What really goes on behind the scenes during lunchtime at AB? The lunch staff work hard and well to provide students with 1200+ lunch meals and 450+ breakfasts, supplying us with necessary nutrition and amazing lunches every week. So, we interviewed our beloved cafeteria workers and toured the kitchen where the magic happens.
Behind the scenes, the operation of the cafeteria is much more complex than it may appear. Each of the staff have their own specific jobs. Some prepare salads, some, like Mr. Flannery, make the pizza, and some people such as Ms. Wang handle the register, while Mr. Flynn works on the main meals.
The kitchen has many storage areas lined with large containers of food. Whether it’s a fridge with meat and other perishables, or a large walk-in storage closet for snacks and dry goods, the kitchen is filled almost daily. Ms. French adds that she has to coordinate orders, usually walking into the kitchen in the morning with boxes covering the floor. The school frequently spends around 4000 dollars towards 50+ orders, ensuring they can supply large amounts of food everyday.
This year, the kitchen has been renovated and now holds new and updated technology for the lunch staff to utilize. Shockingly, they are still missing a dishwasher… imagine the amount of dishes! But with the new freezers and ovens, they are consistently efficient. That is, if there is power. When talking about unexpected moments, Ms. French notes, “When we have a power outage we need to figure out what we’ll serve 1200 students in a short amount of time”, proving it is a moment that demands a lot of adaptability.
Additionally, the lunch staff prioritizes uniqueness in their menus. Ms. French discusses how she likes to try new things, especially after one semester. She looks at other sandwich shop menus and gets inspiration from them. Shortly thereafter, a delicious new lunch option will appear.
Ms. French breaks down her daily work explaining, “I begin work at 6:45 am while two of the cooks are here at 5:30 am and 6:00 am to start our day. We are basically on our feet until we take a break at 1:00 pm.It is a fast -paced job which makes the day go by very fast.”
Beyond the daily tasks, what defines the lunch room is the environment. Although AB students are in the cafeteria daily, their understanding of its inner workings are clouded with mystery. But as ascertained in our interview, it is evident that the cafeteria staff hold great responsibility in ABRHS, as Ms. French remarks “the two meals [they] serve daily may be the healthiest meals students eat all day,” and though students may not realize it “most of the kitchen staff have families whose kids buy school lunch daily” showing how reliant students are on their service.
Not only is there great effort put into every meal, but there is a closeknit community in the community. Ms. French says her favorite part about the lunch staff experience is “working with a great team and serving great students and staff everyday”. Despite the pressures of feeding 1200 students, the lunch staff are able to build a bond and rely on one another to play their part in the AB community. Small moments, such as their weekly “three more lines” jokes on Fridays bring humor into an otherwise demanding routine. These interactions highlight an environment that is deeply collaborative at its core and is essential to the function of the high school.
These features of our school lunch staff are what make them so special. Be sure to always thank them for their hard work, and don’t forget to take a piece of fruit!
