Middletown”™s Steve Schultz did not need to place an ad to become part of a traveling team opening new accounts, mentoring chefs and filling in for absent chefs on behalf of Flik International, a family-owned food service business founded 30 years ago.
Schultz came to the position well known in the mid-Hudson Valley as a partner/chef in Inn Credible Caterers, operating the Bear Mountain Inn, Chalet on the Hudson, Inn at Central Valley and nine other locations.
Since his affiliation with Flik four years ago, Schultz has traveled to Philadelphia, Texas, Tennessee and Utah on behalf of his employer, not to mention working nearer home in Westchester and New York City.
- Steve Schultz, of Middletown, trains other chefs for Flik International, a 30-year-old-food service business.
The Flik team serves a variety of clients, ranging from private schools to corporations to conference centers.
Schultz presided over the opening of a food service for 3,000 employees at the Tennessee BlueCross BlueShield headquarters. Recently, he was assigned to the world headquarters of one of Flik”™s largest accounts, the pharmaceutical giant Merck, in Whitehouse Station, N.J., and now works in its large Rahway facility serving 900 to 1,100 people daily.
Flik has several ground rules for chefs. “Everything is fresh,” Schultz says. “Nothing is frozen except peas, which are seasonal. Our vendor goes to farm markets, purchasing locally. If out of season, it is not served. Eggs are from free-range chickens. Meats are never frozen or from animals given hormones.”
Use of leftovers is prohibited. “We do accurate estimates, but err on the side of running out of a food item,” Schultz says.
For calorie counters, Schultz puts together a 600-calorie meal with appetizer, choice of soup or salad and hot meal, including two vegetables.
“Our menu changes daily at all locations,” Schultz says. “Soups rotate, with three soups offered daily. There are 900 soups in our repertoire.”
Schultz points to a school where 900 children are fed a diet inhibiting the obesity prevalent among today”™s youths. “An advance menu goes home weekly,” he says. “We make macaroni and cheese with skim milk and low-fat cheese. Omelets are made with low-fat milk. With French toast, we use pure maple syrup ”” no additives. We even make a low-fat pizza. The goal is to wean students from fatty foods brought from home. Our service is healthier and also more convenient for parents.”
In his present post, Schultz offers specialties for every holiday celebrated by company employees. “We are not set up for kosher cooking, but we do offer favorite ethnic foods on Jewish holidays,” he says. “Merck employees”™ heritages span the globe.”
Being himself of German heritage, Schultz gloried in Oktoberfest, preparing sauerbraten, weiner schnitzel, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Also observed are such holidays as Easter, Thanksgiving and even Mardi Gras, as well as offbeat days like National Ice Cream Day.
Like a sailor going rowing on his day off, Schultz caters private clients on holidays and weekends, contacted through Ssch712003@aol.com. He once worked for Mary Beth Catering, caterer for Caroline Kennedy. “When she became ambassador to Japan, she engaged Mary Beth as personal chef, so the catering business was dissolved” he says.
Schultz entered food service at age 15 when his parents dispatched him to work in a restaurant. “The owner offered me a scholarship to the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park, from which I was graduated,” he says.
There is one negative to a life of travel, Schultz says. Customers at the former Chalet recall being greeted by his large dog, now deceased. “I can”™t do justice to a dog in a job requiring travel,” he says.
Challenging Careers focuses on the exciting and unusual business lives of Hudson Valley residents. Comments or suggestions may be emailed to Catherine Portman-Laux at cplaux@optonline.net.
Saying you train for Flik Corporatrion is about as impressive as saying you train people to flip burgers at McDonalds.