From Vending Machines to Fresh-Made Meals: The Evolution of Food Service at De La Salle

When De La Salle first opened its doors in 1965, the cafeteria didn’t exist. Students ate their lunches from vending machines set up around campus. Father LaSalle, a member of the school’s very first freshman class, recalled those early days: “That was it. No kitchen, no cooks, no hot meals—just vending machines in the quad.”

Over the decades, that picture of food at De La Salle has transformed dramatically. Today, students enjoy fresh-made meals prepared daily by an in-house culinary team. It’s a journey shaped by key people like Head Chef Jose Sanchez and Food Service Managers Wendy Aliotti and Jeff Villafania, who worked side by side to bring about a food service program that reflects the school’s mission of care, community, and quality.

Brotherhood in the Quad
For many alumni, memories of food service from the 1980s through the early 2000s are less about what they ate and more about where they ate. With only a small concession-line style cafeteria located in what is now the LAPC, the facilities couldn’t hold the whole student body. As a result, students spilled out into the quad with their lunches, creating a unique culture of community.

“The highlight is that because there was little space to sit, the guys would eat in the quad,” remembered Gregory Brown-Davis ’97. “That made the lunch time culture way more robust.”

The food itself was simple and sometimes inconsistent, but it carried its own charm. Giles Thompson ’93 remembered “turkey twizzlers and vending machines… all out of what is now the LAPC.” Leo Lopoz ’94 laughed about “average-at-best” options, noting, “I bought a crispito from time to time. I ate lunch in the parking lot on a milk carton where the bookstore is.”

For others, certain items stood out—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. “There was nothing more disappointing than running to the OC, jamming into the lines, being crushed by other kids, to then get to the front of the line and find out they sold out of Taco Bell burritos,” recalled Sean Bristol ’97. “I think they had Taco Bell on Tuesday and Thursdays only, so it was a special treat.”

Kevin Fordon ’00 remembered it more bluntly: “Fake Taco Bell and Round Table pizzas… vending machines with lots of candy… donuts and bagels in the morning. I brought my food most days due to the crummy options.”

Garth Adlao ’93 added, “Taquitos during first break were the absolute best. But the food was standard ‘school lunch’ offerings. No disrespect to the people who worked here back then, but the food today is like night and day vs. back then. The kids today don’t know how good they have it.”

Even into the 2000s, the cafeteria still wasn’t central to student life. Marcus Schroeder ’06 recalled: “When I was going to school from 2002–2006, the cafeteria was where the LAPC Weight Room is now. I remember at that time there were pretty good bean, cheese, and rice burritos. Some students would eat in the cafeteria but most students would hang out in the quad.”

Another unique tradition from years past was the privilege seniors had to go off campus for lunch. Many students headed out for fast food runs or simply gathered in the parking lot to eat together. For those who stayed, the parking lot itself often became an unofficial dining space, with students balancing meals on milk crates or car trunks and hoods. Alumni recall these moments as part of the school’s culture of camaraderie—whether eating PB&Js, Taco Bell burritos, or Round Table pizza, lunch often extended far beyond the cafeteria and into the shared spaces where friendships and brotherhood grew.

These stories show how the absence of a full cafeteria actually strengthened the culture of community. Eating outside together brought everyone closer, reinforcing a sense of brotherhood that defined student life at De La Salle.

Building Something New
Before Aliotti arrived, De La Salle’s cafeteria was run by outside companies, including Total Vending and later Chartwells. Meals were quick and easy, but not always fresh. “Some things were made fresh, but a lot of it was frozen,” Wendy explained. “When I came in, I wanted to prove you could make food from scratch, keep it affordable, and still serve a whole campus.”

Aliotti’s background at Carondelet, where she had managed food service under Epicurean, gave her the foundation she needed. In 2014, she became De La Salle’s first in-house food service manager. For the next nine years, she worked with Head Chef Jose Sanchez to transform the program. She hired trained chefs, introduced scratch cooking, and developed menus that ranged from burrito bowls and Italian pasta days to student-favorite breakfast burritos.

“The freshmen would literally run from their classrooms to get in line,” Wendy laughed. “Parents even called to say how much their kids loved the food. That never happened before.”

More Than a Cafeteria
For Aliotti, running food service wasn’t just about feeding students. It was about being part of the community. “When I was with an outside company, I never knew when schedules changed or when special events were happening,” she said. “Once I became in-house, I could plan with the school, and I got to know the kids personally.”

That relationship mattered. She often encouraged students to try new foods—offering them small tastings before they decided. “I probably did that with hundreds of kids,” Wendy recalled. “Some had never tried different salad dressings or hot dishes. It was about opening their eyes.”

She also made food service a business that supported the school while remaining affordable. “The goal was never to gouge students,” Wendy said. “It was to break even, keep prices low, and make sure kids actually wanted to eat here.”

Passing the Torch
Working closely alongside Aliotti for nearly a decade was Jeff Villafania, who started as a contractor cook under Chartwells before joining the De La Salle team. “Wendy taught me everything—from handling staff to the paperwork behind the scenes,” Jeff said. “For nine years, I was her front man. When she retired, it just made sense to keep things going.”

When Villafania took over as manager, he built on Wendy’s foundation while also making the program his own. “Mr. Holquin told me, ‘Wendy was great, but now it’s your turn. Do it your way,’” Jeff remembered. He added new menu items, adjusted recipes to meet athletes’ nutrition needs, and expanded healthier options. “We’ve added more sandwiches, more salads, and kept evolving. Wednesdays are still Mexican day, and that’s our busiest, but we’ve also introduced Asian cuisine and protein-heavy meals.”

A Unique Philosophy
For Villafania, what makes De La Salle’s food program stand out isn’t just the scratch cooking—it’s the relationships. “Other schools don’t do what we do,” he said. “We make our own sauces, dressings, everything in-house. But more importantly, we know the students. We talk to them, we cheer them on, we support them. My crew knows them by name, and they know us.”

That philosophy has kept the cafeteria not just a place to eat, but a hub of connection. Whether it’s serving at school events, catering team dinners, or simply asking a student about their college plans in the lunch line, Villafania and his staff see their role as bigger than food.

“I love what I do,” Jeff said. “We’re not just feeding boys. We’re part of their lives, their community. And that’s what makes it special.”