If you’ve noticed a positive change in the cafeteria this year, you can give credit to our new cafeteria manager, Ms. Gail Sawyer, who has been working tirelessly to make our cafeteria more efficient and the food tastier. Her goal, she says, is to create a menu that features a wide variety of entrees that are suitable for everyone’s palette while also respecting our budget. She says she wants to keep costs in check enough that we can have a few “extras,” like unlimited condiments and a variety of dessert options. So far, she has been successful and an excellent addition to our cafeteria team.

Ms. Sawyer has been working in the restaurant industry for the last 30 years. She grew up and attended high school in Rocky Mount, during which time she began working for Boddie-Noell Enterprises at one of their restaurants, Mama Jean’s. Thus began her career in the restaurant industry. After high school, Ms. Sawyer continued to work within Boddie-Noell at several of their other restaurants, including Scats, Texas Roadhouse, and the Highway Diner, which unfortunately closed its doors during COVID after 22 years. She was also a civilian employee at restaurants on Fort Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida and Fort Fisher in Wilmington. 

With all this professional experience, Ms. Sawyer seemed like the perfect fit to help our school cafeteria run more like a true restaurant. Since starting in the fall, she has done an excellent job, and the school has heard tons of positive feedback from students and staff, and we students aren’t the only ones who have benefitted, as Ms. Sawyer is enjoying her new position. She says that she appreciates the independence RMA allows her so that she can control what goes on in her kitchen.  She is also very appreciative of the respectful students she serves, saying that they are friendlier than customers in the general public. Finally, she also values the camaraderie she has with our other cafeteria staff, Ms. Jewel and Mr. Adam. All-in-all, it’s been a great experience for everyone!

Ms. Sawyer has been working hard to provide quality meals for our students, and her efforts have not gone unnoticed. First-grader Lee Ballance says that the food is “yummy!” and many teachers have said how much they enjoy having soups and salads available. Ms. Sawyer is appreciated by not only the students and faculty but also parents as she and her teammates make sure every student has the fuel to work hard in class and play hard after school. Thank you, Ms. Sawyer!!