4 things I love about food

Eric G. Camila V. Savannah Rae A. Avaneesh K

Cafes

By Avaneesh Katappagari

By Savannah Rae Alvarado

Fine Dining

By Avaneesh Katappagari

By Eric Grimes

By Avaneesh Katappagari

By Camila Villegas

Meet the

Savannah Rae Alvarado: I am a 9th grade student at LASA high school. Growing up, I was told I had a sophisticated palate, and that has led to my love of food. I also love everything about coffee—the smell, taste, and overall feeling of drinking and enjoying it. This has led me to write a feature story on coffee shops and cafes and the people who work in and run them. My favorite hobbies are swimming, photography, and reading. After graduating, I want to go to college to get my degree in criminal investigation because, when I grow up, I want to be a forensic investigator.

Eric Grimes: I‘m a 9th grader attending LASA high school. I really enjoy fashion, video games, movies and music. I have also always had a love for food, which has turned me to help writing this article on fast food and the people that keep it running. After I graduate I hope to become wealthy and retire to a nice life with lots of traveling and food. If everything goes as I hope I will become an athlete, musician, or who knows, maybe a journalist.

the Editors

Avaneesh Katappagari: I currently attend the 9th grade in LASA high school. I enjoy eating a lot and I just started baking cookies. This love for food has led me to writing a feature story on Fine Dining and the people in it. My favorite hobbies are sleeping and scrolling through the news. After I graduate, I would like to go to a decent college and work at Chipotle at one point. A weird fact about me is that nobody in this school has seen me singing or dancing.

I am in 9th grade and go to LASA high school. I like cooking, and I also enjoy watching movies and doing clay. Ever since I was young, I have always loved desserts or anything sugary and sweet in general, my favorite dessert is flan. I love desserts so much that I even want to write about them. When I grow up, I want to be an architect and make a lot of money.

Dan Rodriguez, baraista at Cannon Coffee makes iced coffee for customer. Making lattes is one of the many things you do when working at a coffee shop.

Photo By Savannah Rae Alvarado

Putting The Caf In Decaf Running a Cafe and Coffee Shop

By Savannah Rae Alvarado

orking at a coffee shop or cafe is like being a part of a family, according to barista Dan Rodriguez, who works at Cannon Coffee.

“It’s closely knit, and we all get along,” Rodriguez said. That’s exactly the way owner Chris Bluementritt likes it. He said he wants employees to feel at home when working with customers.

“Cannon Coffee is a tight-knit shop with only a few employees, but that’s how they like it,” Bluementritt said.

“The culture here is very easy-going.” To do that, Bluementritt allows employees to pick their music, and because there are so few employees, the rules aren’t very strict, meaning if you get to a shift a little late,

it’s okay. The workplace culture is very similar at Summer Moon, explained barista Katie Lato. “It’s super friendly!” Lato said. Here are some recommendations from the baristas.

“A chi chi devine, which is a latte with caramel and brown sugar,” Rodriguez said. “Overall, it would be a cappuccino.” While some people prefer lattes with just milk, others prefer them with honey, just like Lato.

“I like honey lattes,” Lato said. “I think they’re so good that nobody ever

puts honey in their lattes. It’s underrated.” While some like to try new things, others just like to keep it simple with a plain latte.

Sometimes people just need to mix it up with new designs,new flavors, or just making something fun.

“The

milkshakes. I think they’re fun because we get to decorate the cups and top them with whip cream.” Lato said. Taking time to make latte art is just what Rodriquez likes to do.

“I sort of passively work on latte art and just make things,” Rodriguez said.

Good customer service means

“The culture is very easy-going.”

Coffee Shop Owner Chris Bluementritt

Photo By Savannah Rae Alvarado

Katie Lato, straining coffee to make a iced coffee for a customer. Straining coffee is a skill you have to learn when working at a coffee shop.

Photo By Savannah Rae Alvarado

different things to different people. According to Lato, she thinks not blowing up at a customer is the way to go.

