For many students, a dining hall serves as a vehicle for forging connections. For those working behind its counters, the experience is similar — forming a community that often goes unseen.

Two of USC’s kitchen managers have spent at least a decade working nonstop to feed students, begging the question: What makes working at Parkside Restaurant, Everybody’s Kitchen or USC Village dining hall so conducive to long-term employment?

The short answer: the people.

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For Renato Colmenares, kitchen manager at the Parkside dining hall, USC is a place of strong family ties and invaluable coworkers.

“My girlfriend went to school here for her master’s degree in cinematic arts. I got a job here, and then just began liking it, liking the people, understanding the environment and getting promotions whenever I could,” Colemnares said. “Once I hit a managerial role, I was surrounded by people that pushed me.”

The dynamic menus and sense of community in the kitchens would not be possible without collaboration between the chefs and their staff. Strong ties between the dining halls are just as important as cohesion within them for encouraging longevity in working relationships.

“Renato actually was a cook for me when I was a supervisor at EVK, and now he’s a kitchen manager,” said Miguel Gomez, kitchen manager at USC Village Dining Hall.

Gomez’s familial connection to USC goes even deeper.

“My mom actually worked at USC for 21 years,” Gomez said. “She worked at the credit union. So growing up, I spent a lot of weekends [here], and then my brother ended up coming to school here. He received his doctorate from ’SC, so there’s always been a history.”

After suffering from a car accident that disrupted his plans to become an English teacher, Gomez went on to culinary school to pursue his new dream. In doing so, he moved back to Los Angeles and reconnected with his USC roots.

“I reached out to people that I knew at ’SC, and they were hiring,” Gomez said. “So I came in as a cook. Started as a cook like my staff here, and then just moved up to supervisor, assistant kitchen manager and now kitchen manager.”

Just as he climbed the ranks, Gomez hopes to serve as a conduit for members of his staff in moving up and out. He never gave up on his passion for teaching and continues to apply those skills and concepts within his kitchen.

“There are some veterans here, but for the most part, it’s a new staff … They’re here to learn, and they’re eager,” Gomez said. “We get to mold them and see them advance. That’s the teacher in me, again — I love teaching them and watching them learn and then advance and leave. I tell them, the good ones, at least, ‘I don’t want to see you here in six months.’”

While establishing new connections is one part of the job, another facet is bringing in one’s lived experiences and identities. Conceptualizing the menus is a very involved process, which relies on contributions from the staff, research into food trends, student feedback and a creative approach to limitations.

“[In] creating the menu, some of it comes from personal experience, like growing up in my Mexican family,” Gomez said. “There’s definitely flavor profiles that I lean towards, but I don’t want to make it just that.”

Gomez’s account was not dissimilar to Colmenares’ experience. The Parkside International Residential College houses many international students, so the dining hall’s dishes are often “international-based,” but Colmenares also finds a way to incorporate his small-town Oklahoma roots into southern dishes.

Creativity in the menus is integral across the campus — especially so for Eileen Aguilera, kitchen manager at EVK, who must work within a more structured framework compared to her counterparts.

“We’re trying to give them a well-balanced [meal] within parameters,” Aguilera said. “We do work with a dietitian to try to give them the healthiest meal, plus food that they would want to eat, as well as enjoy.”

However, these guidelines and restrictions do not impede her ability to create fresh menus.

“I think where we have the most fun in our unit specifically is at the Mongo station where we’re doing different dishes, and I think that’s where we’ll get to be more creative,” Aguilera said. “I put out a couple of new bars. One was Frankfest, where there were different types of hot dogs from different areas that people were familiar with.”

Students have a lot to look forward to in terms of new dining experiences this next month.

“Right now, I’m working on our Halloween menu, because we actually have the Halloween event at our unit, so I’m excited about that,” Aguilera said. “I think we’re getting to do Beetlejuice [as a theme].”

The relationship between kitchen manager and staff goes beyond just professional. Their close-knit culture is at the core of promoting constructive working conditions.

“Once a week, what we try to do is like a family meal, something different for us to eat,” Aguilera said. “I know it’s still food, but that is our business, so that’s kind of what keeps us happy … something different, something special.”

Ultimately, the dining halls serve a special purpose on campus — to bring the USC community together. It’s a place where a little gratitude can go a long way.

“I wish students knew … that we do everything in our power to make their experience memorable, and my staff works tirelessly. My hat’s off to them because without them, I couldn’t do what I do,” Gomez said. “If they see somebody, say thank you. It’ll make their day, and definitely put a smile on their face.”