Most students on campus find themselves getting a quick bite to eat at some of the various food locations on campus. Some of the most visited areas are The Chartwells Cafeteria and The Panther’s Den. Many students enjoy spending their time at these locations, but they do not operate on their own. The staff that work there play an essential part and we would like to take some time to highlight a few members of the Chartwells Team.
Reyna Escobar is usually seen working at the taco bar putting together burrito bowls or cheesy quesadillas. Her usual job is working as both a server and cashier. Students can usually find her in The Den from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and Escobar has been working for Chartwells for 5 years now. When asked what is her favorite meal from The Den, she says she enjoys the chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and the tacos. Although some might agree that the food can be enjoyable those foods are not her preferred choice of food in comparison to what she cooks at home.
Reyna is from a Central American country, El Salvador, and she says “When I cook at home I usually make traditional food such as grilled chicken, carnitas for tacos at times, beans and rice.”
After being here for 5 years she has definitely made a connection with the students and the staff.
“Some of the things that I enjoy about this job is the relationship I have with my boss and with my co-workers and also the relationship I have with students. I get to see them on a daily basis and get to know more about them and how school is going.”
Jean Andre can always be found in The Den in the section of the Diner 223. Jean has been working for Chartwells since 2016. His day-to-day responsibilities consist of being a cashier and grill cook. If he chooses to have a quick bite, he will usually go for the chicken tenders (but they are not his favorite either).
Jean’s usual shift is from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays. He feels that even though he has not been here as long as the others he has still been able to make a connection with students and enjoys talking to them. At home he enjoys making Haitian food which sometimes consist of plantains, pork, corn and bean stew.
Since the change from Nathan’s to the Diner 223, he was asked which did he prefer more he says, “Nathan’s was good, some people liked some of the items better like fries and stuff but the diner is pretty much the same.”
And lastly, working in the newly redone market is Pierre Albert-Fils. Pierre has been working with Chartwells for 2 years. His job consists of making the sandwiches and working as a cashier. Pierre’s usually working the night shift and when it comes to eating on campus he tends to head over to the cafeteria and get some shrimp alfredo when he can. When asked what he makes at home he stated that most of the meals are Haitian.
Pierre Albert-Fils (Photo taken by Anthony J. Bruno)
“I like to make black rice with shrimp and mushrooms, but I am very picky so I like to cook most of my food myself.”
Some of the things he likes about working on campus is that he is able to make connections and build relationships with the students who work at Chartwells and also with the students who come by and eat.
When asked about the new changes in the sandwich spot he states, “I really like the changes that have been made, there are a lot more choices and the whole place is a lot nicer and they made the register easier to work with which is better for me.”