“I think keeping it cool is one of those things you don’t want to blow up at a customer about, or worse,” Lato said. It seems that Rodriguez had the same thing in mind.

“One of them you don’t want to blow up at a customer or worse,” Rodriguez said.

Running a coffee shop isn’t always easy; sometimes all the little things keep adding up.

“Keeping up with all of the details of having a business,” Blumentritt said.

All the details of having a business are super hard when it comes to dealing with the money part and all the things that are uncontrollable, like power outages and other dangers that force Blumentritt to close his coffee shop down. COVID affected most of the local businesses, and that was no different for Cannon Coffee.

“When the pandemic happened, there were a lot of questions about what was going to happen,” Blumentritt said.

Cannon Coffee ended up closing for some time but then reopened with only take-out delivery and limited hours. But overall, the impact COVID had on Cannon Coffee was the limited hours, according to Bluementritt.

“When we reopened, we were such a small space that we were takeout only and only had it for very limited hours,” Bluementritt sa id.

There are many things that separate coffee shops from each other, according to Blumentritt.

“I think what separates us is

that we are a truly good neighborhood coffee shop,” Blumentritt said. Large coffee chains like Starbucks and Dutch Bros have

Photo By Savannah Rae Alvarado

Photo By Savannah Rae Alvarado

The Perfect Blend

By Savanna h Rae Alvarado

Busiest Times for a Cafe

The busiest times at a cafe a re fro m 7:30-10a m a nd 12-3p m on weekdays, when people need c offee for breakfast a nd lu nch. The afternoon hours a re when people need coffee for lu nch a nd ca r drives hom e. According to Redit, a nd a 9th g rade student.

The busiest hours for a cafe on the weekend are between 9 a nd 11 a.m. a nd 2 a nd 5 p.m., with people co m ing for breakfast a nd/or bru nch in the morning a nd studying in the even ing. According to Redit, a nd a 9th g rade student.

Popu la r Food & Drinks at a Cafe

Cappuccino

MENU

Americano

Latte

The most popula r drink items at cafes a re coffee, ca ppuccinos, am ericanos, lattes, a nd cold brews, wh ile the most popular foods ordered a re donuts, cro issa nts, bagels, a nd sa ndwiches. At som e places, there are drinks a nd foods that you ca n on ly get there,but these are the most co mmon. According to Austin 9th gra der, be-you r-own-barista.co m, a nd bra

ndmycafe.com

Cold Brew

Donut Croissant

Graph ics by Savanna h Rae

Fast Food A Fun Family of

By Eric Grimes

Fast food is a wild industry with much variety, but Katie Congdon went down that path because of family. She has been at the helm of her family’s business for over two decades now, and it’s clear that her passion for the industry has not waned. Since starting out working under her father and growing up in the family business, to now running it herself, Congdon has seen her fair share of both challenges and triumphs.

According to Congdon, one of the biggest challenges she faces is keeping up with the ever-changing dynamics of the

Exploring Katie Congdon and her family restaurant, Dan’s Hamburgers.

world. In today’s fast-paced culture, we don’t take time to just sit down and enjoy a meal like we used to, Katie explains.

“Everyone is in a hurry, and they want their order quickly.”

At Dan’s Hamburgers, however, they pride themselves

She visits her stores daily, enjoys working with all of the staff, and really appreciates the community that has blossomed.

One of Katie’s early issues with running Dan’s came early on.

on preparing all menu items to order, despite the pressure to fold and bend even more into the culture of fast food.

“We are not about fast food, as we prepare all menu items to order,”, Congdon explained.

One of Congdon’s favorite aspects of running the business is getting to know their loyal customers and building a family with their employees as well, seeing as some of them have been in their company for decades, for over 10, 20, or 30 years.

“I care about our staff, and they are like family to me,” Congdon said.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced early on in my career was building and opening a new store from the ground up. That was something I had not done on my own But I did learn and took that experience”  It was something new to her, and while it may have been difficult, she pushed through and has now opened up many stores, with new locations on the way.

Despite the challenges,

Congdon is most proud of being able to stay true to who they are as a business.

