This winter, the University of Waterloo declared not one, but two, campus closures due to inclement weather. While most staff enjoyed a day off, it was business as usual for the Food Services staff at Grebel. Their efforts weren’t taken for granted as students sang to the staff at dinner time and presented them with a thank-you sign (pictured right). In a conversation with the kitchen staff, many of them noted how being thanked for their work makes them feel valued. They recalled a similar instance when a Grebel student, more than a decade ago, wrote a poem called “Heroes in Aprons of White” which also highlighted student appreciation for the staff.
Heroes in Aprons of White
It was Friday morn and the sun crept in/ But outside all I could hear was the snow and the wind/ I hopped out of bed and walked into the hall/ I couldn’t believe just what I saw/ The bathroom door said “no school today!” Yippee Yi Ki Yah!
As Grebel gears up for a kitchen and dining room expansion, it’s easy for me as a student to see all the benefits—the addition of an elevator, more dining capacity, and a new pantry—to name a few. I often lose sight of how our dedicated kitchen staff are the ones needing space and benefiting the most. Over the years, they’ve adapted to sharing tight workspaces and making do around the kitchen. Pam Renaud described to me “a high degree of stress that we don’t realize because we’ve adjusted to congestion in the kitchen.” Loretta Martin echoed, “Getting from the fridge back to a counter takes more time and many different routes than it used to.”
More space will be a game-changer for the kitchen staff. Food Services Manager Cheri Otterbein noted that everyone’s input has been welcomed throughout the design process to make a kitchen that is functional, safe, and conducive to their needs. This project has given the staff an opportunity to give back to Grebel in meaningful ways, with some choosing to support Grebel’s Fill the Table campaign together.
As Annette Farwell reminded me, “happy cooks make good food!” With that comes a not-so-secret ingredient in all of the recipes at Grebel—love. Watching the kitchen staff work alongside each other, even when campus is closed, is a daily reminder of it.
