This article was featured in the River Oaks Baptist School 2022 publication of Vine & Branch; highlighting the Sage Dining experience for students at ROBS.
Hours before students arrive every morning, the SAGE Dining team is on campus prepping for the breakfast rush, and after, the 2.5-hour lunch window. It’s quite a feat for any chef, much less a new one. Thankfully, ROBS’ new director of food services Chef Lorraine Matiling has a decade’s worth of culinary experience preparing food for large groups of people. She has added new menu items (hello, spanakopita and churro donuts!), refreshed the salad bar, and won a fanbase of happy eaters. See what it takes to feed 775+ kids and 200+ more faculty, staff, and daily visitors.
Wakeup call... I’m up and about and ready to head to the gym!
Load up the car and head to school.
I’ve made it to campus…in the dark!
Breakfast SAGE staff is already here and working
Remainder of staff arrives while were prepping for breakfast.
Assembly line in order…
Time to make breakfast tacos.
Gotta glaze the cinnamon rolls…
Our breakfast friends are almost here!
About 150 students and parents filter through the Commons for breakfast.
I love seeing the students with their parents.
Daily Staff meeting
We review the menu, student allergies, catering request for the meetings, the school calendar, and any upcoming school drills of performances in the Commons that might affect our week. Being prepared is key!
It’s a fan favorite…pizza day!
Time to get the pizza in the oven so it’s ready for our Kindergarteners.
Stock the salad bar and deli.
We’re closing in on lunchtime.
Here comes Kindergarten…
and the whirlwind begins!
Nine grades of students and 200+ adults rotate through the Commons during this 2.5-hour period. That’s a lot of mouths to feed!
Clean-up time.
SAGE team dismissal.
I’m ready to call it a day and head home.
My favorite part of the day: School pickup for my son.
Bedtime…
gotta rest up to do it all again tomorrow.
Fan Favorites: Noteworthy Recipes by Chef Lorraine
