During my snack shack experiences throughout the past month or so I learned how to communicate in the kitchen to get orders out quickly. I realized how important it is to be clear and concise. I learned that when talking in the kitchen you have to be direct and loud so the people on the grill know what to make. If you do not speak direct and loud it will cause confusion which will slow down the process of getting food out or cause them to make the incorrect order. Along with being direct and loud you have to listen, otherwise you’ll miss something to make.  I found that during the snack shack experience the first few games were a little hectic because we were new to working in the snack shack. We didn’t know how to correctly communicate with one another. Once the games went on we started to get the hang of things, and orders started coming out faster.

                I found the snack shack experience fun but difficult because it was like actually working in a kitchen. So much of what happens depends on the amount of customers; however even on a slow day organization Is crucial. It was fun because you got to work with your friends while cooking food and overall it’s a positive atmosphere. Improvements that I would make during my next snack shack experience would be to work faster and pay more attention with whom and what is around you.  Since last time, there were problems of people tripping over each other; if this isn’t fixed then productivity in the kitchen will be weakened. It can also be dangerous considering that there is a grill, a deep fryer and other hot appliances. In a disorganized kitchen accidents often happen but here the pace is a little different and everyone has to be constantly aware of it.

Kelly B

           Throughout the course of working at the snack shack I have gained a lot of experience toward my goal of becoming a chef. These times were the first that I have prepared food for anyone other than my family so it was partially nerve-racking. After we opened the first Snack Shack and we got into our groove it became soothing again to cook. Weather it was during a Half-Time rush or a Girls Soccer stand-still either way working brought enjoyment. The first time that I had worked in the snack shack I was put on Fat Sandwiches, which was a new experience because I had never put so much food on such a roll. This became a piece of cake after a while because you begin to become used to what you are making and it becomes muscle memory. It’s almost like an emotional bond between you and every sandwich that you put out because you feel as if you know what you just made better than you know how to tie shoes, not that they’re related. My favorite memory of the snack shack was when an eight or so year old child ordered a fat sandwich with his brother and when the sandwich was handed to him in the boat his eyes widened and all I could think of was the joy that came from that boy while he was eating that sandwich. My life goal of becoming a chef has to start somewhere and that somewhere for me was in the snack shack. I will forever remember the place where I started my foodservice career and it will be in the tight workspace that I have come to love called The Snack Shack.

Hayden S

Alexa Rose

Hoags & Nueyms

Blog

10/7/2012

 

When attending my first snack shack, everything was set up and ready to go. Although I wasn’t working a football game we did sell a decent amount. At first I thought the game would be somewhat packed but unfortunately not. But as the game was progressing, more people started to show up.  As Kelly and I were making the hot chocolate, it came across me that we did not need as much as we thought we were going to need. Therefore, by the end of the night we had sold barley any coffee and hot chocolate and we ended up throwing most of it away. Besides that, we sold a good amount of hamburgers and cheese burgers. I was on the grill flipping burgers and staying on top of the amount we had left in the hot box. If we only had a couple left I would put at least 5-6 more burgers on the grill so we wouldn’t be behind if someone wanted one.

Also, the fat sandwich station was somewhat in order but the person working the table wasn’t very mentally organized when it came down to making them. The job got done but it seemed like people were kind of all over the place when it came down to someone wanting a fat sandwich. Fries and chicken tenders definitely sold the most. Everybody from kids to elders loves fries and chicken tenders because they are so easy to make and eat. But at the end of the day it wasn’t a very busy night and we didn’t make as much money as we thought we would. Overall everyone participated and worked together to get the job done.

 

 

                For the boys soccer game last week I had many different thoughts on how the snack shack worked that night. For starters we were short on staff which made it hard to get prepared in time but the people we had there including myself managed just fine. But the only problem with being successful in the snack shack is that it’s not all up to the workers it’s also up to the buyers to come and purchase food which on this particular night there weren’t that many people coming to buy food. We had one rush that we handled well but were starting to have to rush to keep everything in supply and to make sure we didn’t run out. Also the fat sandwiches got a little behind because there were no mac and cheese bites and I had to run to the classroom to get them which left nobody on the fryer and people waiting on fat sandwiches. But after those few problems even though we had a few people missing we managed just fine and sold a fair amount of food. For a boys varsity soccer game and especially because it was soccer fest the turnout was on the low side but hopefully we will manage to sell more at the football game and make back what we lost.  

Miles D

 

My most recent experience at the snack shack (oct 19, 2012) went pretty well. It was the boys and girls soccer game. I showed up a bit late (30 min), but after that it was all smooth sailing. i worked the front again and overall i could say it was quite a little amount of people. I may only be saying that because i've only worked friday night football games up to that point, but to me it didn't seem like a lot of people. I thought i performed my task well, but i feel i could have helped move along the line some more whenever we got a rush of people. i still need to work the grill, but overall the night went well. Cleaning up was done properly and everyone did something helping move it along quickly. Enea

 

            Other than a few tiny mishaps that have been had been amended, our last Saturday server went quite well. When we were given a very difficult order, like one gentleman who demanded to have his fat sandwich redone because he thought the meat was too pink, we merely bit our tongues and whipped a new one up for him. Perhaps the meat was not cooked sufficiently, but in any event he was very picky about the whole thing.

