By J1 Reporter Greysen Haynes

The crew behind the mouthwatering orange chicken and tasty ice cream consists of five diligent workers: Stacey, Val, Jaz, Renee, and the head of it all, Mr. Bob Hurtado. 

Hurtado has been cooking since 1995. He first started working in restaurants and loved it so much, he is now entering his 25th year in the culinary industry. 

Hurtado has been inspired by many chefs and mentors over the years. They have taught him what the culinary industry calls the “restaurant mentality.” This method has two sides. Hurtado loves to create meals students will love, but if it’s not selling, it won’t come back. The other side to this is if something is selling, it will be served again. 

Ms. Stacey Dvorak, Hurtado’s right hand woman, has used a strategy similar to this in order to effectively manage the cold lunch options. “On heavy hot days, like walking taco, there will be less cold options available,” Dvorak said. 

Dvorak is a single mom of two kids, and works three jobs outside of the cafeteria. As she said, “I have to work hard to provide for my kids.” 

Dvorak runs around serving food, picking up groceries, and attending to desserts. Yet her major struggle is keeping students‘ balances on the positive side rather than the negative side. 

From 5 a.m to 2 p.m, the lunch staff sweat to make lunches delicious and successful. They are dedicated workers but also like to have fun. “Bob is an amazing boss and fun to work with,” Dvorak said. 

Making lunches for 600 students can be tireless work. The Hurtados and their staff, however, don’t view it as labor. They love cooking and putting smiles on students’ and staff’s faces.