University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Kitchen and Field Equally Busy During Training Camp
8/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 19, 2010
Smack-in-the-middle of an afternoon training camp session at Pitt's UPMC Sports Performance Complex, Corey Hayes stands behind two flame-wrapped pans, sprinkling cheese and garlic evenly over the meal like he should have his own cooking show.
Hundreds of buns and dozens of empty trays line the cafeteria, and TVs play quietly in the background as the finishing touches are applied to the food. Inside, it's calm. But in just a matter of minutes, once practice comes to an end, the tables will fill and a line will wrap around the dinner options.
For Hayes (the executive chef) and his staff at the football complex during training camp, this is nothing new. The kitchen staff is responsible for cooking four meals per day for 105 players, not to mention for the dozens of coaches and staff on duty at the complex each day. That equals 420 meals for players each day, with many others filtering through, as well.
Simply said, that's a lot of food.
On this particular day, 150 cases of various kitchen supplies were delivered to the complex. Meat, fish, bread, vegetables, fruit and everything else imaginable is needed when the job is this big.
"The other day, we cooked 120 pounds of beef tips for dinner," Hayes said. "We'll do 60 pounds of chicken and 60 pounds of fish for one entrée. Sometimes, we have to do more, and we have to make sure all of the salads and other options are ready, too."
Maurice Matthews, the supervisor chef chimes in: "For the salads, ranch dressing is very, very popular with the kids."
How popular?
"We go through about five gallons a day."
All meals included, Hayes estimates that the kitchen will use 150-dozen eggs per day (that's approximately 1,800 eggs) and 50 pounds of fruit. Preparation for breakfast begins as early as 4 a.m., and the cooking and prep of foods continues all day.
But creating the meal is only part of the work. The staff begins setting the menus several weeks before camp so that the proper supply for training camp can be ordered and each week can have a secured schedule. Once the meals are planned, Hayes sends the menus to director of football operations Chris LaSala and strength and conditioning coach Buddy Morris. If there's anything that needs to be changed -- which is very rare -- it happens well ahead of time.
Since Morris is the one designing the workouts and putting the players through weight sessions, it's important for him to see the menus and approve all of the food. Certain things mix great with athletes and the hot practices, while others don't. And as players find out quickly, the quantity of food eaten is important, as well. Certain players -- and certain classes -- have different preferences.
"I remember one of the linemen last year, Robb Houser, used to put down a lot," says prep cook Liam O'Brien.
"Naturally, the linemen eat the most," adds Matthews, "and the freshmen. The freshmen eat a lot at the start, because they miss the home-cooked meals and they don't always know what Buddy is going to have them do in the weight room."
Things are going to stay busy for the kitchen staff in the upcoming weeks. Camp continues for the Panthers and, during the final week, the kitchen will get a bit more crowded.
"The last week of Pitt camp, the Steelers will be back, and they'll still be in camp-mode," Hayes says. "So we'll be feeding Pitt breakfast and Steelers breakfast one after another. We'll be doing seven meals a day that week."
But being a cook for the last 14 years, Hayes likes it that way. His grandfather was a mess sergeant in the Army, and Hayes has had a passion for cooking since his childhood. Since graduating from culinary school, that passion led to a love for his job.
"We all enjoy it," Hayes says. "That makes it a lot easier every day."