 

            While he held up the line though, the cashiers, myself included, managed to keep the orders coming, asking those in the back of him to give us their orders. Our change giving was precise and prompt, and there was even time for some banter (Which is always when I am on duty!) to keep the attention of everyone and get a few laughs for everyone’s benefits.

 

            Now that the positives have been examined, it’s time for those mishaps: A cup of coffee was spilt on one of our workers, but there are no hard feelings from it anymore. To prevent this from now on, we all have to be careful when we are moving to get food and drinks, because the passage ways can be narrow. The other notable misdemeanor was some smack talk exchanged between a very rowdy group of customers from Notre Dame (Yes, all freshman boys, if that) and one of our servers. However, I am proud to report that we gave them what they wanted and set them on their way without much of a fuss, which would have normally been an appropriate response, considering just how crude they were. 

Sam S

 

 When I worked in the snack shack, it was my first time and it was a semi-packed day.  The whole first half of the game we had a line.  My job was to take orders and wrap the food.  I was getting people drinks, along with the boat foods (chicken fingers, mozz sticks, onion rings).  I would get that while other people would take the money.  It was a good and fun time, I am also working twice this week, so it should be a fun day.

Ryan R

Snack Shack Blog-10/23

                This snack shack was a shake up. Usually running the counter, I decided to move to fat sandwiches. The prep was much different, as counter doesn’t really involve any prep. Mise en place was a must! And oh would you be in trouble without it. I had to make sure all my sauces were out and ready, rolls were cut, and had to check in with the grill person to ask for burgers for my sandwiches, as well as the fry person to ask for onion rings or fries or other additions to fat sandwiches. Communication was key! Get 2 or 3 orders and you can easily become lost and forget what’s being ordered. There were times where I would get an order and have nothing available because I didn’t let anyone know that I needed something. So again, communication is key! I the snack shack, its all about talking!

Snack Shack-Field Hockey 10/16

                As usual, another steady night at the snack shack. Everything went smoothly, as everyone was on top of their station. The prep list was all checked off and the shack was full with our necessities. The food was made to order, and the front counter workers politely took orders as the back grill and fryer worked coherently to put out the decadent food. Cleaning was made easy toward the closing of the shack as tidy pickup was done throughout the night, making a quick wipe down haste toward the end. Minor panic may have ensued, due to the lack of knowledge based on where things were when needed for an order, as some items weren’t where they should have been. Other than that, a flawless night.

                This snack shack was a busy one and a bit hectic too. Transitioning from the afternoon football game, the previous crew did a good job of prepping the stations for us to come in for the Boys Soccer Senior Night. Being a Senior night, we had to be on our A game, so some food was done in advance and stored in the hotbox to utilize later (which did end up paying off greatly). There were two counter workers up top taking orders, offering suggestions, and jumping back and forth between candy, money, and drinks. The line was steady in the back, not only putting out food for orders, but cooking for a later time where an emergency may occur. Of course, cleaning slowed down as we all had our dinner, but overall a pretty successful night!

Snack Shack Blog 10/20/12

             This snack shack event will go down in history as the first double header snack shack, running straight from 3 pm all the way to 9pm this past Saturday. Open for the Varsity football game against Notre Dame, then directly following to the Varsity Boys Soccer game “Senior Night”. The heat and sweat was a constant, as taking over for the tired afternoon workers pleasured them greatly. The food was non-stop, and by the end of the night we had barely anything left over. Even the opposing team bought a large $200 order from us. Overall, it was a solid day and even more solid night that proved very successful for the culinary program.

Snack Shack-Field Hockey 10/16/12

                Another fun night at the snack shack. Friendly faces as usual, and good food a must. With a small crew, the job got done efficiently and effective, everybody on manned and ready on their station. Perhaps minor panicking here and there when something needed was nowhere to be found, but aside from the minute negatives, overall another fun night! 

Tom C

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Mrs. Hoagland,

 Last night wash quiet night. Although our sales weren't high, all of our sales were made successfully. There were no wrong orders, problems, etc. I probably ate more food then we sold, but it was well worth getting the practice and experience to prepare for a night where it will be busier.

Here is that pic of John.