Photo by Eric Boardman Grimes

Photo by Eric Boardman Grimes

Photo by Eric Boardman Grimes

They have been in business for 50 years and still prepare their burgers the exact same way Dan did, with the freshest ingredients and in-house preparation.

“It is difficult trying to keep

and Dan’s attempt to stay true to the values that their family business was founded upon. By providing high-quality, fresh ingredients and in-

up with everyone in a hurry, but we still prepare our menu items to order when our customers place their order,” Congdon said.

She’s helped Dan’s maintain both consistency in quality of food and morals, keeping Dan’s a family business with a strong community.

“My favorite part about running the business is getting to know our loyal customers.”

Congdon sheds light on the roadblocks and rewards of running a family business in the fast food industry. Despite the pressure to provide fast food and keep up with the ever changing culture of our world, Congdon

house preparation, she has maintained the loyalty of their customers and staff for over five decades. Her advice for anyone who would like to work in this industry would be to be disciplined, passionate, and lead by example.

“No one is going to have more passion for your business like yourself,” Congdon said. “Be a good example.”

by Eric Grimes

There are 353,000+ Fast Food Workers in Texas

The Biggest Fast Food Chain in America is McDonalds

Sources: Investopedia.com, Bureau of Labor Statisticd (bls) .com

TOP Chik-Fil-A Wendy’s Chipotle Subway KFC Pizza Hut Taco Bell Domino’s Burger King Mc Donald’s

Fast Food Restaurants

(According To Austinites)

A survey was sent out to around 10+ AISD students and these were the results

4 things I love about food 15

Dining in The Fine

The Starts and inspirations of the Fine Dining Restaurants

By Avaneesh Katappagari

ine dining, the field of heightened artistry in food and pioneer in trends and innovations, allowing customers to enjoy a luxurious yet complicated experience. These restaurants are plentiful in Texas. A famous restaurant in Austin is the Japanese restaurant Uchi’s; started in 2003 and has since grown, becoming famous for its nontraditional approach to Japanese cuisine.

Peacock is another fine dining restaurant in Plano and Irving. The restaurant focuses on Asian fusion recipes and tries to bridge the gap between Indian and American Society.

Inspiration, start in fine dining, ideas, and people are what help with the start of these restaurants and are crucial to their later success.

Vijay Nettem is the franchise owner of Peacock in

Plano and Irving, Texas where, along with her husband, owned two restaurants and took care of them for two years until they sold them last year. The inspiration for opening a restaurant was economic and her love for Indian food.

“I am very foodie and I like cooking and all and we thought we just use that,” Nettem said, “and one of my brothers is in that industry

experience with sushi,” Stanwyck said.

Having always wanted to work at Uchi’s, Stanwyck was worried she wouldn’t have enough experience to work at such a prestigious business. This led her to instead apply to a different restaurant that is owned by Uchi’s as she thought she would just apply and one day, they might have an opening and let her to work at the original Uchi’s.

so we thought it’d be a good investment”

Brigid Stanwyck, general manager of Uchi’s since 2014, entered the food industry as a teenager, working at restaurants in high school before eventually rising to the top of Uchi’s.

“When I moved to Austin, I always wanted to work at Uchi’s but I thought I didn’t have enough

Blake Lueke, the chef de cuisine at Uchi’s, got into the fine dining industry through his father and grandfather who both worked in restaurants, just in front of the house. Lueke got his inspiration from an Uchi Cookbook in California and read the entire cookbook front to back and he found Chef Tyson’s work, the original head chef and creator of Uchi’s, inspirational as it did something unexpected and outside of Japanese culture; something he learned in culinary school.

“I said what the heck, try out culinary school,” Lueke said. “I wanna do something creative and artistic and different.”

He attended culinary school and started working in restaurants before he finished school. He

Head Chef BlakeLueke

I mean no one person has all the ideas

started out as a line cook at a hotel in California. He put in time and effort and over time, he rose up the ranks to become an executive chef for the hotel.

