dining services

Dining Services

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Thomas Robinson (Chef Tom) - Director of Dining Services

Chef Tom started at the MSSM/LCS in August of 2002 with over 10 years of cooking and management experience. Having previously worked at other dining operations , including Hebron Academy, and Plymouth State College where he managed The Mountain View Snack bar and a very busy Sidewalk Cafe.

Tom attended Johnson and Wales University, for culinary arts, and later attended New Hampshire Technical Institute where he received an Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems. While attending school at NHTI he worked for the food service company Chartwells a member of Compass Group, the largest food service company in the world. Upon graduating, Tom and his family moved to Limestone, Maine to oversee Dining Services for The Maine School of Sciences and mathematics. At the MSSM/LCS Tom works for another division of Compass Group called Flik Independent Schools.

FLIK has been a preeminent foodservice provider to over 100 private and independent school communities during the past three decades. Basing their success on freshly prepared quality food, FLIK proudly implements superior dining programs in prestigious independent schools and colleges. Nourishing students is not only their business; it is their commitment to the communities that they serve. FLIK takes pride in providing customers with the programs and solutions that fit their unique needs, and they always look forward to maintaining a commitment to excellence by creating a delicious, exciting and healthful dining experience. "Quality Is Our Main Ingredient."

Tom takes great pride in listening to what the students at the MSSM/LCS have to say about their likes or dislikes. Students are encouraged to come and talk to him or his staff for special dietary needs or ideas that they may think that other students would like.

Keeping our meals safe

The MSSM and LCS cafeteria staff know how important their jobs are and take great pride in everything from cleaning the vegetables to making sure that all food is cooked to proper temperatures. Along with being careful in the preparing food the kitchen staff at the MSSM/LCS takes a servsafe food safety and certification course once every three years to make sure that they are current and up to date on safety issues. We also take classes online and do training on safety every week, from learning how to properly lift heavy boxes to putting out grease fires.

360 sustainable excellences

In 2008 the FLIK dining program is going to focus on bettering themselves and the communities, and our planet. FLIK Independent Schools welcomes the 360 sustainable excellence challenges and believes that even small, everyday decisions can have a great impact. Similar to a pebble creating ripples throughout a pond, each decision and difference that we make today expands outward, creating ripples throughout our circle.

Chef Tom and his staff, whenever possible try and order fresh produce from local farmers. They buy flour from Mainely Flour Company which was founded by Chris Derpo a former student of Limestone Community School.

The staff continues to work hard at reducing waste by using leftovers to make delicious homemade soup which is offered every day. They encourage all the students to only take what they can eat and to eat a well balanced meal. Rolls are baked fresh daily. The staff also makes their own bread for yummy French toast. Doing this helps reduce not only cost but, also packaging. During dinner, they have incorporated using glasses and cups, greatly reducing the use of foam.