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July 12, 2007

Cooking With Relish

Culinary specialist loves his job at the university

Story by: J. Blankenship

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Robert Rodriguez

“This is home for me on the weekend. I’m so happy to do my job. It’s just beautiful.”
Roberto Hernandez boils pasta Saturday in one of several 180-pound skillets in Connection Café.

Slinging butcher knives and 180-pound skillets, a campus cook serves up weekend feasts to students and guests. He routinely asks for food suggestions and swears he loves the job.

Roberto Hernandez creeps into what he calls an oversized and wonderfully equipped kitchen in the Connection Café at 3:30 a.m. to fix breakfast for sleepy students. He lives in Irving and works full time as a chef for AT&T. His weekend duties on campus with the Aramark-run café reflect and extend his life’s passion.

“To me, this is not a hard job because I love it,” he said.

He knows restaurants well, though he never received formal training. Hernandez started as a dishwasher in 1988, where he quietly observed various kitchen duties. After being promoted to server, he said his employer noticed his attitude and work ethic. Soon he ran the grill, then the entire kitchen. He has been cooking for more than 18 years now, the last two with Aramark, where he enjoys the well-equipped kitchen and campus atmosphere.

Hernandez enjoys dealing with people and frequently steps out of the kitchen to assist in the serving lines. He takes the opportunity to explain ingredients and help selective patrons with certain food concerns.

“Come and ask me questions,” he said. “If someone is allergic to something, I can fix it so they can still eat. I can steer them to the right foods.”

He views his culinary creations as gifts and delights in seeing people enjoy the results. He routinely walks through the dining room asking guests if they liked the meal or what other types of meals they want to see offered.

“I was surprised when he asked me about the food,” criminal justice junior Kyle Davis said. “He really wanted to know what I thought. He really cares.”

Hernandez said he easily obtains feedback during summers, when about 100 students typically dine in. But sometimes those crowds dramatically increase. Outside groups who rent campus facilities frequently include the café in their weekend schedules. A group of more than 900 streamed through the restaurant July 1. Hernandez said that next weekend they’re expecting an additional 1,500 per meal.

The Shorthorn: Robert Rodriguez

Roberto Hernandez boils pasta in one of several 180lb skillets Saturday in Connection Cafe. Hernandez's hat holds award pins from Aramark for accident free kitchens.

“That’s a lot of people for one cook,” music education sophomore Kenneth Spence said.

Spence calls himself a nontraditional student with a background in the hospitality industry, and is a part-time chef at one of the campus ministries. He said directly asking students what they want to eat or how things taste seems like a smart move, and that it entices more people to eat at the Connection Café.

Estimating how many people will want seconds or thirds in buffet-style settings can be challenging for any cook, but Hernandez doesn’t seem to mind. He said increased numbers to be served means teamwork becomes critical, so he rates it high on his scale of tools for success. Café employees work well together and respect each other, something he enjoys. His working environment is significant because he works 16 hours each Saturday and Sunday.

“This is home for me on the weekend,” he said. “I’m so happy to do my job. It’s just beautiful.”