Name: Fran Wyatt
Head cook, Concord High School
How long have you been working in food service? How did you get started working in schools?
It’s been about 25 years now. I wanted to get a job part-time when my kids were in school, and it just went right into a cooking position.
What is your favorite cafeteria food that you serve? Least favorite?
My favorite thing we have is pizza. And I’d say spaghetti is my least favorite, only because it’s messy.
What is the most popular food item among students?
Chicken patties. That’s our biggest seller every day. We have spicy and regular.
What has been added to the menu since you started? If you could add something yourself, what would it be?
We’ve added hot subs, and they change every day. We started having cheeseburgers and hamburgers every day about a year and a half or two years ago. And now we have a sandwich to-order bar, like Subway. And if I was going to add anything, it’d be tacos.
Do you eat all your meals at home on plastic trays?
No, I don’t bring any of the trays home.
You must cook a lot of food in bulk. Wow us with some statistics.
We do about 120 lbs. of chicken patties every day, and about the same amount in french fries. Pizzas, I’d say we make 22-26 a day, and we probably do 96-110 deli sandwiches to order.
There’s been a recent push to get healthier options on the menu in schools. How has Concord High School approached that?
We offer grab-and-go salads every day, and we offer a choice of tossed salad instead of french fries with your meal. A lot of our drinks are regulated now, and we always offer fresh fruit.
Let’s talk hairnets: Do you go mesh style or shower cap style?
Most everyone wears visors; I’m the only one that wears a hairnet, and I wear a mesh one. I don’t like the hats.
If you weren’t working in a cafeteria, what would you be doing?
I think in my next job I’d like to be a secretary.
Guilty pleasure?
I like to go boating, but I don’t drive it, I just like to sit in it. I’m a professional passenger. And I love to take care of my grandson as much as I can. I also love the Ellen show.
