Perhaps the highlight of an average Fairfax day are the breakfast and lunch breaks in the cafeteria, the “hub” of all Fairfax conversation, gossip, and enjoyment. But who are the people who provide us food every day? What hoops do they jump through just to get students what they need? Our lovely cafeteria staff take their time to make sure we have all the healthy food a child would need, and their process for creating a meal plan like this is not as easy as one would think. Every cafeteria staff member has a story to tell, and today, we’re going to hear them. 

Annie has been working in the Fairfax cafeteria for 12 years. Previous to this experience, though, she worked in kitchens for 18 years. She described how understanding the kitchen is a “big responsibility” and noted that it takes time to completely master the space. In Fairfax, she sets up the fruits and vegetables for the students before operating the cash register. While she enjoys the process of serving the food, she finds “communicating with recurring students” (students who already got food but get back in line) the most challenging aspect, especially when she has to turn them down when there is no more food left to give. Regardless, Annie loves her work as a part of the Fairfax staff, and finds joy in spending time providing meals to students.

Med has been working in the Fairfax cafeteria for almost two years. Prior to this, he worked at Whole Foods for 10 years where he managed as Head Chef. Med asserts that one of his favorite aspects of the job comes when people enjoy the food they eat: “You feel good when you see others feeling good from what you made.” He connected his experience as a Head Chef to his current work at Fairfax, elaborating on how the work ethic in both environments is relatively the same. “Every day is a good day if you like your job,” Med explained, which points to the smile he always seems to have.

Andrew has been working in the Fairfax cafeteria for seven years, but his time at Fairfax didn’t just start seven years ago. In 2010, Andrew graduated from Fairfax, and now, a decade later, he’s a distinguished member of the community. When asked whether the food was better now than it was when he was in school, he said, “When I went to school the food was nowhere near as healthy as it is now.” His dedication to the work arises from his love of cooking as he describes how he “loves learning different ways of making food.”