Every day, while classes begin and the hallways fill with voices, work is already underway in the kitchen downstairs. But who is behind the dishes that arrive upstairs right on time for lunch? We interviewed Angela, the school canteen chef, to share with you the work, organization, and passion of the team that prepares the students’ meals for Primary.
Q: Angela, tell us who works in the kitchen with you.
A: I’m the chef, Romina is the assistant chef. Paola and Elisa work with us as kitchen assistants. We work for Camst Group. I’ve been doing this job for 18 years: I started as a kitchen assistant, then became assistant chef, and finally chef. I’ve worked for Camst Group since 2020, and we have been working together as a team for two years now.
Q: How do you divide roles in the kitchen?
A: The chef and assistant chef always work closely together. The main difference is responsibility: Romina replaces me when I’m not there, so our roles are very similar. We’re well coordinated and organize first and second courses without strict divisions. The final decision is mine, but we work in complete harmony. The assistants prepare bread, fruit, salad, and everything that needs to be transported upstairs.
Q: How many classes do you cook for each day?
A: For Chatterbox we cook for the primary school. In addition, we prepare meals for the nursery, kindergarten and secondary lower school of the other schools in the same building. In total, it’s about 300 meals a day, all cooked here.
Q: Your day starts early… how is it organized?
A: We always start early. Romina arrives at 7:15 and begins the first preparations; I arrive around 7:40. If there’s a roast, it’s the first thing we put in the oven because it takes time to cook it properly. Then we move on to sauces and everything else. A big part of the work is special diets: we have at least 35 every day. They require a lot of attention because they must be prepared separately, one by one, and each one of them has different requirements.
Q: How long do you work in the kitchen every day?
A: Romina finishes around noon, I finish at two. The assistants stay a bit longer because they handle cleaning and resetting the kitchen.
Q: What kind of ingredients do you use?
A: Our ingredients are mainly local, but also national — in any case, all Italian. For example, the apples come from Trentino. We try to work with fresh products as much as possible: we make pesto using fresh basil, olive oil, and parmesan, without garlic or nuts to accommodate intolerances. Even the mashed potatoes are made on the spot with fresh potatoes — we don’t use instant products.
Q: What gives you the greatest satisfaction in your work?
A: Satisfaction comes when a dish is appreciated. It’s demanding work and it requires a lot of effort, but when the kids enjoy the food, you realize it’s worth it. We do it with love — we couldn’t do it otherwise.
Q: Is there a dish you especially enjoy cooking?
A: I enjoy cooking a bit of everything. I know they love mashed potatoes, chicken, and meatballs. When I know a dish is popular, I work serenely because I know they’ll eat it happily.
Q: Who decides the menus?
A: The menus are set by the local health authority (ASL).
Q: Is there anything you’d like to add?
A: The most important thing is that we’re a great team. We’re lucky to work with such a close-knit group. We work in harmony, help each other, and that’s the foundation of doing a good job.
Thanks to Angela and the entire kitchen team for their time and for the passion they bring to their work every day, contributing with care and attention to the wellbeing of our students.
