Ideas for menus (Bozeman: dorm, buy, schools)

[xeys_00]

I am in talks with someone about moving to Montana as a food service manager running a community college cafeteria. Apparently they can't get decreed, experienced people for the operation very easily, because apparently nobody will come to Montana. Anyways, i had been considering a move up north anyways. I'm in Texas. So, in preparation for a possible face to face interview, I'm trying to come up with menu ideas. Most of my cooking is southern. I know basic sauces and can do soups, stews, basic breads like cornbread, muffins, biscuits. Can do comfort foods, meatloaf, etc. Salisbury steak(mini meat loafs), and so on. Can I just bring my southern menus up there, or do I need to learn about local favorites? If I can't sell it(ala carte menu), I can't be making it(no point). All cooking for me is scratch, unless I have help that can't follow basic directions(not sure how good the help will be). I'll probably be cooking and managing. I can do pies, and basic cakes. Pasta, etc. But I want to present menus at the possible interview that will show him I did my homework. Clients will be college kids and college staff and any contractors who show up. is maintenance, etc. Thanks in advance.

[Jbechtel]

Every time I ate in east Texas they put a bowl of seafood gumbo in front of me. If you made it with buffalo or elk we may consider it here in Montana. By the way, if you don't get the job I could use a chef at my place for the rest of the winter.

[ElkHunter]

20-30 years ago I could tell you what a traditional meal was up here. But with all the chain restaurants moving in and the "new" diversity of folks moving in, there is no traditional meal anymore.

I would recommend that you do not cook bar-b-q. I worked down in Texas and tried bar-b-q in many places, Dallas, Ft Worth, Austin, McAllen, etc... Just wasn't right. Up here, bar-b-q is fall off the bone ribs, slow cooked for a long period of time. We just had a bar-b-q and it was a whole pig. We filled the cavity with 4 chickens and 2 turkeys, put the pig in a pit full of charcoal ash (from 4 cords of cottonwood) and buried it. Cooked the pig for 16 hours. Pulled it out and the meat was falling off the bone good.

I'd say a good solid meal. College students tend to be hungry. Finger food, shovel it in, gotta get out o fhere quick, type food.

It's really hard to tell what they are looking for. Most places like that have a pretty set standard menu already. They've already got their supply chain set up. The biggest thing is, "They are afraid of change".

Oh, and Tex-Mex doesn't go over real well. True Mexican dishes are more what people seek.

[NW Crow]

Here are some thoughts for possible consideration:

While a list of specialty items you can make or pair together into themed meals might be part of your presentation, I wouldn't go too far that way, unless they asked for it in advance or you do a little of that and get real good feedback at the interview (not just polite) that they really want that.

I'd think there would be some value to saying stuff like: while you have ideas to bring new tastes and healthy choices to the cafeteria, you plan to observe the clientele making choices, review cafeteria menu purchase records (and wastage), talk to the staff for ideas and history of past menu experiments, coordinate with the higher ups (in the cafeteria and for the school in general) and make targeted gradual changes as warranted with a careful evaluation process to ensure success by whatever criteria needs to be followed (sales, price to cost ratio, diversity of choices, nutrition, etc.).

I'd think you'd need to learn a lot about local favorites and show willingness to do so. perhgaps present your southern menus and experience as more a base demonstration of cooking skills and ingredient knowledge than as something to bring in whole hog. That skill and knowledge can be applied to western food or perhaps presented as "American" or "traditional" instead of Southern". Some of it could even be "Southern" if the menu items are carefully considered (small tests before big runs?) and possibly adapted a bit. I'd think go lightly and build on success gradually might be the better choice rather than launch everything at once and see what happens.

I'd think a lot of the clientele are looking for options similar to what they can get in fast food restaurants (burgers, fries, tacos, chicken something, pizza, salad, etc.) while some want a clear alternative (soup, fresh bread, other main dishes & sides). You'd probably need to keep both types of clients happy in proportion to their numbers. I'd think lunch would probably lean more toward fast food than dinner. Something fast, but fast, good and filling would probably fit a lot of people as Elk Hunter said. Where possible it may be customer friendly to offer choices- with or without gravy or cheese or onions or whatever.

I assume any cafeteria will have a lot of stuff people can buy and take with them to eat outside, as they walk to class, in the dorm or wherever. Fresh whole fruit, wrapped cookies or other breads, yogurt, etc. Maybe soup would be more popular in the winter?

Speed of production in volume will have to be given substantial consideration vs from scratch. I'd think there is a real danger that a heavy focus on everything from scratch would turn the person making the hire off, but I guess it depends if that person is an operations manager first or a foodie first and the size of the staff and budget and past performance. Make sure you talk enough about your experience with / ability to manage people in addition to talking about the food though.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

Oh, and Tex-Mex doesn't go over real well. True Mexican dishes are more what people seek.

