By Sadler Wilson
The three school days out of the year that students anticipate the most: the day when WA’s kitchen works tirelessly to provide students and teachers with their delicacy of wings. After speaking with many students and teachers, it is clear that Wing Day is a prized day at the Academy. However, what about the effort that is put in behind the scenes? After speaking with Chef Octavius Chatman, better known as “Chef OC,” and Director of Dining Services Ms. Carol Cottrell, the immense efforts and details that exist behind Wing Day have been made clear.
Alongside Ms. Cottrell, Chef OC works as the head chef within our Upper School cafeteria.
“We start pretty much when we come in, roughly around 7–latest 7:30–all the way up until lunch time, and sometimes we’re still frying through lunch depending on what else is on the menu that day,” Chef OC said.
Ms. Cottrell and Chef OC proceeded to discuss the amount of wings made within the Upper School alone. To my surprise, Chef OC estimated that the kitchen makes 20,000 to 22,000 wings during the 5-hour timeframe of 7 AM to noon. After Chef OC described the efforts behind the kitchen doors, Ms. Cottrell explained the process of determining which day wings will be on the menu.
“There are certain times of the year when wings are really really expensive, I mean an example of that would be Super Bowl time… [and] there are times that there are shortages on the market,” Ms. Cottrell said.
Chef OC and Ms. Cottrell both mentioned an interesting detail: the impact of the Avian Flu on the food market. The two described their experience in battling market shortages during times when Avian flu was prevalent in factories and selling markets. Additionally, the two explained their opinions on WA students’ respect and gratitude during the lunch period. Cottrell and Chef OC spoke lightheartedly about the excitement and enthusiasm that fills the cafeteria on Wing Day.
“I watch them run in and I notice just as I’m walking through the cafeteria sometimes I see at the tables some students are having wing eating contests and things of that nature, and it’s cool and fun to watch,” Chef OC said. “The only time when it might get a little problematic is when they start getting a little messy and just throwing their bones and leaving stuff on the table.”
Both felt immense pride about the excitement that Wing Day gives students. Out of seven interviewees, six listed Wing Day in their top five favorite school lunches.
Kira Taylor ’25 expressed gratitude and excitement about Wing Day.
“I think that they love when kids are excited to eat and I love that they’re always so nice to give out food and I think it’s amazing,” Kira said.
Student interviewees expressed much gratitude and recognized the amount of effort that was put into the day. Kira expresses her personal opinion on students’ manners while in the lunch lines.
“They don’t say thank you all the time, and I know it’s not a lot, but people appreciate being said thank you to,” Kira said.
Wing Day is a delicacy that is provided by the incredible dining staff and it is important to recognize and be thankful for the long hours, the talent, and the dedication that are being implemented behind the kitchen doors on Wing Day. The dining staff deserve a “thank you” for the amount of work that is put in behind the scenes.
“Some people go to the lounge, some go to the snack bar, sometimes people go to West Commons… but EVERYONE is in the cafeteria on Wing Day,” Kira said.
