VVS Canteen

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Focus on Catering: Summer Plant Feeds in Greeley, Colorado

When you’re serving more than 3,700 people across multiple shifts, a successful plant feed starts long before the first meal is served.

This summer, our location in Greeley, Colorado, worked alongside our client to provide two large plant feeds as part of a weeklong celebration for plant team members.

The first plant-wide feed featured carne asada, rice, beans, and tortillas. Beginning at 5:30 a.m., members of the VVS Canteen and client teams began grilling carne asada on outdoor grills, while inside, others warmed nearly 8,000 tortillas and prepared enough rice and beans to serve more than 3,700 people.

The second plant feed featured hot dogs, chips, and cookies. While the menu simplified the cooking process, producing thousands of meals still required the team to put nearly every piece of available cooking equipment to work, utilizing every inch of space to get everything prepared and ready for service.

For Site Manager Michelle Gonzales, successfully executing events of this size comes down to preparation.

With orders to check, vendors to confirm, schedules to coordinate, thousands of meals to prepare, and team members working double shifts, there are a lot of moving pieces. But with a clear plan in place, Michelle says the process runs remarkably smoothly.

The result? More than 7,400 meals served and another successful example of what can happen when great planning, preparation, collaboration, and dedicated teams come together.

Thank you to Michelle, the entire VVS Canteen team, and our client in Greeley for the long hours and teamwork that made these events possible!

Focus on Catering: Summer Plant Feeds in Amarillo, Texas

When you’re preparing to serve more than 2,600 people, a successful plant feed begins well before the day of the event.

This summer, our location in Amarillo, Texas, worked alongside our client to provide a summer meal as a way to show appreciation for plant employees.

The menu featured cheeseburgers, chips, cookies, and cold drinks, with more than 2,600 meals served throughout the event.

For Site Manager Vicente Duran and his team, preparation begins as soon as the date is announced. Food orders must be placed well in advance to ensure everything is available, and once those orders arrive, each shipment is carefully checked to make sure quantities are correct and there are no unexpected substitutions.

As the event gets closer, the planning becomes even more detailed. Team members are assigned specific preparation tasks and quantities, serving responsibilities are coordinated, and thousands of meals are produced through careful planning.

But a summer plant feed is about more than getting thousands of meals prepared and served on time. Vicente and his team also focus on creating an atmosphere where plant employees can enjoy themselves and feel appreciated. Decorations and music help turn the meal into an event.

As Vicente explains, every detail matters. From placing the first food order to serving the final meal, careful planning and collaboration are what bring it all together.

The result? More than 2,600 meals served and a summer event centered around great food, teamwork, and appreciation.

Thank you to Vicente, the entire VVS Canteen team, and our client in Amarillo for working together to make this year’s summer plant feed a success!

Leonor Carillo | VVS @ Amarillo, Texas

Leonor Carillo takes pride in being someone her team can count on. She enjoys the work she does each day and says one of her greatest accomplishments has been building strong relationships with her coworkers. “I feel proud that we’ve all been working as a team,” she says, adding that knowing she can rely on those around her has made her career especially meaningful.

She knows that foodservice can become demanding in a matter of minutes, but believes the key is staying focused and working even harder when the pace increases. Leonor also enjoys helping others and finds satisfaction in making a coworker’s day a little less stressful. That spirit of teamwork is what she values most about coming to work each day.

Outside of work, Leonor enjoys spending quality time with her family and cooking meals at home. Reflecting on her years with VVS, she says the friendships she’s built with kind and appreciative people have stayed with her the most. Those relationships continue to motivate her and remind her why she enjoys being part of the VVS family.

Gabriella Cantu | VVS @ Dodge City, Kansas

For the past 10 years, Gabriella Cantu has helped start each day at our location in Dodge City before most people arrive. Beginning work at 5:00 a.m., she prepares breakfast on the Fresh Grill, serves customers as a cashier during breaks, then transitions into preparing lunch before cleaning and getting ready for the next day. It’s a fast-paced role that requires organization, creativity, and teamwork.

Gabriella says many people don’t realize how much coordination it takes to serve hundreds of meals each day. “There are a lot of moving parts,” she explains, and everyone plays an important role in making the operation successful. She enjoys experimenting with new recipes on the Fresh Grill and loves seeing how food brings happiness to customers. Just as meaningful to her are the friendships she’s built over the last decade and the way her coworkers always step in to help one another.

One experience she’ll never forget came after her family lost everything in a house fire. Gabriella recalls how VVS employees organized a raffle and rallied together to help her family rebuild. “That makes me proud to be VVS family,” she says. It’s a reminder that the relationships built at work often become much more than coworkers; they become family.