 From,

 Jake

    I have to say that doing the snack shack is probably one of my favorite experiences from culinary during the year. I remember last year when Neumeyer told my class that we had to do five snack shack events, I was so nervous. It was really intimidating. All of these people screaming orders in your face.  I honestly thought I was going to die. But after my first snack shack even junior year, I wanted to do so many more. It was a blast. Talking and fooling around with all the kids in your class and just the whole hands on real world experience. Nothing in culinary beats the snack shack events. This year so far I did most of the football games. Those are my favorite games to work because it is the busiest. It makes it more fun and you work harder.  The first football game I worked was very unorganized. No one really knew what they were doing and had a hard time communicating with each other. We made it through the night but it was very hard. Many orders were put out slow. The second and third games were much better. Everyone was communicating a lot better, especially the fat sandwich area which is where it was needed. But once everyone and everything got rolling the snack shack was a blast, the way it’s supposed to be.   Participating in the snack shack really helps you with working with others, speaking up and being a leader.  For me in the snack shack it is a huge adrenaline rush.  I love it; I love everything about it. I don’t really know how to explain it, I just love it. I love looking back at the end of the night and seeing how much we accomplished. Every time someone asked me about the snack shack, I explained how fun it is.  The snack shack is one of those memories I will cherish.

Kristy P

 The first time I had to work was a Thursday night varsity soccer game. There was pressure in the air since we had a un experienced staff working, with hunter as the only person with past experience in the snack shack. We also had another hill to overcome which was a new executive chef as in Mr.Hoagland. He however was very experienced in the restraunt atmosphere so he knew what we had to do.  Right away we were put to the test, we had to pat the health exception...  She went around the snack shack first making sure everything was clean and up to standards, while all of us made our selfs look busy at work prepping for a busy night ahead. She then asked some questions to the group, very simple ones, like oh why are meets at the bottom of the fridge, or when should you wash your hands. After 10 minutes or so, she saw enough, she told us we passed and wished us good luck and went off. We all felt victorious as if we won 1 battle, but we still had the war of the night to deal with.

It went very smoothly I was on the fry station/fat sandwiches whenever Haiden needed help, which was very little since he was a beast, just putting sandwiches away. I kept up with the orders for the most part on the fry station, with the only thing falling behind was the Mac and cheese bites, that was really the night that the Mac and cheese bites started selling, in the juicy Lucy.

By the end of the night we were all tired with some kids escaping before they had to clean up, but not Lauren hunter, and I. We brought all the carts down and prepped the sinks and threw them in there for them to soak overnight. I really enjoined my first time working bonding with all of the other workers and really was a good first time at the snack shack.

        My second time working was a very different atmosphere having, Mr.Neumeyer there and it being a football game. I had culinary class that day so right away i understood how razy this was going to be, with me having to prep 10 hotel pans of fries, with Mr.Neumeyer hoping that would last us for atleast half of the night. We had a good staff working with Lebinski on the fat sandwiches, hunter on grill, and me on the frying station. Together i thought we were a very successful trio. We all communicated very well, letting each other know what we needed more of, and helped each other out if one of us had a lot of work to do at onc.

        One thing I wish everyone including myself could reemeber would be to be very clean. I mean its not like im throwing food all over the place, just sometime when your in a rush, your drip some oil there, or maybe drop a fry under the fryer, just small things that you can’t realy just stop what your doing and clean that little mess up. However it adds up, and it adds up very quickly. By half time the snack shack look liked a mess, with the floors a slippery as of a public pools bathrooms. That made everything alot harder, since we now had the factor that you could loose your footing and fall down, especially when you are going from the fryer to the hot box, with the hotel pans of hot food, since you have to travel through the frying and grilling station, by far the most two dangerous areas for greece.

        Another issue we had was the ventilation in the beginning of the night, the vents weren't sucking all the smoke out, so our snack shack looked like it was on fire, with steam from the fryers and the grill top just making a thick smog of clamy air. It made it for an uncomfortable 10 mins, until we figured out what the issue was.

        I really enjoyed working with john and hunter, and i hope we wil be together for the big Masuk game next next wednesday, since we will be ready.

James M

 

When attending my first snack shack, everything was set up and ready to go. Although I wasn’t working a football game we did sell a decent amount. At first I thought the game would be somewhat packed but unfortunately not. But as the game was progressing, more people started to show up.  As Kelly and I were making the hot chocolate, it came across me that we did not need as much as we thought we were going to need. Therefore, by the end of the night we had sold barley any coffee and hot chocolate and we ended up throwing most of it away. Besides that, we sold a good amount of hamburgers and cheese burgers. I was on the grill flipping burgers and staying on top of the amount we had left in the hot box. If we only had a couple left I would put at least 5-6 more burgers on the grill so we wouldn’t be behind if someone wanted one. Also, the fat sandwich station was somewhat in order but the person working the table wasn’t very mentally organized when it came down to making them. The job got done but it seemed like people were kind of all over the place when it came down to someone wanting a fat sandwich. Fries and chicken tenders definitely sold the most. Everybody from kids to elders loves fries and chicken tenders because they are so easy to make and eat. But at the end of the day it wasn’t a very busy night and we didn’t make as much money as we thought we would. Overall everyone participated and worked together to get the job done.
Alexa R

