‘I am thankful to be entrusted to work in the allergen-free station’
Work location: Free From IX concept at McNutt Dining Hall
Abeer was born in Jordan in Southwest Asia, in the rocky desert of the northern Arabian Peninsula. She moved to the U.S. and Bloomington in 2006, 17 years ago.
She is entering her 11th year of employment at IU and started her current Cook’s Helper role for IU Dining in August of 2022. This past Summer, Abeer completed AllerTrain Lite Certification alongside a dozen fellow IU Dining staff members, learning about the nine major food allergens, celiac disease, and emergency protocols. Abeer said it brings her joy to serve students by sharing her love of food and cooking each day.
Q: What led you to Bloomington and to IU?
A: My husband is from Chicago. After we met there and were married, we came to Bloomington and both were initially teachers. I still teach Arabic online for IU’s Language department. IU offers 48 languages, and this is just one of them. I enjoy it because my dad is from Jordan where Arabic is spoken. I also speak some French.
Q: What does a typical day look like in your world?
A: I come in at 6 a.m. to prepare menu items for breakfast and lunch at Free From IX. The food is all prepared safely, by specially trained staff who cook without using the top nine most common allergens: dairy, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, and shellfish. Later in the day, I prepare the dinner menu items that will be served. I am thankful to be entrusted to work in the allergen-free station.
Q: What do you wish people knew about Free From IX that they might not know?
A: Anyone can enjoy the food at Free From IX. Our smoothies are made fresh each morning and our lentil penne is delicious.
Q: What are some of your favorite dishes from childhood? Do you still make any of those dishes?
A: My favorite dish from Jordan is kebabs. I make them for my three children occasionally. I have two sons and one daughter. My son is in 4th grade and my older ones are in high school. My daughter enjoys working at McNutt as a server on weekends for IU Dining. She loves to cook. I am happy to share my kebob recipe sometime, as it has been made in my family for years. My other favorite dish I grew up with is Lentils and Rice. It is healthy and the lentils are made with flavorful spices.
Q: What are the most popular dishes at Free From IX?
A: Chicken and rice are popular favorites, as is chicken salad with avocados and vegetables. Avocados serve as a great alternative to mayo for those with allergies to soy and egg.
Q: What do you most love about your work at Free From IX in McNutt?
A: I love to be welcoming to students and make sure they feel safe eating here.
Abeer would like to share appreciation for her manager at McNutt Dining, Josh Garrett, and to Chef Darren for their great support in her role. She looks forward to helping make Free From IX even better each year as a special place where students can enjoy the food and feel welcome.