The Infrastructure Behind School Meals

School kitchens are expected to serve thousands of meals a day, but many are operating with outdated equipment, limited space, and infrastructure that was never built for modern school food programs. In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with Michael Raub of Boelter and Jason Hunt of Chicago International Charter Schools to talk about the operational side of school meals and why the condition of a kitchen can directly impact the quality of food students receive.

Michael shares how kitchen design, equipment selection, and long-term planning shape what schools are realistically able to cook and serve, while Jason walks through Chicago International Charter Schools’ large-scale kitchen equipment overhaul across 13 campuses. From aging facilities and procurement hurdles to staffing realities and menu flexibility, this conversation highlights how infrastructure decisions can influence every part of a school meal program.