Working the snack shack can get pretty hectic. Sure you prep some food before the fans even arrive at the stadium, but it’s ridiculous how quickly you go through food. You can make 50 cheeseburgers and you’ll need more by halftime. On a cold night such as it was on Tuesday, we went through four large containers of hot chocolate and ran out before we the game had even ended. Given we were serving through two games, that’s still a lot of hot cocoa. What I noticed most while working was how fast everything is. You get sudden waves of people just washing in wanting food. Everything gets loud with the customers ordering, and the people at the window shouting back the orders to the people at their stations. There’s no doubt you’re going to leave that cramped room with 10 other people in there with a head ache. It truly is an experience to remember though. The camaraderie of the group grows with every order, but so does the tension. At the end of the night, even though we don’t get paid, and we have to clean up the next day, I’d go back and do it all again. Being able to snag free food at the end of the night from all the left overs isn’t a bad deal either though. Especially because there is so much left over (usually, probably not during football). I remember Tuesday night I made a double cheeseburger topped with chicken tenders, ketchup and hot sauce. I guess the free food part of the night acts as an experimental process as well. So I guess it’s all right that we don’t get paid… I guess. But all in all, just a good old time.

Eric F

Blog For Snack Shack

                Working in the snack shack is a great experience in the real world of cooking as a business. I remember working as a cook back in the day, and it was really difficult because I didn’t have the skills necessary to succeed. But working in the snack shack helped me learn how to work in the high speed environment of a cook.

 

                Last time in the snack shack, I worked as the grill master, grilling hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers. I learned some valuable tips from pro cook Hoagland that helped me cook burgers and hot dogs correctly. Hot dogs are already precooked when we get them, so the way we cook it is by cutting it in half, and then cooking it on both sides, this helps it heat up faster, and gives a better crunch on the skin, which apparently people enjoy. Then on the burgers, I have to wait until the juice pools on the top before I flip it. To ensure that the burger is cooked all the way through. I’m sure that those tips helped me become a better, and more efficient chef.

Ralph S

The snack shack experience has given me a new perspective on working in the culinary field. Some things that I noticed while in the snack shack was that we never seem completely prepared, we were always running back to the culinary room to get something that we forgot. I think that preparedness  should be something that we should be graded on because it takes time to keep running back when we could have just brought everything up the first time. Another thing that I noticed that we should work on is to clean as we go. A couple times I noticed that there were fries on the floor or on the counter that we should have cleaned up as we got time to do so. I noticed that as the year progressed we began to get better at these things because we would start to fill carts with dirty dishes as we went so that when we closed there was less cleaning to do. I think that we did well communicating the orders to each other especially between the fat sandwich station. I think that communication could be part of the grading because it is important in getting the orders out the most efficiently. Overall I think that we did a good job in the snack shack as the year progressed. I think it was a good idea when we fry some fries before we open so that we are prepared for the rush of people that we get at football games.

Matt B

 

So far this year in Culinary, I have done three different services, all of them football games -- so I am not able to tell you that I sat idly at any of them! Rather, it is quite interesting to see how we act together under pressure, as Friday night football is about as intense as it gets! So we managed to get through all three of them without any major disasters, the hardest variable I find being the type of costumer you get and the sheer number that are there to serve. It takes just one difficult customer, either 'this burger is too pink' or 'I didn't want ____ on this' (Even though they asked for it that way) and then we have the obligation/responsibility to still get it right for them. But while we are now taking three times as long as we should have on this one person, the lines have added ten people!
So having several order takers is a must, something like three to four at max. The rest is fairly simple, being one person at every station, perhaps two at the grill to crank out burgers, grilled cheese, etc. And while they could be the fastest chef in the world, I doubt they would be able to make much of a dent if they didn't keep enough food where we need it, i.e., ample hotdogs in the hot box.
One other thing that I have noticed is that we sometimes have more people than is necessary, to the point that we are tripping over each other, many a near collision I have watched: To get hot chocolate, we need one person. The coffee is (usually) right next to the hot chocolate. The fries are then also right next to the hot chocolate. Rather than have someone for hot chocolate, coffee and fries, why not just have one person? Sure, that person will have to look alive, but that's better than packing the snack shack with people who aren't really doing much.

 That being said, I think definitive positions should be assigned, not the semi-defined groups we have right now, so we can always be 100% sure whether or not we have enough for the upcoming game.

That's all for now!

Sam S

Blog Numero Uno

            So, working the snack shack was, slower than I thought it would be. I’m pretty sure it was guys soccer and a Thursday evening or something. They got a good crowd going, but the snack shack seemed relatively slow, or maybe we were just efficient? Either way things ran mostly smoothly, and I can’t remember any major hiccups or problems that night.

            One thing that I did notice though, was that I wasn’t sure if everyone washed their hands when they got there. It doesn’t really matter for cashiers, but even if you’re cooking and wearing gloves you should still wash your paws before hand. I’m not saying that nobody washed their hands, but I did not notice many people doing it. Maybe they did and I just was busy doing something else, I don’t know.

