Erin Mudra, Mansfield City Schools’ new assistant food service manager, reviews upcoming menus as food service manager Lauren Ellsworth looks on.
Erin Mudra’s professional journey to the food service department at Mansfield City Schools began with her mother’s cooking.
“My mom is a very good cook. She motivated me. I loved cooking when I was growing up,” Mudra said. “I took a lot of food-related projects in 4-H.”
That motivation led the 2000 Lucas High School graduate to Hocking College, where she earned an associate’s degree in culinary arts.
Mudra, 34, comes to Mansfield from a 13-year stint as a sous chef at Ashland University.
“I was part of everything involved in daily food preparation for the serving of 3,000 meals daily at AU,” she said. “That included menu planning, ordering of supplies and assuring proper food handling.”
Since starting on Aug. 1 Mudra has worked closely with Lauren Ellsworth, the district’s food service manager. Ellsworth, a graduate of Lexington High School and Kent State University, was assistant manager for three years. She was promoted to the top position this summer when Jane Fortman retired.
“I am very glad to have Erin working with us,” Ellsworth said. “Right now, she is learning our procedures. Eventually, I expect to involve her in menu planning and ordering supplies, as she did at AU.”
Mansfield City Schools serves an average of 1,600 breakfasts and 2,400 lunches daily. Menus must adhere to nutritional requirements and portion sizes mandated by the National School Lunch Program.
It’s been a positive start for Mudra, who resides in Lucas with her husband, Jason, and daughters Claire, 6, and Charlotte, 3.
“Everyone has been very friendly. A lot of people know my family,” she said. “I have been in all the buildings, met the head cooks and seen how everything works.”
Ellsworth said Mudra will meet each of the entire kitchen staffs as the school year gets under way.
“We have a tremendous food service staff throughout the district,” Ellsworth said. “Erin will fit right in.”
Students started the 2016-17 school year today. The lunch menu: always-popular chicken nuggets, accompanied by baked beans, mandarin oranges, Goldfish crackers and milk.