While the cafeteria is a convenient place to eat and socialize, many students tend to forget the hard work that goes into making the meals. The lunch ladies here continually show their dedication through preparation of a variety of recipes that produce the aroma of fresh food.

For a total of 10 years, lead cook Dee Markham has enjoyed working at the school. Before that Markham was the lead cook at Barlow, Gordon Russell and Dexter McCarty.

Currently Markham also cooks for Highland, North Gresham, West Gresham, Hollydale, Portland Lutheran, Gresham Day Care and Pathways.

“[Cooking] takes dedication, good health habits, knowing your recipes [and] liking your job,” Markham said.

All of the food is cooked here and then shipped to the other schools. Each day the menu changes for the schools, and Markham and the lunch ladies have to cook the food for that day.

The cooks prepare the food according to a predetermined menu.

Some of that food has improved from previous years. The hamburgers this year are steamed, and there are now five different varieties of pizza such as Hawaiian, bruschetta, Buffalo, pepperoni, and cheese.

These changes since this year have influenced students to give positive feedback to the lunch ladies, according to Markham.

“The report of the kids is what brings them back,” Markham stated about the new products that students enjoy.

Normally, Markham runs the grill line for students to come through and receive their food. There are a total of six different food lines, which include the grill, pizza, salsa, taco, deli and the marketplace.

In order to be a diligent worker, Markham works at the school from 5:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. In between that time, she does a variety of things such as cooking, loading freight, ordering the food for the schools, and checking supplies. Markham states that her schedule is almost the same everyday.

The lunch ladies have a special unity that bonds them together by helping each other. Lunch lady Diane Garrett is aware of the extra assistance from her fellow workers. One day when one of the lunch ladies was out, she needed her broccoli and chicken recipe done. Garrett pitched in to help, while some other lunch ladies helped also.

“That’s why it takes many hands to do [the work when someone is out], so that we don’t get overwhelmed,” Garrett said.

A main priority is having a well-made product. The key is the lunch ladies working hard together and having everyone get along.

“It’s a camaraderie with my workers, and then not only that, but putting out a good product,” Markham said. “Seeing the response we get from the kids is good.”

There are different areas in the kitchen that the lunch ladies are in charge of. They always pitch in and help each other out when needed.

“The saying it takes a village to make a function is so true,” Markham said.

While previously working at Dexter McCarty, Garrett appreciates being able to serve students that she has known from when they were in sixth grade. She has worked here for two and a half y

ears and savors being with her employees.

“The girls–they are a great group of ladies. They keep each other laughing,” Garrett said.

Garrett loves the students and states that they are very respectful. As she runs the nacho line, Garrett has regulars come through and occasionally has new kids.

Sophomore Maria Keesee goes through the nacho line once a week. She enjoys the positive and fun conversations she has with Garrett.

“She says something funny that happened to her family, and I say something funny that happened to mine,” Keesee said.

Even though Keesee only goes through Garrett’s nacho line once a week, she is still able to talk to her once or twice daily due to seeing her in the cafeteria.

“I go to the food, and we end up talking,” Keesee said.

An example from Garrett’s daily routine is from 8-9 a.m., she will often put away freight, calibrate thermometers, load sandwiches that were made the day before, and make sandwiches for the school SUN program, Highland SUN program, Hollydale, West Gresham and North Gresham.

From 9-10 a.m., Garrett sets up around the cafeteria including the nacho bar. After her lunch break, she finishes setting up the nacho bar. Lastly, from 12-1:25 p.m. Garrett cleans, mops and washes her work area.

“When you have been in your position for a while, it’s easy [because] you know exactly what time things need to be in the oven or what time things need to be set up,” Garrett said.

While being insightful of the kitchen, sophomore Noah Rehmke is experienced by helping the lunch ladies daily in giving students their side dishes. On Monday and Wednesday he serves tater tots, Tuesday and Thursday is french fries, and on Friday, Rehmke serves seasoned potato wedges.

In order to do this, Rehmke leaves his fourth period class five minutes before lunch starts. After students have received their food through his line, Rehmke is then able to enjoy the rest of the lunch period.

“Being able to serve people [food] is like giving people a gift for Christmas,” Rehmke said.

Rehmke is aware of the hard work the lunch ladies put into the food. He also empathizes for the cooks with the strict rules they have to follow.

According to Rehmke, if a student touches food that they were not served, then the rest of it has to be thrown away due to it being unsanitary. The lunch ladies never let these rigorous rules keep them from working persistently.

“I believe they go beyond the hardworking,” Rehmke said.

Even with the hard work and early morning hours, the lunch ladies truly care about what is put out for the students to eat. They are able to enjoy their job, be well organized with one another, and consequently put all their effort into making a good product.