            Also, I was talking to some people after the game, and they were saying that the French fries were kind of soggy, or just really greasy. So I was thinking instead of transferring them from the fryer to a hotel pan, maybe we could put them in one of those hotel pans with holes on the bottom, so we could let them drain more before placing them in the heater thing. Or we could put a paper bag at the bottom of the pan so that it helps soak up some of the extra grease.

            A way that we could clean up faster is that if it’s slow, before we start closing up a few people could start cleaning. For example maybe they could start stacking pans that we were done using onto one of the carts. And maybe organize the fridge/freezer if it’s looking a little sloppy… They could also put some of the candy and chips away too, which might save some time.

            Also, I am very concerned that security gets free food. It is understandable that the janitors get some because they work really hard at those games, and deserve some free food for their hard efforts. The security on the other hand, do nothing but supervise the perimeters, which wasn’t even necessary at that game because a police man was there. I don’t think they do enough to get free food, and if they want it they should help out and do some dishes or something of the sort.

Hayley N

Snack shack: First time

Working the snack shack on my first night was crazy. It was a Friday night football game and I don’t know how many people showed up it seemed like over 150+. I was working the fat sandwich station and for this, I had to assemble sandwiches with different foods such as chicken tenders, mozz sticks, cheeseburgers, fries, or anything else the customer wanted. And sometimes more then 2 sandwiches would get ordered at a time. It was hectic, but I kept my cool and banged each sandwich out within a min. I had some help throughout the night from people but I really did the heavy lifting at that station. I would occasionally help costumers out with their orders and I would do little things here and there to try and help out the team as best as I could.

 

Snack shack: Second Time

My second time working the snack shack was girls field hockey game. It was slow but a decent amount of costumers. I’m pretty sure I worked the fat sandwich station again but also did the fryer. Things went smoothly, I didn’t need that much help at the fryer because that’s a pretty easy station, and also I didn’t really need assistance at the fat sandwich station. I had everything under control pretty much.

Snack shack: Third and Fourth time

This time it was a double header for me. First we had the highs chool football game that got rescheduled, not that busy compared to a Friday night game but still pretty crowded. I did the fryer station mainly, but also helped out with the customers and getting things to them out of the fridge or if it was candy or burgers I was on top of it. And I also did the cashier for one of the games and that didn’t go over as easily as I would’ve wanted it to. I’m not the best at math, so it took me awhile to get people their change and such. But nonetheless I did the job. In my opinion we should have a calculator or something there that will easily give them change. If not I won’t being working cashier that often. My favorite station by far would have to be the fat sandwich station just because I like making sandwiches for people in general and it’s a really interactive and high energy station.

John L

FB 10/20

The day of football on 10/20 was on a saturday in the middle of the day because it was cancelled the day before. The business was not as good I think because of that, saturday games do not do as well. That day I worked front doing drinks/money and I thought I did a good job keeping the line moving and asking people farther back what they needed. Lebinski was slacking doing the fat sandwiches but he still got them done. There were no problems with the grill or fryer, the hot box was always stacked expect the cheeseburger/hot dog/hamburger box would be empty for 5 minutes at a time because no enough burgers were done at one time. But there were too many people up front at one point when I went to get hot cider for someone I collided with sam when he was walking with coffee and spilt it on me, it was caused by the amount of people in the front and the un ability to move so to fix it next time we can just have a few less bodies in front of the table.

 

GS 10/23

Tuesday, yesterday night For girls soccer it was also senior night which was supposed to mean more business or at least a busier night. But it wasn’t it was the opposite. It was rainy and cold and we had very little food going out. Tom was doing fat sandwiches and was not the fastest person, he would be talking half the time but he still got it done. The lines would come in weird rushes and we would be doing a lot of work for about 20 minutes at some points and then other times just standing around forever waiting. It was so slow there wasn't any problems with running out of food. But next time there is an event and we know its cold and rainy well be sure not to open because I do not think any money was made that night, or if there was it was very little profit.

BS 10/18

On the day of boys soccer on 10/18 the snack shack went well except for a few things. First off it was senior night so it was extra busy which meant a little more work. I was working fat sandwiches and ended up doing around 20-30 that night. We did not have enough cheeseburgers in the hot boxes at sometimes which made the sandwiches slow down. But other than that the hot box was stacked and we did not have any problems filling orders except towards the end when they became very saggy and unappetizing. The front kept the line moving, but I think that was the night the hot chocolate was bad and tastes like someone mixed cider in with it, so next time do not reheat the bad hot chocolate and sell it to people. All together we did a good job the fryers kept up all the way throughout and benji started strong on the grill but faded towards the end when we all started wanting to go home. But not too many problems that night.

 

Hunter L.

