reSee.it Podcast Summary
New tour dates are announced: Montreal on August 3, Portland on August 8, and Spokane on September 12. Tickets are on sale now, with remaining seats in Belfast, Cork, London, Idaho Falls, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas. Tickets through theovondoom.com. Merch includes gang gang hoodies in heather gray, tan, light blue, and duck camo at theovonstore.com, the only merch site run by the team.
Today's guest is Melissa, a Cleveland-born lunch lady with more than 31 years in the school lunch program. She describes lunch ladies as the belly-filling link between breakfast and dinner, the next liaison to sustenance for children. She started after graduation, when she needed a job while raising a child, and fell into the role. She works with Shayla Cruz; together they manage breakfast and lunch service, often serving on the line for speed. They feed about 460 students for breakfast and around 600 for lunch daily, and buses arriving late can keep the lines moving.
A typical shift begins at 7:30, turning on warmers and ovens, setting out hot breakfasts, and managing a breakfast cart with options like pancakes, muffins, fruit, and juice. Breakfast sometimes extends to accommodate late arrivals, then they transition to lunch using a weekly menu planned a week ahead. They order for the week and adjust for shortages, a reality since 2020. Government guidelines specify required servings of vegetables and other items, but Melissa emphasizes flexibility to keep kids fed. Menus include hot lunches, PB&J, and cold options; pizza remains a favorite on pizza day, and they’ve added items like cantaloupe, watermelon, and Cuties as fresh fruit options.
The cafeteria operates in a bilingual, multicultural environment; Melissa’s team mostly speaks Spanish, and she enjoys learning a few phrases. The kitchen has evolved from microwaved meals to cooked entrees finished in the oven, with more variety and greater focus on freshness. She likes to engage kids with wig changes, jokes, and upbeat energy, especially for the younger ones who still love school lunches.
She shares personal details: she’s been married 30 years, has one son named Joe Rocka, who now works as a cable man in Masselin, and she has a dog named Mo. She has been recognized as Employee of the Year, and she plans to retire after reaching 35 years in the system. During the pandemic, she helped with drive-through meals for students and the homeless, reflecting the community role of lunch staff.
Melissa notes the emotional bonds with students, the field trips, dances, and buddy programs that keep the lunchroom a supportive space. She sees the lunchroom as a home away from home where meals—and care—matter.