Autumn - Ohio State University

The past week was filled with opportunities to learn more about foodservice management at Ohio State. Monday through Wednesday, I spent time with operations managers at the Courtside Cafe and Juice 2, a quick-service restaurant and juice bar at the recreation facility. There, I learned about managerial duties that involve money (deposits, change ordering, and counting cash register drawers), supervising, and those that occur outside of the building (delivering lunches to camps). I even got the chance to take a couple of orders at Courtside Cafe during the lunch rush. Taking orders was definitely a challenge, having not used this location's system before; however, I survived! I will miss my time at Courtside, not only because of the knowledge that I gained from the managerial staff, but also because it serves some of the best food on campus!

I spent Thursday and Friday morning observing in the instructional kitchen, which is hidden in the basement of Ohio State's union. The kitchen consists of 6 identical stations, and at each station about 3 chefs were working on various dishes. Thursday was spent observing various dishes being made for lunch, and then I got to taste the result of 2 hours of labor. (As always, it was delicious!) Friday was a little different. My observations Thursday were meant to give me an idea of how the chefs work in the kitchen, because, on Friday, I was actually judging the chefs working/sanitation habits. On Friday, each chef cooked a meal alone and they were all judged on the same categories, such as sanitation and taste. It was a great event to be a part of, and I enjoyed watching and tasting the work of all of the chefs.

Thursday afternoon was my favorite afternoon of the week. That afternoon, I spent time in Human Resources. There, I was able to have my resume and cover letter styles critiqued, and I was provided with valuable advice for my post-college career. I also learned how HR supports the University Residences and Dining Services department at Ohio State.

I learned more valuable information on Friday afternoon, when I spent time with the operations manager at the North Commons, a traditional dining hall. I spoke with him, at length, about how he manages his operation, specifically how he manages his unionized employees. I learned that in some situations, dining services managers prefer student employees; however, they also appreciate the consistency that unionized employees possess. I also observed that when working as a manager in any operation, in order to be effective, it is necessary to be clear and fair in both your policies and practices.

This week, I also spent time working on my menu for the theme dinner. One of the chef's helped me to calculate the food costs for all of my items, and I believe that we generated what very well may be the final menu. The upcoming week will allow me to finalize my theme dinner plans; I will let you all know how it goes!