The first time I worked the snack shack was for a Girls Soccer game. We didnt have to make too much food, so we spent a lot of time chatting and cleaning. As a group we had effective communication and food production. There were a couple fat sammiches that we all kind of tag-teamed. The only thing that we couldve done differently would've been to decide how much food we wanted in the hot box, becasue there were a decent amount of left over hamburgers. Overall, things ran pretty smoothly- most likely due to the fact that there werent too many customers. Most people just got hot chocolate.
Georgia

Snack Shack Review

I can't remember exactly what day I worked the snack shack, but it is a great experience to work the shack. My recent snack shack that I worked, I was on fryer duty, while people were serving, grilling, etc. I had to make sure fries were ready to be served, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and chicken fingers. The environment is great while working in the shack because it's all your friends and even though you don't you don’t get paid its your grade and plus it’s a great experience to have so when you go out in the real world you'll have the experience and know what to do if you ever work in a restaurant. The only problem I encountered while working on the fryer was overloading the fryers with food and really you’re not supposed to load it that much because some didn't fully cook so I would have to drop it back in again. Another thing I did during the snack shack was help out prepping the burgers and hotdogs and putting them in the hot box ready to be served to the customers. The communication is great to, I like how we shout out the orders and also your peers are there to help you out if you need it. Overall the snack shack is a great time and a very useful thing to have in your outside life experience and hope you can put this experience into restaurant industries if you are working at one.

Devin DiNicola

Personally, I feel that there are 3 critical things in the snack shack that one could be scored on. The first is working well with the others in the snack shack. A cohesive snack shack is a happy and productive snack shack. Secondly, we need to be more engaging with our customers. I realize it can be hard when everyone is running around, but I think we should take more time to get to know our customers and ask them how they are doing. Thirdly, it is fundamental that everyone at each respective station be ready because we need to give off an air of professionalism and experience. On a side note, I think it is a fundamental flaw that Pat's Patty is not listed as the first fat sandwich on the menu and I believe that should be corrected next year. With that said, it is clear which students are really putting everyone else on their backs. Pat's Patty and the On The Ranch have turned the snack shack into a thriving business with lots of life and I think it is only fair that the creators, Pat Rowley and Pat Riccardi, be made snack shack captains.
Patrick Ro

I worked in the snack shack the last football game vs. bunnell. I started off working hot box
and while I was there I noticed that it was unorganized as to how many patties should be put in
the hotbox. Also I noticed that it was hard to get items out of the hot box without tongs which I
didn't have at the time. Back to the patties, whoever was on the grill at the time was not cooking
off enough patties to fill the hot box and it really put us behind on fat sandwiches for a while.
After the first quarter I moved to the register and started taking people's orders and that went
well I thought that when we pre cupped the hot chocolate it really sped the process up and we
were able to get orders out the window faster. I had no problems at the register because business
wasn't exactly booming and it went great. Last time I worked snack shack at the SWC soccer
games I worked fat sandwiches. I liked the change we made to put the sauces closer to the
sandwich station it made it easier to get to it and get sandwiches out faster. We put the fires in
the open spot in the sauce warmers and I noticed that if we put the cap over the fries they would
become extremely soggy so make sure no one does that. And other then that my experience went
well and I think that my favorite thing in the snack shack is by far working fat sandwiches. I also
noticed that we got XL gloves now which really made it easier to quickly take off and put on
new gloves so we can be more sanitary.
Patrick Ri

My last experience with the snack shack was cut short due to a soccer game. I only worked for two hours helping prepare the food and set up supplies. Overall, I found it to be very successful as far as productivity goes. As a group we always stayed on task, we were cooperative, we set up tools and foods in their assigned stations, and we finished the preparation on time. There were however, a few areas where I feel we could have improved to be more efficient. On numerous occasions, someone from the group had to run down to the culinary room to pick up supplies we were missing. If we make a list of what is needed, arrive at the culinary room at the start of the shift, and all pitch in with transferring supplies back and forth, this dilemma could be prevented. Other than that, the only other predicament I faced was trying to get a hold of people. Whether it was calling someone’s cellphone down in the culinary room to tell them to bring something up, or calling someone in the snack shack asking them what to get, I wasn’t always able to reach people. The only solutions I could think of were either requiring cellphones to be on a certain volume as opposed to vibrate, or to utilize the walkie-talkies in the corner near the hotbox. In the long run though, these problems were rather minor and inconsequential. Matthew M.

