Emma Narvaez
It is a generally known stereotype that school food is often mushy, distasteful, and served by rude old ladies with hair sticking out of their hair nets. However, the food and service provided by Cezar’s Kitchen here at Saint Maur is quite the opposite. A rough estimate of 50% of students at Saint Maur purchase lunch on a daily basis. Although we all greet the head chef at Cezar’s Kitchen, Dantly, almost every day, we don’t know too much about this friendly face. Let’s get to know him now!
“I’m from the Philippines and I ended up in Japan because … we [Dantly and his wife] decided to move here. I’ve worked in Saint Maur, at Cezar’s Kitchen, for 10 years now, quite long,” Dantly stated.
We also don’t get to see the behind the scenes of Cezar’s Kitchen, but it is a rather rigorous schedule, as Dantly explained:
“Basically, we start from 5:30 in the morning and then we do some prep and at first we do breakfast, and then after the breakfast, we go for lunch preparation. We cook lunch and after that, afternoon snacks …and then I finish sometimes [at] six or seven o’clock in the evening. […] Some teachers used to tell me that I’m like an eagle. I’m the first person to come in and I’m the last person to leave the school.”
The time and effort Dantly dedicates to our food every day is truly astounding! Along with the actual cooking and preparation, Dantly also must adjust his recipes to satisfy the palette of Saint Maur students. When asked whether he found this task difficult, Dantly responded:
“Well, it depends. I mean, … I cannot please everybody flavor wise, so they need to adjust to what we serve them. But [on the other hand] I also am welcome for those students who are not really enjoying the culture, the food, the flavor; if they’re not really happy with it, then I’m also open to suggestions.”
Another tough task Dantly has is providing for students who have allergies or dietary restrictions. He stated:
“Well, […] we try our best to provide special attention to the allergies. We’ve had a lot of allergies during previous years. Like every day for two years a student comes here and we give her separate food and she enjoys the lunch here, and we enjoy serving it. We take pride in every food we produce from the kitchen.”
Jacek (G12), a student at Saint Maur, is allergic to gluten and milk protein and has purchased Cezar’s Kitchen lunch every day for the past four years. He said that he has always been able to eat lunch specialized to his diet and that it’s “pretty good”. He also stated:
“I like that the school lunch is usually ready right when you come to the cafeteria so … I can eat instantly. I also like that they give me a larger portion than everyone else.”
Another student with dietary restrictions, Carol (G11), a pescatarian, said:
“I like that they have a vegetarian option and they also have fish sometimes so I can eat both. And the vegetarian options always have a good source of protein which is good and it almost always tastes good. I liked today’s burger because they always use good seasoning which is the magic behind cooking vegetarian food because if you don’t season it enough, it’s going to taste like plants.”
Dantly is well-known for remembering most Saint Maur students’ names, which makes the students feel very welcomed and comfortable at school. Furthermore, when asked what his favorite event to cater for is, Dantly responded:
“My favorite event I like to cater for is I think the graduation. […] But also a little bit sad because some of those seniors … [have] been here since elementary then afterwards leaving and just that’s it [snaps] going somewhere else. But yeah, it’s been a story for me, serving people and watching them grow up. It’s about the love for the job that I enjoy.”
(The next time you need a catering service, check out the Cezar’s Kitchen website for all your dining needs!)
Even though we only see Dantly for a brief period every day, the satisfaction we gain from his food means a lot to him. This appreciation goes both ways; looking forward to eating our favorite meal from Cezar’s Kitchen allows us busy students to get through the school day. Eisuke (G10) and Tom (G10) agreed that their favorite food from Cezar’s Kitchen is the breakfast sandwich. Tom exclaimed:
“It’s cheap, and it’s big, and it’s good!”
However, the real star of Cezar’s Kitchen is the chocolate chip cookies. Either fresh out of the oven or room temperature, they are the perfect treat any time of the day. It’s a good way for students to reward themselves after a difficult exam or just a tiresome day in general. When asked what the secret to making these delicious cookies is, Dantly replied:
“You know what, the secret for that is when you do something, especially in cooking, you always put your passion and love in what you’re doing, focus on what you’re doing, and concentrate to find the best recipe. If something becomes popular and then becomes a kid’s favorite then I would be happy that they like my recipe and that makes me proud.”
Overall, Dantly and the Cezar’s Kitchen staff work hard, long hours every day to provide our meals and that diligence should not go unnoticed. Additionally, the delicious food is served with Dantly’s kind hospitality that brightens students’ day immensely. There is a lot of thought and care put into our food so the next time you purchase their food, make sure you express your gratitude to Dantly and the rest of the Cezar’s Kitchen staff!
Emma Narvaez