When Parker students walked into the cafeteria for the first time this school year, everything had been re-done, including an entire new layout. In addition to the renovations, new food choices  were added, including a hot sandwich station and fruit smoothies.

Among all these changes is something unique to the culture at Parker. Student Government is appointing upper schoolers to take part in a council meant for students to give feedback to the kitchen staff. Students are now given the opportunity to have a say in what gets served to them.  

This council is expected to implement change in the cafeteria that the student body wants. “The Food Council is supposed to take the suggestions of the students regarding the cafeteria,” Student Government President Will Polsky said, “and find some way to implement them into the cafeteria.”

The goals of this council are to allow the cafeteria to evolve from the feedback of the student body. “Often times, Chef Zac chooses meals based off of the reactions he overhears from the students,” Student Government Executive Advisor and senior James Hulsizer said. “Instead of having to try to guess our palate, why not have a council directly inform him of what we specifically want to eat.”

The kitchen staff have expressed they are willing to listen to what the Food Council has to say, according to Hulsizer and Polsky. “I’m excited about it,” Executive Chef Zac Maness said. “I think it will be a great way to communicate directly with the student population so that we can assure we are aligned in our thinking.”

First, Polsky met with Maness to discuss the council. “Then, with James Hulsizer, the Executive Advisor, I drafted up an application,” Polsky said. “Also, James wrote this terrific mandate entailing the goals of the Food Council, just to give it some direction.”

The mandate provided guidelines about how often meetings would be and what would be expected of those who applied. “There is no exact profile that would get anyone on this council,” Hulsizer said. “I want this council to have diversity of thought, fair representation, members that take initiative, and members who care.”

There will be monthly meetings with the members of the Food Council and members of the kitchen staff to discuss the changes the student body have suggested. Also, there will be a monthly form sent out to the student body so the council can fairly represent everyone.

“I will probably not be able to do everything that the Food Council wants,” Maness said. “Hopefully through the process they’ll have a better understanding of my limitations, and I’ll have a better understanding of what they want.”

The form asked applicants if they had any eating restrictions. “There is a preference for people with limited diet,” Polsky said, “because we feel that the broader the representation we have on the council.”  The more the cafeteria will be able to accommodate the eating needs of everybody.”

While the members of the counsel have been chosen and have convened, their success thus far is hard to judge as they haven’t met with the cafeteria staff.  “You guys will have some amazing ideas that I haven’t even thought about,” Maness said. “I can’t wait to hopefully implement those changes to our cafeteria.”