Donnie Lanier | VVS @ Friona, Texas

For 15 years, Donnie Lanier has been a familiar face at our cafeteria in Friona. As the cafeteria custodian, his day is filled with keeping the facility clean, organized, and running smoothly. From covering long distances throughout the plant to working in every type of weather while handling waste removal, Donnie understands that success often comes from the work that happens behind the scenes.

What Donnie enjoys most is the teamwork that surrounds him each day. Great food, great coworkers, and the opportunity to meet new people have made his years with VVS rewarding. Looking back, one memory stands above the rest: celebrating his 15th anniversary. The decorations, cake, and congratulations from both coworkers and customers made him feel genuinely appreciated.

When he’s away from work, Donnie enjoys watching movies, spending time with his cat, Sweet Pea, and treating himself to a good steak. His dedication and positive attitude continue to make a difference for both his team and the customers he serves every day.

Celebrate Grilled Cheese!

The timeless comfort of a grilled cheese sandwich is unparalleled – a classic that transcends generations. But why stick to the basics when you can embark on a culinary adventure with gourmet variations that redefine this iconic delight? Give these a try!

The Classic Comfort:

Start with the basics – buttery, golden-brown bread hugging the perfect blend of sharp cheddar and creamy American cheese. Simple, yet forever satisfying.

Mediterranean Magic:

Transport your taste buds with a Mediterranean twist. Add feta, sundried tomatoes, and a sprinkle of oregano between two slices, creating a grilled cheese that echoes the flavors of the Aegean.

Spicy Jalapeño Jack:

Kick up the heat with slices of spicy jalapeño and pepper jack cheese. This variation adds a zesty punch, making every bite an explosion of flavor for the daring palate.

Caprese Revival:

Bring the Caprese salad into sandwich form by layering mozzarella, tomato slices, fresh basil, and a balsamic glaze between slices—a grilled masterpiece inspired by Italian simplicity.

Pesto Perfection:

Elevate your grilled cheese with a smear of basil pesto. Combine it with melty provolone, sun-dried tomatoes, and a handful of arugula for a sandwich that sings with vibrant flavors.

BBQ Bacon Bonanza:

Satisfy your carnivorous cravings by incorporating crispy bacon and a smoky barbecue sauce into your grilled cheese. It’s a hearty, indulgent treat for lovers of savory delights.

VVS Feeds Meals to Those in Need

VVS Marked the end of 2023 with 45 plant-wide holiday feeds across 12 states, ending with over 90,000 meals served in just over 30 days! Providing daily meals to some of the most critical frontline and essential workers nationwide has been an honor. We want to extend a huge “Thank You” to all our clients and customers for their continued support and dedication to feeding America. Thank you for being family. Happy Holidays!

Shane Banahan and Jaren Almendarez Crowned VVS Fried Chicken Champions of Texas

Shane Banahan and Jaren Almendarez were recently crowned the VVS Fried Chicken Champions of Texas! Shane is the Site Manager of the cafeteria at the Tyson Plant in Vernon, Texas, and Jaren is the supervisor at that location. Voters considered appearance, quality, and taste when deciding a winner in the blind taste test. Shane & Jaren came out on top, with site managers & cooks taking part from almost all VVS Texas locations. Congratulations, Shane & Jaren, your cuisine reigns supreme!

Different Dogs – Crazy Topping Combos!

The hotdog is almost as American as apple pie! So, whether you love a standard ketchup and mustard combo or drag your Chicago Dog through the garden with all the toppings under the sun, try branching out this summer with some crazy topping combos that might change the way you look (and taste!) hotdogs forever!

Ball Game Dog – Caramel Corn & Cheese Sauce

We topped this dog with our favorite things from a summer ball game – hotdogs, nachos, and Cracker Jacks! Sprinkle on some Caramel Corn and then douse the whole thing in cheese sauce, play ball!

Peanut Butter Bacon Dog

Try it once, and it all unexpectedly comes together! Use a toasted hotdog bun for this one, then add mayo to the bun, peanut butter to the dog, shallots, shredded cheese, and bacon over everything else – you can thank me later!

Sloppy Dogs

Get out your favorite sloppy joe recipe and top that dog! Then go crazy with your favorite conventional toppings from relish and ketchup to mustard and peppers.

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Dogs

Everyone loves mac & cheese – throw it on a dog! Then add chicken tossed in your favorite buffalo sauce over the mac and drizzle the whole thing with homemade ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Sweet & Salty Dog

The ever-ongoing debate, what does pineapple belong or not belong on? We think it belongs on this dog with bacon and teriyaki sauce as well! These flavor combinations will take you on a sweet and salty ride that is as unexpected as it is good!

Great Grill Giveaway

In June, VVS gave away over 25 grills as part of our Great Grill Giveaway! We had winners in every account, each taking home a Blue Rhino Stainless Steel 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill! A big thank you to everybody who entered. Follow us on Facebook to keep tabs on upcoming giveaways and promotions! @VVSinc

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