Each and every morning, when I walk into the dining hall to grab my fork and spoon, I see the smiling faces of Melissa, Katlyn, Alex, Zoe, Kate, or Jen. You can see it in those kind eyes of theirs, they truly love feeding us. Likely because they know they’re not just nourishing our bodies.

You see, it’s much more than that.

Whether it’s the predictability of “Half a Waffle Wednesday” or the fun curveballs they throw at us at lunch like chicken tikka masala and chickpea curry, we always leave the dining hall feeling full in more ways than one. A recent hit which served up a homerun was brinner, or breakfast for dinner. Students came in by the droves to scarf down extra helpings of biscuits and gravy, hash browns, and of course, waffles with whipped cream. 

The detail the kitchen staff puts into each meal does not go unnoticed. During snack time we get a variety of scrumptious treats like avocado toast, homemade fruit rollups (yum), charcuterie boards, fresh baked muffins, and homemade hummus with fresh chopped veggies. Monthly, we get a taste of Hawaii, where Melissa once resided. They cook up Huli Huli chicken and Aloha pork with a Hawaiian macaroni salad. When they host a Grecian lunch, they make handmade spanakopita (spinach pie) and even take a stab at avgolemono soup, the difficult homemade soup made with a whipped egg broth. Alex has a special knack of growing herbs in the greenhouse which give all of the dishes a noticeable pizzazz. And Zoe loves to bake fresh cinnamon rolls, biscuits, and more. All of these extra special touches add that familial coziness we all long for.

The Leelanau kitchen also considers our students and staff with dietary restrictions at each and every meal. Daily there are vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free dishes. These well thought considerations make those with restrictions feel cared for and loved–on top of making their life easier. 

Aside from the delicious food they prepare, the best aspect about the kitchen staff is their authenticity. There is nothing more they want from serving a meal than to hear how much we enjoyed it. You can watch a smile stretch across their faces when they hear just how good their bahn mi was. You can tell that they cook each meal with love and its purpose is to nourish from the inside out.

After working in several restaurants in Northern Michigan, Katlyn Fleis, the kitchen coordinator, has found herself at home in Leelanau’s kitchen. She says, “Feeding these kids and faculty fills my bucket more than a restaurant. Instead of a nameless ticket, I get to know them every single day.” Katlyn has a flair for fun and creativity which leaves our whole campus nourished from the inside out because to her, we’re all family.

In today’s world, where teenagers are searching for a sense of belonging and safety, the adults at The Leelanau School seek to build and nurture relationships, including our amazing kitchen. Take, for example, the shiny gold suggestion box that they check daily and actually implement, resulting in a ramen bar and sandwiches from students’ home states. Or ask recent graduate Tyler how he felt when Katlyn invited him to work alongside the staff to prepare his favorite meal, Katsudon, which coincidentally became a huge hit and a regular feature. If you were to ask Will or Sophie about their senior seminar projects, they’d each give a huge shout out to the kitchen, the former for helping him prepare a pig’s head for his research on offal and the latter for the ingredients and support to make chemical-free cosmetics. All of this is accomplished with listening ears, gentle guidance, and joy.

Sure, the purpose of this blog could be to boast about how the kitchen staff makes nutritious meals for our students to learn and thrive–which would be true. But it’s much more than that. Anyone who’s eaten in our dining all knows they go far beyond what you typically think a school cafeteria typically serves. Because what the kitchen staff truly does is get our teenagers to both feel a sense of comfort while eating away from home and getting them to try new things. The kitchen staff tends to bring out the teens’ adventurous spirits by simply making delicious food and smiling ear to ear when they serve them. And many of our students genuinely appreciate this. Each day, I see the kitchen’s number one fan, junior Max, give a sincere thank you to the kitchen on his way out after a meal. 

All in all, Leelanau gathers around each meal together as a family. And after each meal shared, the staff and students leave the dining hall simply feeling loved by the family in the kitchen. The family who feeds us each day. And for that, we’re forever grateful.