Aramark outlines menu and compliance work, trustees and parents press for better consistency and communication

Aramark representatives briefed the Mount Vernon City School Board on the district’s food service operation, detailing staff training, equipment repairs, federal nutrition requirements and the company’s financial return to the district. The presentation prompted questions from trustees, the student trustee and members of the public about food quality, portion sizes and how the vendor and district communicate when incidents occur.

Deirdre McManus, Aramark district manager, described an action plan the company implemented after a two‑week on‑site assessment: hands‑on culinary training for staff, USDA compliance and allergen training, and targeted servicing and replacement of broken equipment. She told trustees Aramark has brought culinary managers to individual schools for direct coaching and has been working with the district’s operations team to identify and replace needed freezers, refrigerators and other equipment.

Grace Machinski, Aramark’s New York director of business development, presented a financial summary the company included in its bid and said the contract returned a profit to the district cafeteria fund. “In our first year here in Mount Vernon, we…