What do you think about when you first wake up? Is it water, restroom, or life? Well, for Webb’s head chef, Armando Amezcua, it is food. But not to eat it, rather, to serve it.   

“My daily routine is different every day,” said Mr. Amezcua, Food Service Director. “On Mondays, I usually come in early to go over the menu and finalize it. Then, I usually check on my team and set the agenda for the day.” 

Some of the food service directors’ key responsibilities are in the kitchen. To keep this operation afloat, chefs must always stay on top of these.  

“[We] make sure we have all the products we need for the week,” Mr. Amezcua said. “Another one is I make sure to prepare all the items on the menu for students to like. Also, I overlook the safety and sanitation of the kitchen.”  

One of the biggest challenges for him is coming up with a menu everyone can enjoy. The kitchen staff must satisfy around 600 hungry people a day, which is a lot of dietary restrictions to account for.  

“We try to make sure to have different types of cuisines every day to accomplish my goal of having more students come and eat in the dining hall,” he said.   

The manager’s backbone is his team, most of which have been working with him for an exceptionally long time, and in dining hall staff, Gilda, Jose, Benjamin, Celso, Teresa, Lupe, Rosalina, and Julieta’s case, they have been supporting Webb for over 30 plus years! The crew helps with cooking food, cleaning dishes, and maintaining the space.  

“What I like to do with my team is I respect them and appreciate the quality work they do. I also try to keep a great work environment to work together as a team,” he said. 

When the chef gets the time to sit down for a meal, you can probably see him indulging in a nice steak or chicken tikka masala.