Lessons in the kitchen: GCCS cafeteria employees and managers get trained on new recipes, safety standards

Clark County

Related Photos

Tia McDonald, program development chef with Aramark, worked in the cafeteria at Jeffersonville High School this week, and trained cafeteria workers from the middle and elementary schools, as Greater Clark County Schools transitions to Aramark's management of the food services department. Staff photo by C.E. Branham
Some of the changes will be making more things in-house, such as pizza from scratch versus ordering delivery from a pizza chain. Staff photo by C.E. branham

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September 4, 2010

By TARA HETTINGER Tara.Hettinger@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Sat Sep 04, 2010, 01:37 AM EDT

JEFFERSONVILLE — Caribbean chicken is a dish Taunya Mann said she’d fix at home.

Now, she along with other Greater Clark County Schools cafeteria managers and employees are learning how to make that for the student lunch line.

This all comes after the district decided to outsource management of the food services department to Aramark, which has said it can increase nutritional value as well as the choices of foods and student participation in lunch.

The move is to create a surplus of $501,000 each year in addition to saving about $243,000 on purchasing, according to the agreement. Marty Bell, chief operating officer for GCCS, said the district will pay $84,000 a year for Aramark’s services.

Mann, who is a floating cafeteria manager, said so far, she’s in favor of the changes.

“I think it’s a good thing. We serve the same thing over and over again and I like the menus I’ve seen,” she said, adding that there’s more fresh fruit and vegetables. “I think it’s more beneficial for the kids.”

All cafeteria managers plus one more employee from each of the district’s schools came to Jeffersonville High School this week to learn more about not only the new recipes, but how to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables, kitchen safety, food safety and more.

Tia McDonald, program development chef with Aramark, said she has tested and created many of the recipes that will be used in the schools. Some of the changes will be making more things in-house, such as pizza from scratch versus ordering delivery from a pizza chain. McDonald said that allows the cooks more control over the nutritional value of foods.

"It only makes sense that we take a back-to-the-basics approach when it comes to cooking,” she said, adding that will help cut back on fat, calories and sodium in foods. “There’s a learning curve to it, but it’s a positive one.”

Many food service workers said they are up for the challenge.

“I’m ready for change. If they want to change, I’m for it as long as we have the equipment and food we need,” said Lula Jones, cafeteria manager at New Washington Elementary. “I’m always ready to learn.”

Aramark’s Scott Williams, the new food service director for GCCS, said school cafeterias will be equipped with the tools needed to be able to prepare fresh foods quickly. He said there will also be training like there was this week to make sure everyone knows how to use the tools.

“I think there’s a great opportunity to increase [student] participation [in buying school lunch],” Williams said. “It will also increase the wellness of the foods.”

He said nutritional value of the foods will be analyzed weekly, versus just making sure a certain number of food pyramid items are being offered as it was before.

Now, it’s about getting the cafeteria employees not only trained, but on board with the idea.

“Some of them are still nervous on how it’s going to go, but I think most of them are warming up to it,” Williams said.

McDonald said the changes will not only be beneficial to students, but workers as well.

“It also gives the cooks not only a different skill set, but they’ll be filled with pride that I made this,” she said.

But for now, it’s getting to that point.

“Overwhelmed. It’s lots of learning,” said Bridgepoint Elementary’s cafeteria manager Peggy Rinn as she sat through training Tuesday. “We’re going to have to cut up our own melons and fresh vegetables. It’s all new. Very new.”

However, she said she likes the idea behind getting kids more nutrients.

“I think the kids need that,” she said, adding that she hopes they will eat the foods and not opt to skip lunch instead.