For nearly two years, I have cooked in a work-study position at Case Dining Hall. On Jan. 27, I received an email that NC State would recognize Pride in Foodservice Week Feb. 6-10. Students are encouraged to send us supportive notes and messages, and workers will be given ribbons for our name tags and encouraged to share our stories on social media.
In my experience, our student customers consistently bring gratitude to each meal — I have no doubt they appreciate our hard work. However, it does not seem like the University itself plans to make any significant efforts to show appreciation for its food service workers, or it would improve the quality of our workplace.
I have always taken pride in food service because of the care and detail in every step of the process. Staff must be mindful of ingredient contamination that can lead to foodborne illness, aside from considerations of food allergies and restrictions. Food items are held at safe temperatures and replaced on lines to prevent growth of unsafe bacteria, making preparation in parts and regular sanitation vital. On any given day, it seems that we spend more time cleaning the kitchen than working directly with food.
Staff need to be mindful of knife safety, machine dangers and hot items simultaneously. Most of us are on our feet for the entirety of our shift, fighting fatigue and back pain. The environment is fast-paced and potentially dangerous for both staff and customers if all of these areas are not considered by every employee. We are given basic training to each station so in an emergency any team member could fill in.
Case Dining Hall has a reputation for great service, evidence of our care in preparing each meal. We are the smallest dining hall on campus and I have no idea how the other campus kitchen staff are able to manage their meal quotas while balancing all of these unseen factors.
Case also faces technical issues regularly, as there are consistently machines that don’t work properly, such as our fryers or ovens. Instead of fixing them, new hard-to-use machines that seem to only get in the way or slow down our work are installed. We produce the same quality of food and service despite challenges without our guests ever knowing the difference. This doesn’t include the actual preparation that is done before food ever reaches our customers.
When reflecting on my work in food service, I think first of my team. My fellow student workers and I used our first paychecks to buy work shoes. Permanent staff have paid hundreds for parking spots only to risk receiving parking tickets during game days. Staff are expected to work on federal holidays and receive no holiday bonuses. Temporary staff have worked here for years, yet do not know if their positions are secure. Supervisors work mundane tasks alongside us.
I pride myself in the creative ways our team works around numerous broken machines and supports other dining halls. The week meant to honor those in food service is out of touch with what workers need. Instead of buying ribbons and asking for student contributions, I’d rather see the University honor us by asking what would make us feel appreciated. At the very least providing consistently functioning equipment and adequate compensation for our hard work would show the University is as proud of us as it claims to be.
