Trip to Buffalo! Week 5.

Today, I went to Buffalo with Jonna, the Executive Chef, and Lisa, an Assistant General Manager to do a couple of tours and talk about the needs of SUNY Geneseo with a variety of food providers.

I got to see the Stock Yards, or the meat processing plant for US Foods. It was unlike anything I've ever seen. Seeing the larger cuts in quantity getting broken down into what consumers see on their plate was fascinating!

Next, we headed to Costanzo's - where they make a lot of delicious bread products. The amount of products they are able to produce is astounding. The whole area smelled like freshly baked bread - one of my favorite smells. Then, we got to test out the product at a sub shop attached to the bakery - delish!

These tours were not only fun from a food-lover's perspective, but they were really informative. The challenges they face are some that I hadn't deeply considered before. The amount of thought that goes into food and keeping it consistent and safe is something I've really learned to appreciate.

After lunch, we headed to the US Food Division offices and met with the Director of Procurement, where Jonna and Lisa explained how SUNY Geneseo is always looking to try new things. It was great to see how the two sides were able to come to a mutual understanding of each other's needs, and oculd find a solution that worked well for everybody.

Then, we ended out day in the Buffalo area with a tour of the US Foods warehouse and wow - what an efficiently run place. It needs to be - the scale is large, and customers in the food business have certain needs an expectations that need to be met.

This was definitely a unique experience - one that will stick with me for a while!

Checking out Monk's Bread

Today, I went with the management team to a nearby monastery to explore the idea of bringing in some bread and cake products they produce there. It was a very fun (and informative!) trip. Not only did I get to see even more of the beautiful Western New York scenery, but I also got to see a great local bread shop.

I love it when large-scale food services try to source local products, even more so knowing that they often incur an increased food cost and delivery challenge to do so.

So far, my internship experience has been superb. I don't just feel like an extra set of hands around campus - everyone here is legitimately interested in teaching me how and why they do things the way they do. I couldn't dream of a better internship experience - and I still have 6 weeks left!

Photos to come later of the bread adventure!

Week 2 in Geneseo, NY!

What a busy, busy week!

This weekend, Chef invited me over to her house for dinner - it was awesome. Everyone I've met here is so nice, and I love how eager everyone is to show me the hot spots in the area. Apparently, one of the "must-haves" of my time spent up here is a something called Garbage Plate. Stay tuned for how that goes...

This week started the new student orientations here at SUNY Geneseo. For the incoming freshmen (and their parents) we do a buffet-style dinner and breakfast, which was completely new to me. I learned quickly from the managers and student supervisors, and (hopefully) have the hang of keeping the buffet lines full and functional.

I've also spent some time at Books and Bytes, Geneseo's in-library cafe where students and other campus dwellers can grab a quick sandwich, salad, or cup of coffee. One of my main projects this summer will be to analyze the space at Books and Bytes, more affectionately known as B&B, and write up suggestions on how to improve the space. It's a particularly challenging spot - there is limited storage space and a crowded seating space during the school year.

Til next time!

First few days @ SUNY Geneseo!

My first few days here in Geneseo, NY have been busy, but awesome.

I got in Monday afternoon and got settled, followed by a fantastic dinner at The Big Tree Inn with Jonna, the Executive Chef at SUNY Geneseo Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS), and Rhonda, the HR Director at CAS.

Tuesday started off with meeting a bunch of the management and culinary team. I'm good with names, but I think I may have reached my threshold for memory! As the day went on, it became easier to remember who does what as well as figuring out everyone's little personality quirks.

Then we started preparing for the lunch service for the transfer student orientations. I assisted in preparing some pizzas - which reminded me of my very first food service job at Carson's Carryout at UW-Madison! After putting some pizzas together, we had a product testing with US Foods. Fish for breakfast was interesting, but I got to try some pretty unique products.

During lunch, I helped out at the Pan Pacific station, dishing out General Tso's Chicken to hungry patrons. I haven't had much practice with that type of service, so it was a great learning experience!

Today was a quieter day - no orientation happening. I toured CAS's Restaurants and Cafes with Barb, Lisa, and Rita and learned what food service looks like through the eyes of a manager. After that, I tried to learn the ropes of product ordering with Frank and occasionally Bob, the Chef Managers. There was a lot to digest, but hopefully I'll be able to remember it for my Inventory and Ordering rotations.

Until next time!

-Kelli