Bennett’s Mill Middle’s cafeteria manager David Hudson builds up his Broncos with delicious, warm meals.
He loves the opportunity to get students to try new things and serve them healthy meals when many might not have much to eat at home.
“I have a passion for cooking,” said Hudson. “I use everything to make sure that the kids are getting a good quality meal here.”
He first found his love of cooking from his father.
“Every male child in my family knows how to cook,” Hudson said. “He made sure that we knew how to cook and prepare a meal.”
He took those foundational pieces, including many things he learned from his mother, and he also absorbed lessons from chefs he worked with in different restaurants. All of those influences come together in its own kind of science and art in creating his own recipes.
“You want to make something of your own.”
He is big on the presentation of the food, plating with pleasing colors.
“A lot of times it’s not the meal itself, it’s the way it’s presented to them,” he said. “These kids eat with their eyes, so let’s try to present it to them like they’re home. If they see it looks good, they might want to try it.”
At Bennett’s Mill, he leads a crew of 7 who all work together to serve the best food for their school.
“My staff is great. I love my staff,” he said. “A manager is nothing without their staff.”
You won’t find him sitting around much. He’d much rather be getting his hands messy cooking with his crew.
“I’m the kind of manager that doesn’t like to sit in the office,” he said. “I can do more showing what to do and how to do instead of telling you.”
He’s been at Bennett’s Mill for 5 years now, and he was even a multi-site manager splitting time between Fayetteville Elementary and the middle school for a bit. It offered him to the opportunity to build relationships with students over many years.
“It’s easy for me to have them try something when they’ve known me for so many years. They can trust me when I say ‘Try this, try that.’”
Hudson is also a training manager for the Fayette County Public Schools Nutrition Program where he helps mentor and train others to make sure their cafeterias are the best they can be for their students.
“You have to cook with love. If you don’t love what you do, it’s not going to turn out right. If you don’t love it, you’ll give them anything,” he said. “My theory is do not give anybody something that you would not eat.”
“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.
Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.
Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2200811.
