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Public
Employee Press Profile in Public
Service Cook of the Year
Teamwork is the main ingredient
Like many famous cooks, Robin DeFreitas refuses
to share the secret ingredients of the savory dishes she prepares every day, especially
her mouthwatering barbecue chicken. But ask her about supervising a staff
of 11, dealing with numerous food vendors and school administrators and
most importantly preparing 1,200 meals a day, five days a week, for schoolchildren,
and she wont hesitate for a minute to reveal the secret of her success.
Teamwork, says the Senior School Lunch Aide and Cook at IS 109
in Queens Village. I have the best staff in the city. Everybody here knows
how important it is to work together and keep the kitchen running smoothly.
The Dept. of Education honored her distinguished service to the schoolchildren
of New York City in June by naming DeFreitas Queens Cook of the Year in a ceremony
where cooks from the other four boroughs also received plaques. Thousands
of Local 372 members in all the jobs our union represents are the heart of the
school system, because they show this kind of commitment to the children,
said local President Veronica Montgomery-Costa. I feel honored
to be named one of the top cooks in the city, said DeFreitas, who has worked
at IS 109 for eight years. We really enjoy working together and making sure
the kids get a good meal at lunch. Thats very important to us.
After 21 years with DOE, the Local 372 member, shop steward and grandmother
of three still enjoys the responsibilities of preparing hot and nutritious meals.
She arrives at the middle school by 6:30 every morning to start preparing meals
for the first of three lunch shifts, which begins at 10:30. She
can be very creative in the kitchen, said Assistant Cook and Local 372 member
James Sarvis, who has worked with DeFreitas for six years. I agree with
her the most important ingredient in our kitchen is teamwork.
Alfredo Alvarado | |