Nettem started her restaurant by getting advice from multiple other franchise owners and researching other restaurant menus. She also got a list of multiple contacts to get her chefs. When looking for different employees, she looked for one main characteristic.

“For me, it is if they have a very good background at cooking Indian food, and especially we are also looking at catering business so someone who can cook for a thousand people’s wedding”, said Nettem.

On the contrary, Stanwyck believes people who work in the front of house, people who work with the customers, don’t need the kind of experiences that the back of house , people who cook the food, need.

“We have the philosophy that we can teach anybody about fish, about sake, how to open a bottle of wine and other steps of service,” Stanwyck said, “but you can never teach people how to be kind and gracious or you can’t teach people to want to learn because you have to have that desire.”

These desires are reflected in Uchi’s core qualities that Stanwyck said make Uchi special.

Nettem got her restaurant by buying two buildings, one in Irving and one in Plano. One was a gym

and the other was a completely hollow building and transformed them into restaurants. She hired an architect and an interior designer and she took one year to completely finish her restaurants, which

appliances, it’ll be high voltage lines, high capacity lines, both for gas, even for the gas it has to have that big gas outlet”, said Nettem.

Lueke believes that the hardest part about a restaurant is getting products into the restaurant.

“Logistics in today’s world, shipping, and product availability,” Lueke said. “The market changed a lot because of the pandemic so we are all trying to cash back up to before the pandemic.”

When it comes to the easiest part of a fine dining restaurant, Lueke believes that it is the people. He has a great team back in Uchi’s and takes pride in their work. His favorite memories are when he did service with his team.

“With a relatively new team doing some challenging menus on special occasions like New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day and the team really pulled through seamless nights”, said Lueke.

was the hardest part of starting a restaurant for her.

“Building the kitchen is the main challenge there. We had to make sure we had food area electrical outlets, the gas outlets and everything is commercial, you cannot have regular residential

Stanwyck, while agreeing with Lueke, thinks that the easiest and hardest

thing in fine-dining restaurants are the same thing

“The most rewarding and most challenging thing in the restaurant industry is that it is constantly changing,” Stanwyck said. “Every day, there is never a day that everything goes exactly right. There is always a problem to pivot to.”

Stanwyck’s way of tackling this factor in restaurant life is by trying to anticipate these problems. She collaborates with the back of house to

were told to leave their personal baggage at the door is wrong to Stanwyck but she also believes it is important to keep giving proper feedback to everyone, regardless of the situation.

“We can view direct feedback or constructive criticism as you know being mean and being confrontational when really it’s at the kindness to tell somebody so they have the opportunity to do it the correct way”, said Stanwyck.

According to Lueke, one of the more important things to keep his staff in good condition is proper nutrition.

“Nourishment for the body and setting ourselves up for success,” Lueke said. “You know you don’t wanna go into a 10-12 hour shift and not have proper hydration either especially working in the summer in Texas.”

literally flies and you feel really accomplished and proud.”

In the back of the restaurant, Lueke said that even during intense hours, everyone just does what they are supposed to and it can be sort of quiet. Lueke had days with more than 400 dishes and even then, everyone just talked about food and laughed.

While the employees at the restaurant are important, so are the customers. Stanwyck’s best memory comes from a late night in the restaurant with a customer.

ensure there are no problems with the equipment or food products and ensure everything is running smoothly.

Problems come and go in fine dining restaurants all the time and Stanwyck believes that it is important to remember that her staff are people and they also have their own lives. The old ways in restaurants where people

When service is intense in the restaurant, Stanwyck believes that everyone’s not stressing but having a blast. She said that it’s just a lot of comradery and that working in the restaurant is just like working in a team sport, everyone, regardless of their position, is putting forward their best effort and setting up their teammates for success.

“During the intense part of service,” Stanwyck said, “it is intense, but it is fun and thrilling, and afterward, it’s like, ‘Whoo hoo!’ because we all made it through and

“We had a guest that was dying and they asked for their last meal to be Uchi have you brought it to the hospital for them and that you know I’m trying just thinking about that that somebody were so impactful”, said Stanwyck

The fine dining industry is one that displays both luxury and complicity. It has the best sort of experience and also knows how to show its guests the real way to eat. The people in these restaurants play an important role in this.

