Same Job, Different View
Another side of the culinary world
By David Loftus
Photos: Elizabeth Barrega
A few months ago, I began a new position as Head Chef for YMCA of the Pines, a bustling camp with two separate dining halls and a busy Outdoor Center in New Jersey. The camp had been hit hard by COVID-19, as the entire industry has been, but the leadership team had a vision for growth and prosperity despite uncertainty. Food service had become a challenge in recent years due to supply-chain issues and the pandemic, and my task was to overcome that. I instinctively drew on my experience to implement sanitation systems and processes for many opportune aspects of the kitchen operation, while gleaning critical details from the longer-tenured staff members. We are planning for the future with audacious menu options—creative and flexible platforms that will entice and nourish campers, guests, and staff members during their time at camp. We are in the process of revamping the food-service page of the website to refresh our vision and to relay our message loud and clear.
I have been in the profession for more than 20 years, but I found an atmosphere positively different from any to which I was accustomed—a place where people actually laugh out loud and share stories of their interwoven lives and experiences. The staff is a complex group; some have been here since they were campers in their youth, and some, like myself, are new to the environment. The many diverse and eclectic personalities could be a recipe for conflict elsewhere, but here they create a coherent and dynamic whole that is better than the sum of their parts.
As for what makes this experience different, I can only say that the buzz of the place, even in the off season, is unique. A strong sense of wherewithal and purpose drives this team towards success. The group is driven by different forces than those of a restaurant team, a hotel staff, or a multi-unit, quick-service chain. The trees here tell stories of decades of youth experiences, friendships made, knees skinned, shoes full of sand, and the deep sleep that only a summer camper can know. My kitchen has a view of a gorgeous lake, where before all I had were the faint hum of fluorescent lights and white plastic walls. The dining hall is decorated with hand-painted memorabilia of summers past. There is always a fine layer of dust on everything. No one feels rushed, only deliberate and driven. Knowing that the participants who come here and share the space and the woods and the lakes really WANT to be here drives this point home. Special events and recognition functions allow the kitchen to flex its muscles periodically and bring in more exotic and upscale ingredients and produce than I have known in my entire professional life. My walk-in coolers may be full of chicken nuggets and waffle fries, but they are on the shelf next to fresh wasabi rhizome and Kimchi flakes.
Every chef and culinarian should take the chance to spend time in a place like this. It is good for your head, your heart, and your soul.
David Loftus is the Head Chef for YMCA of the Pines in Medford, N.J. Reach him at (609) 654-8225.