One special day
Published 5:44 pm Wednesday, January 18, 2023
Chef Carla Hall waves to food workers in the Austin High School Food and Nutrition Department during a visit Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Members of Austin High School’s Food and Nutrition Services team react as they begin to realize who just walked into a meeting Wednesday morning at Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Members of the Austin High School Food and Nutrition Services react to Chef Carla Hall’s words of encouratment at the work they do during a visit Wednesday morning to Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Chef Carla Hall jokes with members of the Food and Nutritiion Department during a visit to Austin High School Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Chef Carla Hall, center, poses for pictures with the Food and Nutrition Department at Austin High School Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Teri Zimmerman, of the Austin High School Food and Nutrition Services department is photographed with Chef Carla Hall during a visit to Austin High School Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Carla Hall guides Austin High School students through the steps it takes to make her biscuits during the Introduction to Foods class Wednesday morrning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Christopher Rivera helps out Chef Carla Hall during Hall’s visit to the Introduction to Foods class at Austin HIgh School Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Chef Carla Hall watches over students during a visit to the Introducation to Foods class at Austin High School Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Chef Carla Hall smiles as students work away at her recipe for biscuits during a visit to Austin High School’s Introduction to Foods class Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Carla Hall reacts as she and students take a peak at baking biscuits Wednesday morning at Austin High School. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Chef Carla Hall helps Austin High School students through the step of preparing the dough to be cut into biscuits during a visit to the Introduction to Foods Cclass Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Chef Carla Hall offers Austin High School student Keangelo Greene the first biscuit out of the oven Wednesday morning during the Introduction to Foods class. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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AHS Food and Nutrition employees get surprise visit from Carla Hall, honored for their work
It doesn’t take long for Chef Carla Hall to energize a room.
People saw it Tuesday on a visit to help support the Hometown Food Security Project’s backpack program at the Hormel Foods World Headquarters and people experienced it again Wednesday on a surprise visit to Austin High School where Hall directed that energy to highlight some very important employees of the district — employees of the school’s Food and Nutrition Department.
From the moment Hall greeted the employees Wednesday morning, through a visit to an Introduction to Foods class where she worked with employees to guide students through the baking of her famous biscuits to finally treating the staff to a custom meal, Hall’s visit demonstrated the work food workers go through each day.
“Just knowing when you’re coming into work day in and day out and you feel like it’s a thankless job — you’re an unsung hero,” Hall said. “For somebody to say, ‘no, we see you,’ it just gives them that much more motivation to do what they do because it is really important. Every time I get chills.”
The employees didn’t know exactly what was coming when Director Mary Weikum pulled them together for a meeting early in the morning, but it didn’t take long to see the dawning draw across some of the employees’ faces.
“It’s just amazing,” Weikum said. “I always say, cooks and custodians are what keep the students running and to get the recognition and to get the thanks … to have someone from the Food Network come to our little school and pamper our cooks — it’s indescribable.”
Over the years, the Austin Public Schools district has worked hard to create a sustained and healthy food program as well as closing gaps for those who experience food insecurity.
It’s that effort that has highlighted what food workers in schools are doing every day.
“The meals a lot of kids get, it’s the only meal of the day,” Hall said. “They hadn’t eaten before they came here. Without proper nutrition, you can’t learn. That food and learning with the teachers, all of that goes together. They are just as important as teachers.”
At the same time, Weikum said that the work of Food and Nutrition employees doesn’t go completely under the radar. There are noticeable, personal metrics she sees on a daily basis that highlight the connection with students and parents.
“I can say many times during the year I get notes from students or parents. Their kid, they had a terrible day and the food service staff took care of their kid during the day when they were ready to have a meltdown,” Weikum said. “There are students who go to whatever line a certain cook is at because they are friends with them.”
Accompanying Hall early on was Hormel Foods CEO and President of the Board Jim Snee, who announced that Hormel was also donating $10,000 to the Food and Nutrition Department to be used in whatever way is needed.
“You get a special day because you’re worth it. This allows us to give you what you give us day in and day out,” Snee said. “Know you are worthy, you are seen and appreciated.”
Most of the day might have been about honoring food service workers, but it was also an opportunity for Hall to interact with the students themselves, guiding the Introduction to Foods class through the making of her flakey buttermilk biscuits.
It wasn’t long before the students were hands deep in their own projects with Hall going from station to station with a mixture of guidance and laughter.
“I know the power of food and I know they are coming in here and also they were doing the thing,” Hall said. “I have so many minutes when I’m doing a demo to grab them. To peak their interest. And then, when they are actually hands on and someone is trusting them to do a thing and teach them … kids do want to learn. They want people to trust that they can do a thing and to have faith in them.”
It’s unknown where some of these students will go in life, but even if none of them go on to become chefs or cooks, Hall said she hopes that they will at least find experiences in their own homes someday.
“I love teaching. I love when they look at their biscuits and say, ‘I did this. Oh my gosh, they’re rising, they taste delicious,’” Hall said. “There’s power and independence in that and I hope this encourages them to want to cook at home, even if it’s making a grilled cheese sandwich. You want to make the best grilled cheese sandwich you can make.”
As the morning worked into the afternoon, Weikum said that while she is a champion of her staff, there is weight to hearing kind words come from outside of the district. She hopes it’s something her staff takes with them.
“I’m a staunch supporter of the Food and Nutrition staff,” Weikum said. “I try to tell them often and repeatedly what a great job they do and how important they are. But coming from someone different is so great. I think it’s an amazing treat for them. It validates that what they do is important and I think hopefully they are all going to go home feeling good about themselves.”
