Name: Jack Henniger
Title: Chef de Cuisine – Forest Dining Hall
Length of time at IU: Close to 2 years, since January 2021
Why IU?
I am married to a Hoosier, and my brother graduated from Jacobs School of Music. COVID hurt the restaurant industry, which I was part of, leading me to the job with IU Dining. My wife had an interest in being closer to home, so I applied for the chef de cuisine position, flew here and did a cooking test, and was eventually hired.
What do you like most about cooking for IU?
Working for the university involves better hours than working nights at restaurants, so it is easier to raise a family. This is what first drew me to this role. I enjoy cooking for the students and meeting them. I love to help students out through college, which is an important new season in their life.
Do you talk to the students frequently?
Yes, and I frequently talk to students with food allergies; it’s helpful to find out what they like and don’t like.
What is your day-to-day work life?
Every day is different, which is why I enjoy it. My normal day starts at 7 a.m. I check on everything to be sure we are up and running and check on the Worry-Free Zone. Around 8 a.m., we have a team huddle, learn the staffing level, then formulate a plan for the day. I manage what to serve when we have supply chain issues with ingredients and work with our two sous chefs to formulate a plan. I am either cooking or managing wherever I am needed, but I prefer to be in the kitchen cooking. I develop new recipes for our menus, as well.
How do you find out what the students like and don’t like?
Students will give feedback as they’re coming through the meal lines, as well as through my chefjackatiu Instagram account. I look at the trends and patterns to see what students like. I also try to be visible to students so they can openly share opinions on the food.
What’s something you’d like people to know about IU Dining they may not know?
We try to make everything from scratch and have a strong commitment to this. It is amazing how much food we order and serve here, as well as the volume of food IU Dining manages throughout the year.
Share something most people don’t know about you?
I am from Oregon, a University of Oregon alum, and am an Oregon Ducks fan. I fished for salmon in Alaska for a while in the Bristol Bay Area, which is very hard work, but in very beautiful scenery.
What are your favorite meals here?
Our staff at Forest work particularly hard on our Spice Road, Caliente, and Heartland concepts. I love the Korean food we do, as well as what we cook on the char grill at Stone Grill, which is unique to Forest. I enjoy the variety the Heartland concept brings, and my favorite meal in general is fried chicken.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I’m an avid golfer and have been golfing for years. I also used to work nights a lot and I got into learning astronomy. I’ve enjoyed learning about stars and taking pictures. It was a great way to de-stress from the late-night restaurant hustle. I am also a dad, so my kids’ hobbies are my hobbies.
IU Dining chefs, managers and other staff are food allergy certified through AllerTrain. What have you learned from this training?
There is a huge commitment by IU Dining to accurately label menus and all foods we serve. It is a challenge to prevent allergen cross-contact in the self-serve areas of our All-You-Care-To-Eat locations, but our registered dietitians and trained staff do a great job guiding students on how to avoid allergens. For example, we can get fresh salad toppings that haven’t been out on the buffet line if you ask.
How is the new Worry-Free Zone going at Forest? What is challenging about it?
It varies depending on how busy it is, and we’re learning what foods students want and don’t want. It’s become a concept that even students without food allergies (to gluten/nuts/fish/shellfish) utilize. Some appreciate the make-your-own-food aspect, and others prefer to not make things themselves. We are moving in the right direction toward providing what meets the needs of most students.
What would you say to a student who is hesitant to ask to talk to a chef?
Don’t be afraid to connect with us. Our job is to feed our students, and that is what I am here to do every day. If you are a student with severe food allergies, reach out to the IU Dining registered dietitians, who would love to meet and discuss solutions on how we can meet your needs.