Students who have walked into the dining hall this year have likely noticed a change: lunch has grown noticeably more engaging. Much of this change can be attributed to Director of Dining Mr. Michael Burr. Mr. Burr has been at Haverford for nearly a year. Before that, he spent approximately ten years at JPMorgan Chase in Wilmington, Delaware, where he oversaw food service operations for a campus of around 3,000 people.
Although he greatly valued his work there, he sought a new opportunity and hoped to remain in food service with a Monday-through-Friday schedule, something that is difficult to find in an industry that often requires nights, weekends, and holidays. Raised in Delaware County, he was already familiar with the area.
“He spent his first couple of months observing how the kitchen operated, speaking with faculty members, and listening to students.”
VIKRAM PONNURU ’29
“I jumped on [the position] right away,” Burr said. “And then fell in love with it.”
Mr. Burr joined in the middle of the school year, so he did not immediately make significant changes. He spent his first couple of months observing how the kitchen operated, speaking with faculty members, and listening to students. Then, he started making some changes. First, he reduced the number of times chicken thighs were served. Second, he organized the kitchen.
Mr. Burr’s surveys guide recent changes. One survey was sent out last spring, and the most recent one opened at the end of October and will stay open through December. Mr. Burr said some responses are blunt or appear to be written out of frustration, so he pays more attention to the thoughtful and detailed ones. Everything gets reviewed by his marketing and leadership team, who look for patterns, such as dishes that people consistently report are too salty. He doesn’t react right away. He takes time to consider the feedback and then builds a plan around what keeps coming up.
“Mr. Burr is also thinking about introducing a Dr. Seuss Day, which, of course, would consist of green eggs and ham.”
VIKRAM PONNURU ’29
Then there’s the “fun” part. Mr. Burr aims to host one themed day each month, and he does not announce them ahead of time.
“We really want people to come in and experience it,” Mr. Burr said.
Halloween was the most recent themed day, and Mr. Burr commented that plans for the upcoming holidays had not been finalized yet, since the dining team had to work around the school calendar. Mr. Burr is also thinking about introducing a Dr. Seuss Day, which, of course, would consist of green eggs and ham.
Feeding the entire school is even harder than it sounds. The dining hall staff serve students from first grade through senior year, plus over 100 faculty and staff every single day. Mr. Burr explained that a tater tot bowl could go well with younger students, while other dishes tend to be more appealing to upperclassmen. The peak performance station, with a grain or rice base and a simple protein like grilled chicken breast or ground turkey, is popular among students. His own favorite is teriyaki chicken with broccoli and rice, which he says is one of the most popular things students order.
Additionally, if something isn’t available, Mr. Burr makes sure to find another way to provide students with quality food.
“I never want to say, ‘No, you can’t have that,’” Mr. Burr said.
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