I'm curious about that statement considering the Mexican food most Americans eat is much closer to Tex Mex than the cuisines of Old Mexico, which are pretty unknown in most parts. Perhaps what they're eating there is really Cal Mex which would include burritos or New Mexican.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'm curious about that statement considering the Mexican food most Americans eat is much closer to Tex Mex than the cuisines of Old Mexico, which are pretty unknown in most parts. Perhaps what they're eating there is really Cal Mex which would include burritos or New Mexican.

When I was in Texas, every place I went into that had Tex-Mex should have said, "Chipoltly and some sides." All of it tasted the same. There were pockets, or real Mexican food that I thought was much better. Not as many sauces.

I managed a plant in Grand Prairie Texas and we moved it down into Mexico. The move took about a year so I had lots of opportunity to eat South of the Border, and North of the Border. Kind of got spoiled.

Up here, in Wyoming and Montana, I've noticed that when people want recommendations on Mexican restaurants, they specify they want Mexican and not just Tex Mex.

As far as it being more toward Cal-Mex, that could be a very close statement. I lived in San Diego for 20 years, but when I ate Mexican, I stayed away from chains, or mall type restaurants and ate in little places that would seat 12-15 people at bench seat picknic tables. Seldom did they speak much English. Periodically we would go out with friends and they'd take us to the Chain type. It was decent food but not to my liking.

[CAVA1990]

Most people don't realize the burrito as we know it was first served in L.A. in the 1930s. To get back to the OP's question, I'd keep the menu at a college cafeteria fairly simple and stay away from regional specialties if they're not local to the area you're cooking for. Grill food is a pretty safe bet: Burgers, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese, subs, pizza, fries, wings, etc. MIght be good to see what other schools around there are serving and also survey some of the students. Sorry to say most of the Southern stuff you mentioned above will probably not sell.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Beer cheese soup!!! The most popular item at Mick Duff's (sports & burger hangout) in Sandpoint, Idaho. I can't imagine college kids in a cold climate not becoming instantly hooked on beer cheese soup for lunch. It's heavy on the calories, though...

[strudel42]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Beer cheese soup!!! The most popular item at Mick Duff's (sports & burger hangout) in Sandpoint, Idaho. I can't imagine college kids in a cold climate not becoming instantly hooked on beer cheese soup for lunch. It's heavy on the calories, though...

Oh, you have no idea how good that sounds. Calories? Heck, that's what makes it good.

OP: If you make something good, filling, and reasonably priced people will love it. And I bet you can make a mean chili -- that's a really good start.

Biscuits and gravy, pancakes, homemade mac and cheese, soup, salads, chili, sandwiches, burgers & fries. No need to get complicated. Just think what you would like if you were in college and there's a good chance the kids in MT would want the same.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by xeys_00

I am in talks with someone about moving to Montana as a food service manager running a community college cafeteria. Apparently they can't get decreed, experienced people for the operation very easily, because apparently nobody will come to Montana. Anyways, i had been considering a move up north anyways. I'm in Texas. So, in preparation for a possible face to face interview, I'm trying to come up with menu ideas. Most of my cooking is southern. I know basic sauces and can do soups, stews, basic breads like cornbread, muffins, biscuits. Can do comfort foods, meatloaf, etc. Salisbury steak(mini meat loafs), and so on. Can I just bring my southern menus up there, or do I need to learn about local favorites? If I can't sell it(ala carte menu), I can't be making it(no point). All cooking for me is scratch, unless I have help that can't follow basic directions(not sure how good the help will be). I'll probably be cooking and managing. I can do pies, and basic cakes. Pasta, etc. But I want to present menus at the possible interview that will show him I did my homework. Clients will be college kids and college staff and any contractors who show up. is maintenance, etc. Thanks in advance.

Your menus sound like the way the Student Union cafeteria used to be run at MSU-Bozeman, back in the 1970s. It was the best eats in town, and the cheapest. They had a regular chef running the place and he was GOOD. Every day there was one major menu item -- might be Hungarian goulash (that was the best!) or beef stroganoff (my next-most fave) or lasagna or meatloaf or cabbage rolls, you never knew but it would be good... and 100% made from scratch. Might come with cornbread or biscuits. And you could get a salad or soup or desert on the side. Or just a burger if you didn't like the main entree. Custard was a regular dessert and it was great too.

Anyway, it was real food like mom used to make, and the place was packed solid every noontime... a lot of regulars weren't students, either.

Then the chef and the management got into a tiff (they wanted to chinz out on some stuff, and he refused), they fired him, and it became just another mediocre fast-food cafeteria. And I never ate there again.

Anyway, when you describe your skills, I don't hear "southern", I just hear good real food.