For the Love of the Food

18 December 2012Lindsay B-E, Alex ’14

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food,” said George Bernard Shaw, a playwright and the co-founder of the London School of Economics. I can’t tell you much about writing, or about economics, but I can tell you that this is perhaps the single most accurate quote I’ve ever heard; I do so love a good meal.

After a long day of classes, as the growling of stomachs develops from a steady murmur to a constant rumble, we march over to Crooks Dining Hall, often in the pouring rain and howling winds, for the promise of a nice hot meal and a cup of tea.

Friendly and loveable, the men and women like Chef Napier and Lily H, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring us delicious food three times a day, seven days a week, slave for hours before each meal. For the bakers like Krista and Cindy, the day starts at 6 am. They work straight through until 2 pm. Some cooks like Cathe and Lisa however, often arrive as early as 5:30 am every morning to ensure a fulfilling breakfast is ready for more than 450 people.

I had the delight and the honour to interview some of these amazing and dedicated people, all of whom were welcoming and amiable while they showed me around the massive kitchen. The atmosphere, despite the lunch-hour rush, was light and jovial.

The amount of work that goes into the meals we eat is unbelievable. Between the long hours and the busy schedule, feeding lunch for 500 people is no easy feat. The constant flurry of activity that goes on just through the doors of the kitchen should therefore come as no surprise.

While I was ferried to the various stations (prep, baking, main courses, desserts and dishwashing to name a few) each staff member explained a little of what his or her job entailed. When they finished speaking, I began to gain an inkling of the complex process that occurs every day so as to feed the hordes of ravenous students. The order in which meals are prepared left my head reeling.

Each member of the staff takes great pride in what he or she does, and this was apparent in the passion with which each person spoke. Striving constantly for excellence, the bakers and the chefs dedicate thousands of hours a year to their craft. Wasting is something that they despise, and something they do everything in their power to avoid.

Crooks Hall is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified Building, meaning that it has achieved the highest standard of sustainable architecture, something of which Brentwood is very proud. The building’s location on the stunning waterfront campus is breathtaking; everything within it is manufactured to the peak of excellence. But, as we are often reminded, it is the people that make a school; the caf ladies and the chefs are adored and cherish by all. Always greeting students with a wide smile (Yes, that’s you Lisa Bell) they are eager to help and are always keen to hear feedback.

It was a lovely experience to meet with the people who do so much for all of us, and a reminder of the effort and time expended to do so. If you get a chance, say hi to the kitchen staff. Say thank you too, because they are amazing people.

Lindsay B-E, Alex ’14