It was a double header for snack shack. Boys soccer SWC finals (which we should have been playing in) first followed by the girls final. For the entire night, I found myself working the flat top. I had worked this same position during my first snack shack trip, but being a field hockey game, the crowd size was much different. For both soccer games there was a large crowd which had me much busier at times. I got a better understanding of what the snack shack should be like. From my previous experience, I was not accustomed to the demand for burgers. I needed the awareness to make more burgers, plain or cheese, depending on what was running low. My job seemed much busier than I had initially imagined, but I adjusted to the work rate. On the job, I needed to be aware of our supply of burgers in dogs. As well, the hot box needed to have some burgers to use for fat sandwiches. With classmates letting me know what was needed, I think I did an okay job at making sure people didn’t need to wait for their food. Some things that did take a while were the grilled cheeses and garden burgers. Because the demand for them isn’t very high, they could be cooked to order. The only problem I thought was that the grilled cheeses did take a while. It helped to have the buns and cheese already set up, but once on the flat top it felt like the customer would have been waiting for a long time. The garden burgers didn’t take quite as long, but weren’t prepared ahead of time like the burgers and dogs. I found it to be very interesting how they were fried first to defrost before being grilled. In my mind, it was a very smart idea which prevented them from taking even longer to prepare. On top of working, I tried to be good at cleaning while I worked. In between busy spurts, I tried to clean the grill from any excess grease on it. As well, I would empty the box with some of the packaging of the burgers. One thing I will need to remember to do if I am to work the same station again is to empty the grease trap maybe once or twice. At the end of the night, after adding a lot of water to give the grill a final clean, the trap was beginning to overflow. If I empty it part way through the night it won’t be a problem. Overall, working the snack shack is a fun yet learning experience. I love being able to cook while working with and serving to my friends. It makes the experience even more enjoyable. At the same time, I am getting some experience with how working in an actual food establishment would be. Wesley M.

Cheese Bread
A couple days ago we made bread and I wanted to see if I could make it at home with no assistance. So I set out, and looked up a recipe for cheesy bread, since I love cheese. I made my own bread mix, but I had to figure out a way to incorporate the cheese and some kind of herb. I remembered that we had to mix the dry ingredients first then add the liquid ingredients gradually until we had a dough that was a little sticky but had good density to it. So I managed to figure out how to do that, but I still had to add the cheese somewhere. However before I added the cheese I had to mix in the herbs so I sprinkled the herbs into the dough and then kneaded it into the dough so there was a certain amount in every single roll. So, after I added the herbs, I separated the dough into 3 pieces and cut 3 lines into the top of each one. I decided to put the cheese into each line I made so it melted and filled up the lines and hopefully it would make a cool design. I wanted to make it extra and over the top cheesy, so I made a cheesy butter sauce to pour over all the rolls. I melted butter in a medium saucepan over a low-medium heat and waited until it was completely melted then added the cheese before the butter got burned. Then I added some milk and salt to add a little flavor. Once they were ready, I poured the sauce over the rolls and stuck them in the oven. I waited about 20 minutes and checked them. I had to check them every 10 minutes to make sure the cheese sauce wasn’t burning. After they were ready, I shared them with my family and they all loved the cheese coating!
-cam m.

A few days ago, my partners and me were assigned to pick a vegetable and make a entrée with that ingredient being a major factor in the recipe. Because all members of our group disliked the vegetable mushroom, it was decided upon to make a vegetable potpie. A particular potpie, with a mushroom base for additional flavor and 12 ounces of small sliced mushrooms as well. First, after gathering the necessary materials and portions or “misenplase” we had to sauté the onions, mushrooms, diced potatoes, carrots, peas, and sprinkled flower for thickness. After the sautéed vegetables looked about done, we had to poor a mixed vegetable base because mushroom base was not available; it also tasted better. While this was all occurring, I was preparing the pastry dough that covered the top of the potpie, and whisking a egg yoke. Once the egg yoke was ready it was time to brush (using a pastry brush) the egg yoke on the top of the dough, so it would get crispy. We then added the sautéed veggies into a small hotel pan that would cook the potpie all together. Then, with Mr. Miller’s advice, he taught me how to fold the pasty dough over the top of the edge of the hotel pan and pinch hard underneath all sides of the edges. So, that is exactly what I did, and I was actually fully confident our potpie would look as good as it did before we put it in the oven, but, from there it was all downhill. While observing the potpie in the oven, we noticed that the pasty crust started to rise, which we thought was okay because it look like a stuffed pie. Five minutes later, the creases around the edges that were folded on the hotel pan started to break. This is where the potpie lost control. It’s sides blew up like a pillows on every side, and the top looked like a hot air balloon. At the end of the cooking process, the top of the crust wasn’t even touching the sides of the hotel pan, but the flavor was actually pretty delicious.
In the end, I was satisfied with the results of our potpie. Not only did it taste good, but it was a big learning experience me and my partners. And after critique from others, I feel confident in making a better pie crust next time I would like to make a potpie.

Logan P.

I’m sure almost every Italian does it. They gather up in a house that’s almost too small for the loud obnoxious noises and laughter of their one big happy family. Almost everyone in the immediate family shows up: cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, grandmother, grandfather, grandma’s best friend, grandchildren, etc. However, even with all of these close knit family members, there’s one dominant thing that brings us all together, food.
A traditional Italian meal would not be tradition at all if it weren’t held on Sundays. This is the one day in which the whole family gets to relax together and eat their hearts out. As you may know, we do not eat in small portion sizes. In fact, we do not eat just one main course either. There are always complimentary foods on the side. However, the most important dish is a classic pasta bowl filled with red sauce and meatballs.
It starts with a pot of boiling water and a couple of pounds of ziti. Then once the water is boiled, the pasta goes in and after a while it reaches a tender yet firm state which means it is ready to be topped with its best friend, sauce. Sometimes, my grandmother makes homemade sauce but when were all hungry and in a rush to eat, she uses regular store bought sauce. However, her special ingredients remain a mystery to me as of now. But all I know is it tastes yummy in my tummy!
Then, we all gather around the table and reach over each other’s arms, grab each other certain foods, and converse loudly with one another. Without my Sunday dinners with my Italian family, my tummy and my heart would be a lot less warm. There’s nothing like sharing a nice meal with the people that matter most to you in the entire world; your family.
Julia L.

