Bromfield cafeteria gets much-needed spruce-up

Chef Paul Correnty, director of food services for the schools, has a spring in his step this year thanks to recent repairs, upgrades, and a major cleaning in the Bromfield cafeteria. In fact, he’s taken to calling it the “dining room.” Recognizing that it’s the one area of the school that every student spends time in every day, Correnty is also planning to display student art on the walls this year to bring more life to the space and to add a bulletin board dedicated to student information at the room’s entrance.

Correnty credits new school Facilities Manager Jon Snyer and the new staff custodians with the cafeteria’s facelift. All new ceiling tiles, cleaned and painted beams and columns, and new “smart” lights that turn themselves off and on as needed give the room a sparkle it has lacked in recent years. In addition, the floor was deep-cleaned and waxed, chairs and tables were power-washed, and window screens were replaced. Dents in the columns throughout the room were repaired, and stainless steel strips were attached to the corners to prevent future dings.

“We’ve worked very hard to bring this up to the level that students deserve,” said Correnty, and he added that students may be more invested in keeping the cafeteria clean this year because of its fresh new look.

Softer water, sub assembly station

The School Committee’s recent vote to purchase a water softener for Bromfield is also “huge,” according to Correnty. As many Harvard homeowners know, when hard water comes in contact with a heating element, it leaves a nasty, white coating of mineral deposits. That coating affects the heating elements’ function, making it difficult for Bromfield dishwashers, for example, to heat water to 180 degrees, the temperature the Board of Health requires. This year Correnty purchased hot water boosters for the dishwashers in both schools to solve the existing problem, but he hopes the water softener will keep it from getting worse. Correnty again credits Snyer for recognizing the hard-water problem and working quickly to address it.

Other equipment purchased this year includes a new station for making subs that will provide space for more sandwich toppings. Altogether, food services purchased about $15,000 of equipment this year using profits from vending machines, breakfast sales, and Chef Paul’s soup sales, a highly profitable program that helps to support the school lunch program.

Last year, Correnty said he grossed about $44,000 in soup sales, and he will be continuing the program this year. Residents can sign up to get on the soup email list at chefpaulssoup@gmail.com. Correnty sends out an order form twice a month, starting in September and continuing through the school year. Each order form will offer a selection of three soups. Customers order the soups in advance and pick them up Thursday afternoons at the Bromfield cafeteria.

This year’s staff will include a new dishwasher and kitchen helper, Ann Benard, who has worked at both Hildreth Elementary School and Whole Foods. And head cook Karen Shanley, hired last year after head cook Cindy Prescott passed away, will be back again this year. Correnty describes her as extremely creative and raves about her roasted red pepper and smoked gouda soup. “She can really cook,” Correnty said.