2008 Woodie Awards
Cafeteria Workers Contradict Sodexho on Food Standards
Jeffrey Latzer
Issue date: 11/10/04 Section: News
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Before this 2004-2005 school year began at Manhattan College, tuition was increased, and more money went to the cafeterias to implement "Ultimate Dining," a theory in food preparation which workers in the cafeteria say is ruining food production and creating "chaos" in the meal halls.
Cafeteria workers are vocal about their disagreements with the administration-but only in private, and only anonymously. Their issues concern both the quality and quantity of food served to students, as well as the equality of dining halls in relation to meal plans and cash or ACDs (meal plan cash), and hiring practices of their employer, the Sodexho meal service.
Initially, supervisors would not allow cafeteria employees to be interviewed for this article, however after they were told it would look like they had something to hide, a concession was made. For the sake of their jobs, however, no names will be printed.
One longtime cafeteria worker said, "I used to think the food up in Locke's [Loft] was ok, but it just isn't anymore. I try to prepare food for students like what I'd feed my kids or myself, and now, I wouldn't feed most of this stuff to my children."
Bruce Brandel, the Resident Dining Manager was a bit more optimistic: "The nucleus of Ultimate Dining is from the oven to your plate in three minutes-that's the idea. Food is cooked to order, and after seven minutes, food is discarded in hopes of maintaining a fresher product."
This remark elicited a laugh from employees. One commented, "Go in there and ask the chef what kind of pizza dough they cook with this year and he'll laugh at you. They use pre-prepared frozen 'pies.' No more fresh dough. God only knows what's in them now."
With regards to the discarding of food after seven minutes, one must simply stand in one area of the cafeteria to observe the contrary. Pizza is left out until eaten, and the same can be observed of hamburgers, veggie burgers, and salad creations.
"We've prepared careful demos," Brandel pointed out, "that give us 15-minute windows of food preparation for the demand we will have in that time. You may have to wait a little longer, but there will be a fresher product."
Cafeteria workers are vocal about their disagreements with the administration-but only in private, and only anonymously. Their issues concern both the quality and quantity of food served to students, as well as the equality of dining halls in relation to meal plans and cash or ACDs (meal plan cash), and hiring practices of their employer, the Sodexho meal service.
Initially, supervisors would not allow cafeteria employees to be interviewed for this article, however after they were told it would look like they had something to hide, a concession was made. For the sake of their jobs, however, no names will be printed.
One longtime cafeteria worker said, "I used to think the food up in Locke's [Loft] was ok, but it just isn't anymore. I try to prepare food for students like what I'd feed my kids or myself, and now, I wouldn't feed most of this stuff to my children."
Bruce Brandel, the Resident Dining Manager was a bit more optimistic: "The nucleus of Ultimate Dining is from the oven to your plate in three minutes-that's the idea. Food is cooked to order, and after seven minutes, food is discarded in hopes of maintaining a fresher product."
This remark elicited a laugh from employees. One commented, "Go in there and ask the chef what kind of pizza dough they cook with this year and he'll laugh at you. They use pre-prepared frozen 'pies.' No more fresh dough. God only knows what's in them now."
With regards to the discarding of food after seven minutes, one must simply stand in one area of the cafeteria to observe the contrary. Pizza is left out until eaten, and the same can be observed of hamburgers, veggie burgers, and salad creations.
"We've prepared careful demos," Brandel pointed out, "that give us 15-minute windows of food preparation for the demand we will have in that time. You may have to wait a little longer, but there will be a fresher product."