The Main Course
Food service director Paul Idsvoog is full of ideas to satisfy students'
craving
By REBECCA MARTIN
Take a walk through the University Student Union on a weekday afternoon
and look around. People will be bustling to their classes or talking to
friends.
But many people will be standing in line downstairs at the food
court or across the Free Speech area waiting to buy food. While it may
not seem like it at first glance, a great deal of work goes into the quality
of food offered on campus.
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The person responsible for bringing Panda Express to the food
court, Paul Idsvoog, wants to have more variety for students, including
Middle Eastern and Indian foods. Photo by Joseph Hollak |
The work for food on campus begins with Paul Idsvoog, the director of
university food services. Idsvoog oversees the food services, including
fast food restaurants Taco Bell, Subway, Carl’s Jr. and Round Table
Pizza. He’s also responsible for the Resident Dining Facility, the
University Restaurant and the Pub.
For Idsvoog, his career in food services started when he was a part-time
busboy at age 14.
Idsvoog started working in food services during high school and continued
throughout college. But he has his brother to thank for his current career.
His brother, a lawyer, was hired for a job in Virginia, and at the time,
Idsvoog was helping him move.
His brother helped him get in contact with a former employer in food
services in West Virginia. Idsvoog, a recent college graduate with a degree
in accounting, took a job with a contract food company.
“To move up in the company, you have to be willing to move anywhere,”
Idsvoog said.
Idsvoog continued to work in the company while moving to several locations.
After getting married, he began looking for a specific location in the
company.
“My wife lived in Fresno, and she wanted to move back,” Idsvoog
said. “She always said that if I ever got offered anything in Fresno,
I should take it. So I did.”
Idsvoog manages about 200 employees throughout food services. The food
services at Fresno State are diverse and each area presents different
challenges, Idsvoog said.
“Basically, it’s about managing down time,” said Idsvoog,
who began working at Fresno State two years ago. “September and
October you make money, but in November you don’t.”
November does not make as much money, because of the time off students
take during Thanksgiving holiday. And while the Resident Dining Facility
receives a fixed income, because of the meal plans students purchase,
the money from the food court fluctuates.
To bring in bigger profits and more students to the food court, Idsvoog
helped bring in Panda Express as an independent contractor in October,
which means the eatery brings in its own workers and makes its own food.
“Panda is a big positive to the food court, with minimal costs,”
Idsvoog said.
Another chain, Starbucks Coffee, may soon come to the food court. But
food services employees would be working behind the counter for the coffee
conglomerate.
“Starbucks we would invest in and run ourselves,” Idsvoog
said. “Coffee is not as difficult to run.”
Idsvoog is looking for other contractors to bring into the food court,
including a concept for Middle Eastern and Indian food.
“You want to get a good mix, and you want to satisfy customers,”
Idsvoog said. “You want to bring people in and improve services.”
The most important part of his job, Idsvoog said, is the people, meaning
students, faculty and food services employees on campus.
Idsvoog said his hard work is what has brought him to this point in his
career.
“It’s the work ethic I put into it,” Idsvoog said. “Sometimes
you’re just wired that way.”
Idsvoog also thinks his strong leadership helps his employees.
“I want to lead by example,” Idsvoog said. “Be the first
one in and the last one out.”
To show the importance of the students, Idsvoog continued the tradition
of having a food committee meeting. Held every other Monday, students
living in the residence halls can voice their opinions about the campus
food. Students said they see results of the comments they make in the
meetings.
“They came to us for suggestions about new restaurants downstairs,
and we said, ‘Panda Express,’ ” senior Patrick Hescox
said. “Then what do you know, we had Panda Express downstairs.”
Hescox said the food committee listens to students, and that’s part
of the reason he continues to attend the meetings.
“They make changes, and they take notes about our ideas,”
Hescox said.
Idsvoog likes to help the students at Fresno State any way he can, including
providing food for holiday meals.
“I worked with him for a Thanksgiving Day program,” senior
Robert Rico said.
Food services, thanks to Idsvoog, provided food for a Residence Hall program
that puts on a Thanksgiving Day dinner for those unable to go home for
the holiday.
The work Idsvoog does for food services continues to improve the program,
but Idsvoog is always looking at the future. He wants food services to
continue to change and grow with the student population, and for him to
continue to remain a hands-on leader.
“Change is inevitable. Growth is obtainable,” Idsvoog said.
“The day I’m above mopping the floor, and you think you’re
above those things, is the day you shouldn’t be there anymore.”
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