A Labor of Love: The Story of a Fraternity Cook
Photos and Writing by Spencer Vik
You know the saying, ‘if you can’t take heat, stay out of the kitchen?’ For Sigma Nu Fraternity cook, Shandra Bohn, or as the men of Sigma Nu know her, just Shandra, she perseveres through the heat, mess, and monotony. Shandra typically puts up with quite a mess in her kitchen, but Shandra still provides fabulous meals nine times a week. Shandra doesn’t get enough credit for everything she does for the fraternity. Many guys often leave a mess in Shandra’s kitchen, and every once in a while, her food is referred to as ‘Shandra’s shlop.’ But every so often, a meal pops out of Shandra’s kitchen that gets gobbled up faster than it took to prepare it.
Shandra loves her job and sometimes can’t wipe the smile off her face after someone says they loved today’s meal.
Dirty dishes tend to overrun Shandra’s cooking area, but she doesn’t seem to mind.
Food ends up in weird spots of the kitchen on weekends, including the walls. As long as it is cleaned by Monday morning, Shandra will never know what happened.
Shandra cuts more than 100 pounds of produce, fresh each day for her meals.
Shandra’s Mexican cuisine ranges from tamales, to burritos, and taco soup. Each dish never fails to please.
As picky as some guys can be, Shandra loves sneaking in key nutrients like the Vitamin C and dietary fiber found in onions.
Shandra says the old school oven is the best she’s ever used. “Old Reliable,” she calls it. That is… until it breaks.
Cooking for 80 teenagers is a feat of its own. Shandra likens the job to catering, except twice a day for five days a week.
Asian cuisine is another one of Shandra’s specialties, rivaling the menu of Panda Express.
Every Friday, on Shandra’s last day of the week, she rewards everyone for keeping her kitchen up to standards. This week, raspberry and chocolate chip muffins filled the bill.