Any Sacred Heart student would know the rush and anticipation that follow as soon as the 10:40 snack-time bell rings. A wave of middle and high schoolers run into the cafeteria excitedly, ready to grab a sweet or savory snack from the endless rows of delicious options made available at our school by Cezars Kitchen. Our school kitchen makes snack time and lunchtime the highlight of every school day.
Mr. Michal Borecki, the ISSH Cezars Kitchen manager, has the utmost devotion to making Cezars Kitchen to the liking of the 500 students who attend our school. He tailors the menu options based on student opinion, not costs. “Whatever food is left over, it means that the girls didn’t like it, so we try to take it away from the menu. The ones that were running out very quickly, the girls like it, so I try to put it more on the menu.”
Mr. Borecki has brought Cezars Kitchen to excellence despite the challenges that he has faced during COVID-19. Before the pandemic, Cezars Kitchen had a buffet-style system, where students would scoop portions themselves. However, Cezars Kitchen opted to change the lunch system when the rising costs of ingredients and heightened concern for hygiene became an issue. Cezars Kitchen has also stopped selling processed snacks and now makes freshly baked goods every morning and afternoon. “Because we don’t want any dry goods from different vendors, we try to make everything by ourselves, and we make sure there are no chemicals so girls are not eating junky foods.”
Every morning, the Cezars Kitchen staff makes around 120-200 baked goods in preparation for break time. In addition to this large batch of snacks, Cezars Kitchen bakes another 40 cookies and brownies for students to access if they are hungry between classes. While some snacks have maintained their spot in the cafeteria, many new snacks come and go for students to sample. Mr. Borecki says these new snacks are catered to the students’ feedback as Cezars Kitchen prioritizes the girls’ happiness and always wants to keep the girls coming to the cafeteria.
Mr. Borecki also emphasizes the importance of curating healthy yet delicious lunches for Sacred Heart students. While lunch choices like lasagna are popular with students, Mr. Borecki explains that there must be a balance in the frequency of each lunch. No one lunch meal can be served twice within a month. Each monthly Cezars Kitchen menu consists of fish, curry, beef, noodles, vegetarian options, and so much more, providing a variety of delicious meals that meet everybody’s tastes. “We want to make the girls happy. That’s the most important thing that we want.”
Among the hundreds of different food options that Cezars Kitchen produces, a couple of particularly delicious options have gained immense popularity within the Sacred Heart community. Certain snacks sell out in seconds, and certain lunches create queues that wrap around the cafeteria.
In a survey, we asked middle and high school students to vote for their favorite Cezars Kitchen lunches and snacks. These were the results:
Sacred Heart’s favorite Cezars Kitchen lunches
1. Lasagna
On lasagna day, the line for Cezars Kitchen can extend all the way across the dining hall. This beloved lunchtime meal consists of tender, flavorful beef and marinara sauce wrapped in chewy lasagna noodles. The sides for this dish often include Cezars Kitchen’s famous herb focaccia—moist, soft, and delicious—as well as grilled vegetables seasoned to perfection.
2. Margherita Pizza and Pepperoncini Pasta
This dish is another Sacred Heart favorite and will cause a lengthy cafeteria queue. The pepperoncini pasta has delightful notes of pepper, garlic, and salt and will most definitely leave you wanting more. The pizza is cheesy, thick, absolutely delicious, and nicely compliments the pasta. This pizza, pasta combo will fill your taste buds with delight.
3. Teriyaki Chicken
This Japanese-style grilled chicken, glazed with sweet soy sauce, appeals to almost the entire student body. It harmonizes perfectly with white rice and other salty side menu items like stir-fried tofu and vegetable croquettes.
4. Juicy Beef Burger
At number four on the most popular lunch list, the juicy beef burger claims its rightful place. The hamburger meat is savory, flavorful, and perfectly grilled, ensuring the perfect bite. Served alongside lettuce, tomatoes, and ketchup, students can assemble their own burger with their own topping preferences. Of course, you can’t have a burger without French fries, and Cezars Kitchen’s are impeccable. Their french fries are thick yet crunchy and the perfect amount of savory.
5. Udon
This is another Japanese dish many Sacred Heart students enjoy for lunch, and is especially popular in the winter months because it is always served with steaming hot broth and garnished with spring onion. This lunch menu is made available every day, an option students can always settle on when they crave some traditional Japanese noodles.
Sacred Heart’s favorite Cezars Kitchen snacks
1. Grilled Cheese Sandwich
The top snack for both high school and middle school was the grilled cheese sandwich, and for a good reason. This delicious sandwich contains bread grilled to perfection with a crunchy outer layer and a soft inside revealing the stringy, gooey cheese.
2. Snickerdoodle Cookie
Second, the Snickerdoodle cookie was one of Cezars Kitchen’s first snack menu items. Coated generously with cinnamon and sugar, this cookie is warm and soft to bite into, with grains of sugar that crunch between your teeth.
3. Carrot Cake
Carrot cake is the third most popular Cezars Kitchen snack. Served in perfect one-serving portions, this dessert is characterized by its moist, chewy deliciousness. To top it all off, a small carrot decorates the cream cheese frosting.
4. Churros
Coming in fourth, the delicious churros sell out first at snack time due to their popularity. Filling the entire cafeteria with their cinnamony aroma, these fritters are fluffy and hot on the inside, and crispy on the outside. This treat immediately brings back memories of an amusement park or carnival, letting you escape from the DREAD of school.
5. Karaage
Karaage is the fifth most popular item in Cezars Kitchen. The deep-fried chicken is cooked to crisp perfection on the outside, but the inner meat is chewy and tender. This savory treat is a delicious choice to hold you over until lunchtime. But make sure to get to Cezars quickly, or you’ll be too late to get the karaage!
While some students prefer churros and some students prefer carrot cake, 100% of students can agree that Cezars Kitchen is a delicious staple of Sacred Heart.