Before the first feet start to shuffle through the doors and the hallways are filled with chatter, Haven’s lunch staff is in the kitchen, gearing up for a long day of meal prep and serving.
While lunchtime is a prominent part of the school day for many Haven students, the culmination of work that goes into the third block frenzy consistently flies under the radar.
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Food Services are powered by The Nutrition Group, a food and facilities management company that prepares and serves nearly half a million meals per day. According to their website, in partnership with K-12 schools, The Nutrition Group works to “mentor, train, and coach the staff. By doing so, we invest in both their success and our success in fulfilling our promises to you.”
Throughout the WSSD community, cafeteria staff members provide friendly smiles and fulfilling meals despite the diligent labor it takes to fuel hundreds of kids daily. For some, day-to-day tasks look like attending to a variety of duties.
“I come in in the morning and I make breakfast, and get ready for tomorrow,” staff member Carolyn Conrad said. “At a certain point, I start making salads. Then, I make desserts, and then I do the cash register. Between the cash register period, I refill whatever needs to be restocked.”
For many staff members, preparation serves as the most time-consuming component of the cafeteria.
“A typical day is setting up and prepping for lunch at the deli, and then serving,” staff member Phyllis Tezla said. “People may not see the hard work we put into it all before it’s made.”
For district chef Aaron Marson, each day is a surprise as he travels between elementary, middle, and high schools.
“My day changes from day to day depending on where I’m needed. Whether it’s catering for the district or pulling in for a cook, I bounce around to all five schools,” Marson said.
As they are serving such a wide range of ages, from elementary to high schoolers, the staff puts special thought into what works best for each demographic.
“We take pride in the food that we put out for you guys,” Marson said. “We try to create some different menu items that will really adapt to the high school or the elementary school.”
Only a portion of the cafeteria staff’s daily responsibilities happen before the students’ eyes. While the student connection aspect is important, there is a lot to be said for all that occurs behind kitchen doors. Multi-year staff member Paul Brooks knows this well.
“We always make sure the food is set and ready, and we always prep it every day,” Brooks said. “We also make sure we have everything in stock.”
As cafeteria staff continue to put their best foot forward for the community, students showing their appreciation makes all the difference.
“We just hope that the kids come in, and that they’re well fed and happy when they leave,” Brooks said.
