Food Truck Startup Journal Entry #12 “Learning from the Oliver Gospel Mission Kitchen and Roastery”

Above picture from left to right — Corey, Fred, Jimmy, myself and Geno

6/14/2023

Since September of 2021, I have had the privilege of working / serving alongside the culinary service staff at Oliver Gospel Mission (OGM). (https://www.olivergospel.org/) From my desk as Life Advisor I get to see my co-workers faithfully serve the community of Columbia, SC. Not only is our culinary staff excellent, they have a heart to see transformation and growth in the lives of the people we serve.

Today, I was granted the permission of the leadership to observe the day to day operations of the OGM Men’s Center Kitchen and The Roastery Coffee Shop. I can’t think of any better examples to explain the nature of customer or client service than these men and women.

At the time of this blog during weekdays, OGM Men’s Center serves over 100 of the unhoused residents of Columbia, SC restaurant quality food every week of the year. They also serve a smaller group of clients (Refresh, Rebuild and Recovery Programs) every day throughout the year.

The Roastery is a ministry fundraiser that functions as a full service coffee shop. As the name implies they not only sell the coffee but they roast high quality coffee inside the shop. This is what I found as a result of observing both…

Serving in the “Roastery” Coffee Shop

• Coffee Shop Store Setup — The day for staff starts earlier than the opening of the store. Before the first guest is poured a cup of coffee, staff is brewing, laying out the pastries and completing the preliminary administrative affairs.
• Time and Mix Management — There are many time sensitive functions at work in a vibrant coffee shop. Green coffee is being measured, roasted and transformed onto the beans that are typically bought or sold. Coffee Beans are being grinded, brewed and mixed. Tea is being dropped, poured over and prepped. Each one of these actions are typically done through team effort, they require time management, coordination and attention.
• Roles and Responsibilities of each team member — The manager lays out the unique daily task of each team member. Similar to the coordination of an intricate NFL blocking scheme each person is encouraged to perform their specific job for the “touchdown” of the customer experience.
• The Business of Coffee — Before a cup of coffee gets to our lips there are many levels of business that have to be transacted. Let’s count the ways. The coffee has to be grown (#1) and harvested (#2). Our roaster Hannah Hilfiker explained that both the altitude and soil (country of origin) affects the taste of each type of green coffee. The green coffee is then sold in these huge bags (Sack Race Sized) from the country of origin to the roaster (#3). The Roaster then roast the green coffee. The transformed coffee beans are either bagged (#4) for large take home bag sale or (#5) grinded and brewed for individual cup sales. By my count that is at least five business transactions before taking the first sip.
• The Roasting Process — The roasting process is intense. A coffee roaster device (opening picture) looks like part oven, part spaceship and part outdoor barbecue grill. The device is hooked up to a computer monitor that tracks its every move and temperature. The Roaster is a tool that turns green or uncultivated coffee into the coffee beans that we see in our local grocery story.
• Creating an accessible recipe log or cook/mix book — Each variation of Frappe, Macchiato or Latte requires a different recipe. In order to train each staffer an accessible recipe book needs to be close. While veteran staffers can memorize recipes it’s important to have a teaching tool handy to equip each new hire.
• The importance of being present for each customer and treating each person with respect. — Care starts when customers walk in the door. An authentic smile, a courteous greeting and client care matter a great deal when a restaurant is seeking to stand out or simply be sustainable.

OGM Men’s Center Kitchen

• How to cook and maintain food for large groups. — There is a difference between cooking for a household and cooking for a community. Kitchen Manager Geno Pickard explained that when cooking for a large group one has to pay attention to serving sizes and scoop sizes. The serving sizes are typically seen on the nutrition fact label of a box, jar or container. The scoop size is the literal size of scoop per trey. A kitchen leader multiples the serving sizes to match the goal audience and divides to scoop size to ensure every client gets a fair and equal portion.
• Maintaining a Clean Kitchen (Reducing the risk of cross contamination, sanitization and Safe Serve) — Cleanliness, Cleanliness, Cleanliness! An organizational kitchen that serves people must take a clean kitchen seriously because lives literally depend on it. During the observation the staff talked about the importance of continuously washing hands and discarding “task” latex gloves after each use in a specific area of the kitchen. The purpose of this is to avoid cross contamination. Cross contamination happens when bacteria spreads in a kitchen from inappropriate blending, usage or storage. It was also important to regularly clean and sanitize stations. Last but not least, restaurateurs and food operators are encouraged to obtain their Safe Serve certification. This certification is a training that explains the rules of kitchen safety and makes the employee a valued asset in the kitchen.
• The weight of leadership in an organizational kitchen — The buck stops at the leader of the kitchen. From health and safety standards, to accounting practices to care of customers, each aspect of a restaurant or kitchen is a reflection of leadership and or the leader on duty. This is why it is important to train, cultivate staff and empower staff to have a leadership mindset in all aspects of kitchen management.
• The role of cooking temperatures — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a standard for cooking each type of meat. (Standards Link Here — https://rb.gy/t2xyd ) The reason for cooking at these temperatures is to lower the risk of food borne illness. Cooking at an appropriate temperature is the responsibility of every chef every time food is prepared. I plan on getting a digital food thermometer and being intentional about getting a temperature reading on my cooked meats moving forward.
• Dry Heat versus Moist Heat in a Kitchen — Chafing Dishes are an important part of personal catering. Sometimes the foundational dish has a layering of water. This water layering creates a type of humid or moist heat. Certain dishes thrive in humid heat, this link from professional Culinary trainer Ruuxbe elaborates. (Link — https://rb.gy/55q03 If food that should be placed in dry heat is placed in moist heat for an extended period of time it could have an adverse affect on the dish.
• The importance of food quality and presentation — Most people will become return customers because of the quality or food. It’s imperative to create dishes that are worth eating. This staff also stresses the importance of the quality of the presentation of the food. Food should not be sloppily placed on a tray or poorly maintained. Every item served is a reflection of the chef and or the server serving the plate.
• Communication and Teamwork — Great kitchens with multiple chefs are made possible through coordination and the reduction of egos. Individuals must work as pieces of the whole to accomplish great food and efficient serving processes for their clients.

Both

• Being intentional about cultivating staff — Every staffer has a dynamic and unique story. The job of a kitchen manager or executive chef is leading each employee’s culinary skills and stories to accomplish a greater purpose. I can see that both staff value their employees and seek to cultivate them both in the kitchen and in life.

Summary -

In summary, I learned a lot in a day about the operations of a restaurant or food service organization. Today’s session taught me that people (staff, leadership and clients), processes, training, the business, cleanliness, food safety, quality and presentation are all significant when it comes to the flourishing of a kitchen.

I am grateful that both kitchens opened their work areas to me. I am appreciate the opportunity I had to learn and serve with their kitchens and with this mission in general.