Public Employee Press

Profile in Public Service

Cook of the Year
Teamwork is the main ingredient

Like many famous cooks, Robin DeFreitas refuses to share the secret ingredients of the savory dishes she prepares every day, especially her mouthwatering barbecue chicken.

But ask her about supervising a staff of 11, dealing with numerous food vendors and school administrators and — most importantly — preparing 1,200 meals a day, five days a week, for schoolchildren, and she won’t hesitate for a minute to reveal the secret of her success.

“Teamwork,” says the Senior School Lunch Aide and Cook at IS 109 in Queens Village. “I have the best staff in the city. Everybody here knows how important it is to work together and keep the kitchen running smoothly.”

The Dept. of Education honored her distinguished service to the schoolchildren of New York City in June by naming DeFreitas Queens Cook of the Year in a ceremony where cooks from the other four boroughs also received plaques.

“Thousands of Local 372 members in all the jobs our union represents are the heart of the school system, because they show this kind of commitment to the children,” said local President Veronica Montgomery-Costa.

“I feel honored to be named one of the top cooks in the city,” said DeFreitas, who has worked at IS 109 for eight years. “We really enjoy working together and making sure the kids get a good meal at lunch. That’s very important to us.”

After 21 years with DOE, the Local 372 member, shop steward and grandmother of three still enjoys the responsibilities of preparing hot and nutritious meals. She arrives at the middle school by 6:30 every morning to start preparing meals for the first of three lunch shifts, which begins at 10:30.

“She can be very creative in the kitchen,” said Assistant Cook and Local 372 member James Sarvis, who has worked with DeFreitas for six years. “I agree with her — the most important ingredient in our kitchen is teamwork.”

— Alfredo Alvarado