UCLA Dining employees curate specialized playlists for diners to enjoy, from Epicuria’s European melodies to Bruin Plate’s upbeat soundtrack.

Dan Csolak, a UCLA Dining services manager, said he and assistant general manager Constantine Maureas create playlists for regular service and themed dinners at Bruin Plate and Epicuria.

The dining managers work with Gray V – a company that creates soundtracks for businesses – to curate Spotify playlists for each dining period, Maureas said. While the UCLA Dining managers sometimes produce a playlist long enough for the entire service period, Maureas added that they often choose four or five songs that Gray V then adds on to.

“They are curating their own playlist and their own iterations for each concept, but slowly but surely, (I am) peppering in some of the trending things or some of the classics that I want to share with people,” Csolak said. “It’s been a very productive, very fun relationship, and they really handle so much of the technological aspects.”

Epicuria dining managers curate playlists based on different languages – incorporating Greek, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Persian sounds.

Bruin Plate’s healthy options pair well with punchy, modern music, Csolak said. He added that morning tracks often feature relaxed orchestral tracks, while the dining halls tend to play classics and trending songs later in the day.

Bruin Plate playlists also feature country, bluegrass tracks and popular radio hits from the 1930s and 1940s to honor California farming culture. This is in line with the dining hall’s farm-to-table approach, Maureas said.

“It’s been very cool to see all the different styles, genres, themes, and especially over here at Epicuria, when we have a bit more multilingual and multinational representation,” Csolak said.

The service hour playlists receive seasonal updates but generally stay consistent, Maureas said. The managers, though, create custom playlists for themed meals – like the Jan. 28 Bruin Plate chili pepper dinner.

The chili pepper themed dinner playlist featured songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as songs about heat and spice, Csolak said. A philoxenia themed dinner at Epicuria featured Greek artists and songs about Greek gods, mythology and hospitality, Maureas said.

Csolak said Bruin Plate has a unique closing mix tape created by employees, who often stay at the dining hall until 11 p.m. The collaborative playlist helps end the day on a high note, he added.

Anthony Rivera, a cook at Bruin Plate, said the music motivates him when working. Hearing throwbacks like Nirvana and The Smiths during regular service hours takes him back to middle school and puts him in a good mood, he added.

“It goes with the flow that’s going on in here – everybody’s eating, everybody’s enjoying the music,” Rivera said. “There’s some times where you hear it and I just start cooking a little bit better, start doing a little bit more extra stuff, just because I feel more comfortable with the music that’s going on.”

The closing shift playlist features various genres and artists – including rock, salsa, rap, Taylor Swift and even the theme song for children’s show Barney & Friends, Rivera said.

He added that he believes the music played during service hours can sometimes better represent the diverse backgrounds and tastes of employees and students.

Emily Elien, a second-year astrophysics student, said Epicuria’s “iconic” music contributes to its atmosphere. She added that she appreciates employees’ efforts in curating playlists.

“I’m pretty happy with the music choices, and I feel like it does add to the atmosphere,” Elien said. “It’s definitely a positive. I think it’s very cultural.”

Music, Maureas said, is important because it bridges cultures and makes guests feel welcome.

“Hospitality means welcoming everybody in, and whether they’re familiar or someone’s not familiar, eventually we all have a lot in common,” he said. “Music kind of ties that together – and that’s what we’re going for.”