“The restaurant industry is like the ultimate team sport no matter what position you are,” Stanwyck said.

Peacock’sDahi Paadi Chaat Couresty VijayNettem

Meet the Meats

5 common restaurants meats, each with a recipe

Restaurants have lots of common meats and these meats are used in a varity of dishes. In this infographic, you will see 5 common meats and a common dish made with each one, including steps and ingredients.

Crab Melts

1. French bread in the oven at 350F until brown

2. Mix crab, mustard, red pepper, and celery in a bowl

3. Mix in sour cream and salt and pepper to taste

4. Put the mixture on top of french bread and top with cheese

5. Put the bread back in the oven until the cheese is bubbling

Steak au poivre

1. Generously season steak with salt and peppercorns

2. Sear steak till brown on medium-high heat and then baste and remove

3. In a pan put diced shallots, garlic, and chopped thyme, and cook till fragrant

4. Add flour, cognac, and broth and whisk until well-combined soup

5. Divide soup into bowls and add cubed steak

Lobster Tail

1. Take a lobster tail and butterfly it using kitchen shears and sprinkle salt and pepper on top

2. In a bowl, whisk melted butter, garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and parsley

3. Broil lobster for 8-10 minutes and serve with melted butter on top

Fish Tacos

1. Dry rub some Tilapia with Chili powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Garlic powder, and Onion powder, and bake for 10 minutes at 400 Fahrenheit

2. Slice some Red cabbage, carrot, and green onion in a bowl and add lime juice and salt.

3. Heat a tortilla and put the slaw and cubed Tilapia

4. Lastly, Drizzle some Chipotle sauce on top

Honey Garlic Shrimp

1.Mix honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a bowl

2. Put shrimp and pour half of the sauce and refrigerate

3. Place shrimp in skillet and pour in the rest of the sauce and cook until pink

4. Garnish with green onion.

Sources:

Delish.com

Acouplecooks.com

Therecipecritic.com

Sallysbakingaddiction.com

estled in the heart of downtown Austin lies a little slice of heaven for anyone with a sweet tooth. The aroma of freshly baked pastries fills the air as soon as you step into the quaint storefront. Each place offers a unique experience, showcasing their passion for baking and creating memorable desserts. Welcome to Austin dessert places, where owners have been creating delectable desserts for the past decade.

“It has been a life-long dream for me to open my own little Hallmark channel coffee shop,” Jackson said. “After working for Austin ISD for nearly 17 years, a conversation with a dear friend inspired me to pursue the dream and suggested I contact the owner of Pie Bar in Lubbock.”

From classic chocolate chip cookies to unconventional delights like key lime pie and ‘build your own pie,’ each item on the menu reflects Jackson’s commitment to her craft.

The head chef of Hey Cupcake! shares a similar passion for baking. “I love baking! It is a passion that I have had since I was a little girl,” Desiree Tobola exclaimed. Their bakery offers a wide range of delcious cupcakes that satisfy any sweet craving.

Meanwhile, the owner of Floofy’s Fluff found her calling in the world of cotton candy.

“Our first Halloween, in our new home, we thought it would be fun to offer something unique like cotton candy,” she recalled. What started as a Halloween experiment turned into a business that specializes in creating innovative cotton candy creations, such as frosted cotton candy cakes. With her kid-friendly flavors and gluten-free options, the owner, Cari Keller, frequently seeks to satisfy moms and families.

When it comes to choosing ingredients, Jackson takes great care to use only the freshest and highest-quality options available. “We purchase most of our ingredients from our supplier, Ben E. Keith,” Jackson explained.

Another well-known business, Amy’s Ice Cream, takes pride in using only ethically selecting ingredients in their delicious frozen desserts. “Every ingredient used to make our ice cream is carefully and ethically selected,” an employee of Amy’s Ice creams said. Every scoop shows their dedication to high efforts.

