Get to know your Louisville kitchen staff

Carys Cheshire '24

Junior Editor in Chief

It’s no secret that lunch time at Louisville is never a small affair. Once the clock hits 11:25 am, the halls flood with students desperate to be at the front of the cafeteria line. But people often forget about the ones behind it all: the chefs and cashiers!

The kitchen staff of Louisville dedicate their time to giving us delicious food everyday, and I don’t think they receive the credit they deserve. I’m here to give a look into the lives of our hardworking cooks and cashiers in order to bring attention to those who we often take for granted. 

Even though there is plenty of food made in that kitchen everyday, you may be surprised to find out that the staff currently only includes three people: Maria, Gabriela and Matia. The cafeteria at lunchtime can be a scary place, with hungry girls anxious to get their hands on crispy chicken fingers or creamy bowtie pasta, but the three of them alone never fail to get all the Louisville stomachs full!

The first staff member I spoke with was one who we all know and love, Maria. After helping make the food, Maria works at the kitchen window everyday, taking food orders from the students and making sure we get the meals we asked for.

I began by asking her to tell me about her life outside of Louisville.

“My children are my whole life,” said Maria. “When I’m not at Louisville, I am spending time with my family.”

She found her way to Louisville when one of her friends from the Chaminade High School kitchen said that she had heard Louisville was looking to hire new cafeteria workers. Gabriela has only been working here for about a month, but she handles the lunch line like she’s been here for years! 

According to Gabriela, “The first week here was difficult because it was a system that I was unfamiliar with, but I quickly got the hang of it.”

Gabriela also prioritizes her family as a mother of two sons, Sebastian and Victor. When she isn’t taking zumba classes, Gabriela can be found at the park, watching her son’s baseball games and cheering proudly in the stands. 

The last cafeteria staff member I interviewed was our hard working chef, Matia. While students sit in class and wait for the moment they can run to the cafeteria, Matia is in the kitchen, preparing all the food needed to feed us at the ‘Ville.

After making delicious breakfast burritos and Louisville specials all day, Matia actually works at an Italian restaurant in the evenings. Food is a big part of his life and he has been cooking for 15 years!

When I asked Matia what his favorite Louisville special is to make, he chose the bowtie pasta because it is “quick and easy.” Looks like Matia has something in common with us Louisville girls who have an extra pep in our step when the bowtie pasta is on the menu!

After finishing up my interviews with Maria, Gabriela and Matia, I had an unexpected addition to the interview. Scott Lopez, executive chef of the catering company running our kitchen, entered the kitchen for his daily check-up to make sure the kitchen was running smoothly.

Lopez’s entire life revolves around food as he began cooking when he was 15 and never looked back. He graduated the #1 culinary school in the nation, Culinary Institutes of America, and then joined his family’s catering company, The Caterer Inc. When he’s not at work and cooking from 6 am to 6 pm, he is watching the Food Network or teaching others how to cook. 

Overall, the people on the other side of the cafeteria wall bring their different skills to our school every day in order to make enough food for a line that we can all agree is overwhelming . 

So, the next time you find yourself complaining about how long you’ve been waiting in that line, take a moment to think about how much time and effort these incredibly patient and kind-hearted people put into getting us fed. Remember, something as simple as a smile or kind words can make someone’s day all the better, and these people most definitely deserve it!