This is the kitchen area. As you can see, the
kitchen contains all the utensils, ingredients, and appliances required
to cook 17 meals per week for 45+ people. (This photo was taken
during Thanksgiving Day dinner preparations). All meals at Laurel
House are prepared by members based on their own recipes. Each cook
prepares several menus in advance which are then forwarded to the menu
planner. The menu planner checks the menus for nutritional balance and
ensures that meals are varied in content throughout the week. The menus
are then forwarded to the food buyer who purchases the necessary
ingredients on a daily basis. In addition, a kitchen manager oversees
the operations of the physical elements of the kitchen and monitors the
cleanliness and safety of the area. Laurel House regularly makes
high scores on its health inspections and prides itself on this
fact.
The seventeen meals served each week are breakfast, lunch, and dinner on weekdays and brunch on weekends. Please see a typical menu for details. Vegetarian options are available at most meals. If you are unable make a meal, it is possible to sign up for a "save plate" with food from the missed meal. In addition, leftovers and miscellaneous snack foods (chips, bread, cereal, peanut butter & jelly,etc.) are available 24 hours per day in the walk-in refrigerator and commons area.
[For guided tour]Before moving on, let's
talk a little bit more about co-op labor...