Behind kitchen walls, Chef Jonathan cooks up a storm, his culinary prowess making Cathedral Catholic’s lunch lines longer than ever. This school year’s new food selection from the Sodexo company has offered many more healthy choices and has made improvements with regards to sanitation policies. Chef Jonathan has played a key role in this smooth transition to a fresher lunch program for students.

Chef Jonathan was born in Yap, which is one of the Federated States of Micronesia in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. However, he considers Hawaii to be his true home because he lived there for most of his life. Although he enjoyed Hawaii’s “hot paradise”, Chef Jonathan prefers San Diego – especially because of its better career opportunities.

From the age of thirteen, Chef Jonathan stepped into the world of cooking and hasn’t looked back since. As a boy, he took an interest in cooking due, in large part, to his grandfather. He discovered early on that cooking was his passion. Although it was difficult to choose a favorite dish, he said, “I guess I would have to say Asian foods and spaghettis are my favorite to make.”

Although Chef Jonathan hasn’t unleashed his Asian foods and spaghettis on campus yet, some of his more traditional and basic creations have been sensational successes here at Cathedral. “Cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, and fries,” he said, “have been the most popular choice here.”

Chef Jonathan and his associates have had many new goals to allow for the continued progression of Cathedral’s food program. “We’re focusing primarily on getting organized right now, and we’re trying to continue to get more fresh produce.” Sodexo is striving to ensure that the food is as fresh as possible and truly healthy.

The switch to fresher produce is not the only change in the lunch program because it is planned to switch up the menu each month to keep variety. Chef Jonathan says, “Not to worry, though, we will keep the burgers and tenders.”