The rich smell of tomato soup wafted through the air, laced with notes of garlic, basil, and a hint of black pepper. I could hardly believe what I was smelling as I stepped into the cafeteria. That’s right—our cafeteria now serves dishes like tomato soup and, more recently, Korean fried chicken. But that’s not all that has changed. A menu overhaul is just one of the many improvements South’s dining scene has seen since the beginning of the year.
Walking into the upper cafeteria, you might first notice the newly installed refrigerated shelves. The tall shelf resting against the wall stores beverages and cold meals, while the short display case near the register is home to all the baked goods. Taking a closer look at the new fan favorites—the beverages—several recognizable brands emerge. Stocked full of Hal’s seltzer, Poppi soda, Just Ice Tea, and lately, Gatorade, there’s an endless variety of drinks to keep students refreshed throughout the day. And the best part? To buy a drink, all you need to do is take one off the shelf and head over to the register. The same applies to the “Quick-to-Go” meals, a term coined by Mr. Tom Lynch, the lunch manager at South, for the salads, sandwiches, and bagels sitting at the bottom of the shelf. Even amongst these options, there’s variety, with multiple types of Boar’s Head sandwiches, like roast beef and chipotle chicken, to choose from. By building these self-serving stations where students can assemble a full lunch in a matter of seconds, Mr. Lynch hopes to make getting lunch easier and quicker, especially for those who may not have a lunch period.
Moving to the hot lunch station, clear plastic signs display the day’s hot lunch options. Whether it’s gyros, Korean fried chicken, pupos, or even pasta primavera, it seems like every day a new dish is introduced to the menu. By expanding the menu to cater to a diverse range of preferences, Mr. Lynch tries to “increase [student’s] interest in coming to eat. Over the years, he’s recognized that if the cafeteria is not offering a product that some students want, they may choose to go hungry, a “sad state of affairs,” he hopes to remedy with the changes he’s making. His initiative is promising: senior Laura Zhang notes, “The [menu options] have definitely improved this year. Never would I have thought that the school cafeteria would serve something like a gyro.”
Lunch is not the only meal with an expanded menu. During breakfast, students can now purchase iced coffee. Of course, the existing alternatives of hot chocolate and hot coffee still remain. The same iced teas and sparkling drinks available at lunch are also accessible in the display shelves if slightly less caffeine is desired. Senior Caden Li remarked, “[In the morning,] the iced tea and coffee are on a whole other level.” In terms of food, the cafeteria has recently switched to a different bakery, increasing the variety of pastries, and introducing items like croissants. According to Li, “The new muffins are awesome.”
These overhauls to the menus are the result of Mr. Lynch’s dedication to making school food more appealing. As a part of his process, he listens to feedback, coordinates the purchasing of ingredients, and finds the best vendors for pre-made goods like pastries and sandwiches. By interacting with students at the counter or the register, he gathers ideas for new meals. Then, after verifying the meal’s compliance with government-mandated guidelines, he immediately starts searching for recipes and locating the ingredients needed. Some ingredients are commodity goods received from the government, while others require sourcing from suppliers through bidding—comparing prices and product qualities across multiple suppliers’ bids to find the best value option. Once the ingredients are assembled, within a few days, the perfected dish will be ready for everyone to try.
To Mr. Lynch, these changes are only the beginning. He is always open to suggestions, caring deeply about our nutrition and staying true to his mission to ensure no one goes hungry. If you ever have a dish in mind for lunch, it’s as simple as finding him behind the counter.
