Feed Me Fridays: a lunchtime treat for teachers
Feed Me Fridays are hosted by the LAHS fourth period culinary class, where meals are made by culinary students and sold to teachers. The event has quickly become a cherished tradition since it’s introduction this September.
The staff lounge snacks are getting an upgrade: every Friday, a line of teachers spills out from the culinary classroom. Through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, onlookers can see culinary students preparing and serving food to the staff as they walk back to their classrooms with warm bowls cradled in their hands.
Culinary and English teacher Michael Moul started the tradition of “Feed Me Fridays” in September with his culinary classes. Every week, he sends out google forms to the Los Altos High School staff so they can pre-order meals. After that, all it takes is a two-minute walk to Room 601 and a few bucks to get a freshly-made meal on Friday.
“As teachers, we’re used to either microwaving something or eating cold food,” physics teacher Silja Paymer said. “It’s really nice to feel like an adult.”
Culinary has experimented with a host of recipes: cast iron pizza, chili, birria tacos and carbonara to name a few. Birria tacos in particular were a smashing success, setting their record of 75 orders.
“I’ve really loved just how it’s brought the whole campus community together,” choir teacher Lauren Diez said. “[I enjoy] getting in line for food and talking with other staff members I don’t usually get to see. Food just has a way of bringing people together.”
Teachers seem excited at sampling the changing menu each week, seizing the opportunity for a low-effort and delicious meal.
Instructional assistant Christine Antonakopoulos finds the set-up to be a win-win: she doesn’t have to bring lunch, the meal is cheaper than eating out, and she’s able to support the culinary program.
“It’s the best thing ever, I look forward to it every week,” Antonakopoulos said. “It’s creative and beautifully set up. A lot of work goes into it, and I appreciate every single one.”
The brunt of the work is done by students. Apart from buying ingredients and planning recipes, Moul lets culinary students cook, clean and serve the teachers.
“I am in charge [of planning], but I don’t do any of the work for it,” Moul said. “It’s really the kids who execute.”
Moul hopes to give the students even more independence next year by trying to separate culinary two and one, with culinary two as fourth period, so the students can have full control over planning recipes, pricing meals and organizing the service.
“Anybody who eats should take culinary,” Moul said. “Everybody should take culinary.”
The staff members who have discovered Feed Me Fridays seem equally enamored with the idea and enthusiastic about its future.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea, I think we’re spoiled by it, and I think I will die if it ever goes away,” Antonakopoulos said.
