School lunches are a normal part of the school day, in which students are able to use as their break to converse with peers and fuel up for the rest of the day. However, students tend to overlook the people who prepare the lunches–cafeteria workers.
Behind closed shutters, the aroma of food wafts out and envelopes our hallways while the people inside are hard at work.
Newly appointed Cafeteria Supervisor, Joanne Chow Yen, claims, “At 4:30, I wake up. I get here at around 5:45, and I set up the kitchen, get it ready, and get all of the ovens on. As soon as we do that shorter stuff, I help prep with cooking. I help my fellow employees daily with different tasks. I place orders [for food], and I receive orders. The atmosphere here in Foran is very nice, and the kids are very respectful. All of us try to put our best foot forward and help out to make sure that you guys get served on time.”
The cafeteria workers at our school work five hours a day, and they must ensure that the food and kitchen stay sanitized while also kindly serving students with efficiency. However, these people are not randomly picked to complete these key tasks to ensure our lunches are prepared. There is a process to choose the proper cafeteria workers to ensure our school is in good hands.
Principal Max Berkowitz states, “We look for somebody who can work at a high school, who wants to interact with high school students, someone who is patient, hard working, and somebody who is respectful and collaborative with their colleagues. Our cafeteria workers work hard, and students feel like the cafeteria is a safe place to eat and interact with their friends. They’re an important part of our school, and we appreciate them.”
Students at school have their favorite school lunches, yet the people who serve them make the experience all the better.
Freshman Andy Brandon says, “My favorite school lunch is probably either the mozzarella sticks or the chicken sandwich. I think they [the cafeteria workers] are really nice and they make the atmosphere very lively.”
The cafeteria staff works hard to provide students with food and a smile. Their work is what allows schools to function and thrive, even though it may not seem like the most crucial part of a school day.