“It took me a good year to realize that I was not fairly paying myself when offering party favors. After a beautiful, but time-intensive order, I realized things needed to change,” Cari Keller, owner of Floofy’s Fluff, admitted.

However, like any business, these establish ments face their share of challenges. The pandemic has had a significant impact on Austin’s economy. “It’s been difficult with the way the pandemic has affected all aspects of our city’s economy,”

Desiree Tobola, Head Chef, expressed. “It is a hard balance considering what I also feel is a fair price for the customer,” Cari Keller, owner of Floofy’s Fluff, said. “I try to set aside time to experiment with my ideas and see which work out the way I imagine it will,” Cari Keller, owner of Floofy’s Fluff, added.

Running a successful bakery takes more than just great recipes. Jackson emphasizes the importance of excellent customer service.”We want all of our guests to have an amazing experience at Pie Bar,” Jackson said.

Similar to what Jackson mentioned, Amy’s ice creams also agrees! “We believe that a good product will get people in the door, but a positive and memorable experience will keep them coming back.” Amy’s ice creams operation director expressed.Despite the challenges, these dessert establishments continue to thrive in Austin’s competitive market.

Courtesy ofFloofy’sfluff

They draw inspiration from various sources, from childhood stories to social media trends. “I love Pinterest and Tik Tok! Those social media platforms are great for sharing tips, ideas, and new fla vor combinations with fellow bakers. You get a front row seat to what people are digging in real time.” as Head Chef Desiree Tobola stated.

As customers leave these establishments, clutching a bag of freshly baked treats or a cone of ice cream, it’s clear why they have become beloved staples of the Austin food scene. With their dedicated owners and talented teams, there’s always something new and exciting to look forward to in Austin’s dessert world.

Mini cupcakes six pack with fun flavors at

Photo Courtesy of Amy’s ice creams

Photo Courtesy of Cari Keller

Strawberries & creamcheesecake with homemade whipped cream and glazed strawberry at Pie Bar.

Photo Courtesy of Hey Cupcake!

Photo Courtesy of Lisa Jackson

Cotton candy frosted cupcake made at Floofy’s Fluff

RAZZLE DAZZLE PUNCH ice cream infused with raspberry sour patch kids served Amy’s ice creams.

Hey Cupcake!

Tiramisu and a

A recipe for homemade cakepops and By

DID YOU KNOW?

Camila

Photo courtesy of Evgeniya Davydova

Cake Pop too

and fun facts about the Tiramisu cake

RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE CAKEPOPS

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Pillsbur y classic white cake mix

2 tbsp Pillsbur y creamy supreme vanilla frosting

1 12 oz Wilton candy melts

1 1/2 tsp Crisco shortening or dipping aid chips

Cakepop sticks

Photo courtesy of Ivan Samkov

Camila Villegas

Letter From the Editors

Welcome, dear reader. We hope you’re enjoying whatever coffee or tea you are sipping on and please enjoy a few facts about 4 Things I Love about Food. Our magazine was written by Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA). It is about 4 types of restaurants: cafes, dessert places, fine dining, and fast food. In each feature story, we go in-depth into a restaurant and what it is like to work at that type of restaurant including the foods, environment, and memories.

We started off with the idea of food, later narrowing it down to either doing four types of restaurants, because we thought that we could write about the perspective of the employees, which would be easier than trying to understand other cuisines. Our team is particularly proud of the choice of our magazine’s theme. We wanted to entwine our magazine with something well-known like a movie, a famous quote, or a famous company. After looking through hundreds of possible movies, we chose the movie 10 Things I Hate About You and we got our present title.

The hardest part of our feature story was getting our interviews. Since we chose restaurants, we started off choosing common corporations like Starbucks and P-terry’s. Sadly, most corporates we asked ended up rejecting us, saying that they are not allowed to get interviewed by us. After learning this, we expanded our reach and went after different local restaurants, finally landing our interviews. After all the hard work, we hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we did making it.