There are just two rules when it comes to the food at Skylemar: 1) It has to be delicious; and 2) You can never ever run out.
With a combined 83 years working here, Head Chef Jr, Superman, Benjamin, Jairo, Julio, Tony, David, Byron, Miguel, Juan and Cesar make up the staff who know exactly how to get it right. Plus, they know how to keep a kitchen sparkling clean. Just ask the Health Inspector who visited last week. “Beautiful”, he said.
After decades of cooking for growing boys, there are a few things we know for sure. For example, the way it looks, and the texture makes a big difference. Always keep the sauce separate. Have plenty of options. Boys like to know what’s happening next, so Shep tells them the meals the night before. Quality definitely matters.
In fact, there’s lots that we do from a quality standpoint that our “food procurement consultants” say is "crazy" from a cost perspective. For example, we crack our own eggs (900 for scrambled) and make homemade meatballs from scratch. And 'lots' is what we prepare. It costs $9,800 per day to feed the Skylemar family, and well worth it too.
We’re excited to share some great news -- this year the boys have eaten more vegetables and fruits than ever before. We’re talking double! In one afternoon the salad bar alone goes through a treasure chest-sized bin of a spring mix, romaine and iceberg lettuce combo, 110 cucumbers (most popular), 85 tomatoes, plus much more.
The Senior Staff serves the food, which gives 30 of us the chance to see each boy in one of four buffet lines, at least three times a day. Abby and Bella are in charge of special diets and picky eaters. They custom make meals for those with dietary restrictions in a way that makes them feel just like anyone else. They’re also great at coming up with an agreeable option for those with limited “likes”.
There’s definitely something for everyone in the buffet lines. If you don’t like the main entrée there’s pasta, with sauce and parmesan cheese on the side. Just about all of our boys like pasta with butter, with many adding some parm. Only a few take the sauce, notes this pasta-server. We make 40 pounds as a side dish, and 100 pounds for a full meal. Bowties, penne and spirals leave spaghetti in the dust....
180 WB&J’s, cut into triangles, get made in a day. That’s Wow Butters & Jelly, since we do our best to be peanut-free. Our panel of experts determined that when it came to taste, texture and appearance, Wow Butter beat SunButter hands down. Plus the name is really fun to say.
Mexican is our most popular category: tacos, burritos, quesadillas and Skypotle. Italian comes next, as in pasta, lasagna and pizza. Asian is third, with chicken lo mein, egg rolls and beef with broccoli the highlights. Then there’s good old American, with chicken tenders, steak subs and grilled cheese right at the top.
In addition to all the old favorites, newcomers to the menu these past few years are “Bowls”, which are super popular. There’s Teriyaki, Asian and KFC. It’s a big black bowl that you fill yourself. Ingredients for Teriyaki bowls include rice, chicken/steak, edamame, carrots, broccoli, cabbage and wonton crisps. The Asian bowl has lo mein noodles and broth, plus the add-ons above. KFC bowls are Thanksgiving dinner (21 turkeys) leftovers – roast turkey, real mashed potatoes and gravy.
Caesar Salad is always a hit, and we go through a huge quantity. It takes 72 heads. Here’s the secret recipe to try at home : Toss romaine in garlic powder -- add Ken’s Pepper Parmesan dressing (not Caesar) -- toss again -- add parmesan cheese -- add homemade croutons.... and toss again.
Jr’s grilled chicken is always perfect, every time. Both kids and adults love it because it’s plain yet flavorful, and never too dry. First, a chicken breast is cut horizontally... then in half, and pounded just a bit. It’s marinated overnight in Ken’s Italian. Each piece is grilled just until charred, and then into the warmer it goes (which would be the same as an oven with a pan of water in the bottom) at 100 degrees for 2 hours. This process makes it juuuust right!
MPD (most popular dinner) goes to Wing Night. They come in two flavors of buffalo: “hot” or “not” -- 600 pounds for just one meal.
Lots more secrets to share when it comes to feeding our amazing boys, so you’ll have to stay tuned. Thank you, Kitchen Staff!
