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.

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.”