deep cleaning, and the Rieber Hall location may remain closed for the rest of the academic year, the spokesperson said in the statement.
The UCLA Dining website did not mention rodents and instead cited “building maintenance” as the reason behind the move. A sign posted outside the dining hall entrance – which shares a building with the Rieber Hall dorm – said the location would resume service after May 9.
Rieber Hall residents and Feast patrons had not received any mass communication from UCLA Housing regarding rodents as of 8:00 p.m. on May 7.
“There has been no impact on food hygiene,” the UCLA spokesperson said in the statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we initiated a full sanitation and deep-cleaning process and temporarily paused operations to ensure we maintain the highest standards of health and safety.”
UCLA Housing has worked with Animal and Insect Pest Management, a third-party pest management vendor, during the closure to assess the infestation and enhance their protocols, including setting and monitoring pest traps, sealing entry points and reviewing sanitation procedures, according to the statement.
Fia Andersen, a first-year anthropology and economics student who lives in the adjacent Rieber Hall dorms, said rat feces had fallen from a vent onto her computer while she was studying last Friday. Andersen added that she reported the incident to her resident assistant but received no follow-up information from Housing staff.
“I don’t feel unsafe or uncomfortable – and I don’t know if I should – but I wish they would have told us more about what’s going on,” Andersen said. “I feel like the second you hear about the rat problem, you should probably get some sort of email.”
Levi Marin, a fourth-year physics student who works at De Neve Residential Restaurant, said in a written statement that he was told by his manager that Feast closed because of issues with “critters.” Some of the Feast staff were relocated to De Neve dining hall, which caused more crowding in the kitchen, he added in the statement.
Marin also said he feels the procedures at De Neve are “pretty clean and sanitary.”
Andersen said her friend also saw a rat in the building lounge in February. A picture shared with the Daily Bruin – which was allegedly taken two months ago in Rieber Hall – showed two rodents inside of a dorm dresser drawer.
A UCLA Dining employee, who requested anonymity to avoid possible retaliation, said Feast staff cited a rat infestation as the cause for the move and that their manager told them it would take multiple weeks for service to return to the location.
UCLA Housing also said in the statement that housing services respond to pest sightings the same day they learn about them by dispatching housekeeping immediately. Animal and Insect Pest Management then performs weekly inspections of traps and monitors dining and residential areas, it added in the statement.
“While urban campuses like ours can occasionally experience pest activity, we are committed to maintaining clean and safe environments for all students and staff,” the spokesperson said in the statement. “We encourage prompt reporting of any issues so that we can address them as quickly and effectively as possible.”
The employee added that they believe UCLA has not done enough to prevent rodent infestations, both in Feast and dining halls in general.
“They’re turning a blind eye to this issue because it’s not an issue yet,” they said. “But I think because they don’t take preventative measures, things like this at Feast happen.”
Contributing reports from Amanda Velasco, Daily Bruin contributor.