After just completing the Culinary 1 course, I felt as if I learned all there is to know about food production techniques and etiquette. Little did I know that this wasn’t nearly the case. Within the first unit of Culinary 2, the class studied how to create egg products, such as scrambled eggs, crepes, omelets, parched eggs, over easy eggs, and a few others. I found the complexity of making over easy eggs to be shocking. I let my partners go first in hopes of learning from their mistakes. Overall it didn’t make a difference. With little practice, I managed to splatter the dripping egg onto the stove and all over the floor. The flipping process was where I went wrong. As a result of my disappointment, I was determined to become an expert at flipping foods in a sauté pan. Mr. Miller, the culinary assistant, suggested that I practice using a tortilla. At least if I failed again, it wouldn’t cause complete disarray in the sense that a mess was prevented. After training with Mr. Miller, I felt comfortable enough to take on the challenge of producing omelets. All the preparation and tasks leading up to the flipping of the product were easy, but I still had to face my greatest concern. With a careful and precise touch, I perfected the flip. The omelet turned out to be wonderful. It was the perfect color, the perfect texture, and the perfect taste. Failing made me work at something in order to achieve what was desired. The experience, as a whole, brought me to realize that it takes effort to excel in culinary. The experience was beneficial.

Matt M.

With Lent in progress, my choices were after school snacks were limited. Any time I wanted a piece of candy or a cookie I had to stop myself. And who wants just some chips or something? So I thought I would make something. Based on the few ingredients I had in my house, I decided on making Pesto-Cheddar Cheese Scones. I had made them for my Culinary 1 Final and thought they would be great to make again. After all, I had more experience and could improve on the production. They were pretty easy to make. Mix the dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, and a little cream of tartar. Once I have the butter mixed in, I would add the cheese and then a mixture of a whisked egg, a cup of milk, and pesto. Once all of it was combined, I kneaded it a few times and flattened it out to 1 inch thick. 20 minutes later at 375○F I had 24 delicious scones.
The breakfast unit in class was great. I’ve always been waking up looking for something to eat, surrounded by ingredients, but no knowledge of what to do with them. Now, pancakes, crepes, multiple forms of eggs: all things I can make for myself and for my family. Of those, I loved the crepes. Obviously, they aren’t the healthiest, especially with the addition of Nutella or peanut butter, but still will be a great occasional treat for breakfast. The egg skills, however, can be put into practice a lot. All of the different methods were so easy quick to prepare, and my house is always stocked with eggs. Now I never have an excuse to skip breakfast.
Earlier in the month, for my birthday, I always choose to go to Vazzy’s, an Italian “Osteria” in Monroe. As always, I can’t resist trying their complimentary cheese bread (similar to little strips of white pizza). As an entrée, I ordered Gnocchi Bolognese, a meal I never would have considered ordering had we not prepared them back in Culinary 1. It was a fantastic meal that I would definitely recommend. The gnocchi were just like the ones from class, and combined with the sauce they were fantastic. It was a terrific dish for a birthday meal.

Wesley M.

It’s kind of amazing when you think about how much we as people rely on food. Everyone needs to eat every day to survive, but not everyone can actually prepare healthy food for themselves. Critical skills like reading, writing, and basic math are taught to kids from a very young age, but kids barely learn about cooking and nutrition at all, unless they choose to pursue it themselves. This means that it’s completely possible for children to grow up in America, through the public school system, and emerge as 18 year old adults and not have a clue how to cook a healthy meal for themselves. So then this forces them to turn to fast food, and restaurants for food.

By learning to cook themselves they could not only save tons of money, but they could avoid the countless preservatives, and artificial chemicals that is in all processed foods that we see today. When people can’t cook themselves, they need to buy highly processed convenience foods that are extremely unhealthy. Too much of what we eat isn’t actually food. In reality, most of the quick, cheap, and “tasty” packaged foods that we are eating are made of some kind of artificial sweetener, like high fructose corn syrup, and some kind of highly processed starch, like wheat or rice that has been stripped of all its protein, fiber , vitamins, and minerals. When people cook from scratch at home, they can’t use artificial preservatives or fillers, they can use healthy all natural ingredients however, and if more people started to cook and eat like this, then things like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes would go down dramatically. When people are taught to cook from scratch, they are also given 100% control as to how they refuel their bodies. So the secret to a healthier, fitter, and better country, is nutritional and culinary education. If we as a nation, strive to eat healthier we can become, a healthier, stronger, and smarter America.

Vikram M

and there is so much to write about.