S02 E03 – The Infrastructure Behind the Kitchen

Episode Description

School kitchens are expected to serve thousands of meals a day, but many are operating with outdated equipment, limited space, and infrastructure that was never built for modern school food programs. In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with Michael Raub of Boelter and Jason Hunt of Chicago International Charter Schools to talk about the operational side of school meals and why the condition of a kitchen can directly impact the quality of food students receive.

Michael shares how kitchen design, equipment selection, and long-term planning shape what schools are realistically able to cook and serve, while Jason walks through Chicago International Charter Schools’ large-scale kitchen equipment overhaul across 13 campuses. From aging facilities and procurement hurdles to staffing realities and menu flexibility, this conversation highlights how infrastructure decisions can influence every part of a school meal program.

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About the Guests

Michael Raub

Michael Raub is a foodservice professional with more than 33 years of experience across restaurants, private clubs, higher education dining, commissary operations, and school nutrition programs. A native of Dallas, Pennsylvania, he earned a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University and has held leadership roles with organizations including Sodexo, Metz Culinary Management, Elior North America, and Boelter. Throughout his career, Michael has overseen a wide range of foodservice operations, including senior meal programs, CACFP meals, catering, food trucks, and school nutrition services. Since joining Boelter in April 2025, he has leveraged his extensive operational, business, and financial expertise to help schools optimize kitchen equipment investments and strengthen meal program operations. Outside of work, Michael enjoys cooking for family and friends and supporting his four children in their educational and performing arts activities.

Jason Hunt

Jason Hunt serves as the Director of Operations at Chicago International Charter School, where he supports operations across all 13 campuses in the network. His career reflects a unique blend of finance, education, and leadership, shaped by a deep commitment to helping schools create environments where students and staff can work to reach their greatest potential. Before joining CICS, Jason spent eight years in education as both a teacher and principal at a PreK–8 Catholic school in Chicago’s western suburbs. Prior to his time in education, he built a 20-year career as a commodities trader in Chicago.

Jason earned his B.S. in Finance, MBA in Financial Analysis, and M.S. in Computational Finance from DePaul University, and later completed his M.A. in Teaching at North Park University.