November 6, 2018
By Daisy Liu and Pranathi Srirangam
Starting at 6 a.m. on any given school day, the cafeteria staff works to prepare for the many students they will be serving that day. The staff has various duties, from catering different events to preparing lunches for students.
“We roughly have 16 people in the kitchen. One or two people are working on catering, but they’re also working on other stuff because most of the workday is based around the student lunches,” Matthew Lacombe, the Chef Manager, said.
Checking overall quality and food ordering is allocated to the higher managerial positions.
“I also deal with receiving all the food that comes into the place. Checking it, making sure it’s of proper quality, and that … what they’re delivering is right,” Lacombe said.
Different staff members are responsible for the various menu options including nachos, sandwiches, burgers, and pizza, each of which must be prepared separately.
“I do the salad bowls, every day. I do preparations for nachos: sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, cheese,” Maria Isabel Doprado, one of the cafeteria staff members, said.
As students, it can be easy to forget how much work goes into preparing school lunches. The staff ensures that the food is always of high quality.
“Everything you guys get is usually fresh every day. The vegetables are cut fresh; we don’t get frozen vegetables in the high school. We make sure that everything goes right, every single day,” Pierre Gerald “G” Bazile, one of two sous-chefs, said.
Although the job can be challenging, the cafeteria staff members collaborate and assist each other so that everyone can get their work done.
“Everybody is working in different parts of the job but we help each other. If I finish something early, I go and help the other ones. Everyone is kind,” Marea Lugo, one of the cashiers, said.
The staff is grateful for the welcoming atmosphere.
“We have a nice team environment. I am happy when I go home,” Doprado said. “If I didn’t like my job, I could just stay home.”
The staff members also say that they enjoy working at the school because there is less pressure than in other working environments, and they have more time to spend with their families.
“I used to be the executive chef at a country club. Here it’s easier, and less stressful. I used to never have time to spend with my kids but with the school I have that time,” G said. “I don't have a lot of pressure, outside of the pressure I put on myself.”
Many of the cafeteria staff members say that working with kids is their favorite part of the job. They enjoy interacting with students and listening to their stories.
“My favorite part is making sandwiches for the students. I like to talk to the students so I’m happy every day. I like working in the deli so I get to see the students,” Doprado said.
Buying lunch can become a quick moment for connection amidst the chaotic school day.
“I was out for three days because I was sick and most of the kids came out and said they missed me, and it made me feel good because I’m like ‘Okay, I’m doing something good,’” G said.
Overall, the staff believes its effort is not going to waste.
“You can’t please everyone but we’re doing a thousand a day and I would say 99% of the kids are really happy.” Lacombe said.
The cafeteria staff continues to find new ways to make buying school lunch a better experience for the students, more recently with regard to efficiency.
“We just purchased a new program called Choosi. It’s a program they use in California, and … it allows a student to have an app on their phone so if they don't want to wait in line, they'll be able to preorder on an app and make their own sandwich,” Kevin Silvia, district manager for Whitsons Culinary Group, said.
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