"Having the cooks right there and having the students able to see it spurs them on," Mayer says. "We may have to pre-cook some items to reduce the stress."

Associate Director for Human Resources Judith R. Della Barba says HUDS continues to keep the interests of its staff in mind. She explains that, during initial stages of planning the architecture and technology of the new halls, she interjected with a "time out."

"What is happening here to ensure that our people will be trained?" she recalls asking. "We've got some people here--these are living, breathing human beings."

Her solution has been training.

"We have the responsibility to make sure that these people were not caught off guard. We owe it to our people to do that. Staff is everything to us," Della Barba says.

"When we switched to china, one of the first things that happened was that a shop steward called me up and said, 'we're concerned.'" Della Barba explains. "I'm so glad that we have that relationship."

Della Barba says HUDS has taken the idea of a fifth chef under advisement--and is quick to point out that she's created dozens of new positions in recent weeks.