One of the staples of Covenant dining that students know and love is the Interaction station. Whether it is walking tacos, ramen, or wraps, Interaction provides a comforting option for students to rely on throughout the week. Having said that, this well-loved dining option would not be possible without Josh Scroggs, who runs the Interaction station.
Photo taken by Covenant College Dining via Instagram
Scroggs got involved in the restaurant world when he was in high school working at a Barbeque restaurant, and learned about his interest in food at a country club that allowed him to grow his understanding of cooking. After some time working there, he came to Covenant two years ago to work at the Interaction station.
Since coming to Covenant, Scroggs has been integral in helping support older recipes while also bringing some fresh, new ideas into the Interaction menu. Since joining the Great Hall staff, Scroggs has been able to bring some of his passion for cooking to the students on campus. Scroggs mentioned one of those ways he is able to bring that to life is through the ramen week. “The ramen week is my week, so everything in that week is everything that I not only personally love to eat but love to make and wanted to break up and do something special.”
When preparing to serve items, Scruggs wants to serve items that are standard for college life while also incorporating authentic versions of these foods for students to enjoy. He says, “Your packaged ramen is a staple so when I came up with that menu I thought, ‘Well, let’s try to do as authentic stuff as we can.’ for example, the pho. I learned to make the pho from a banquet chef I worked with at a country club and he was from Vietnam and I told him I always wanted to make this and he taught me how to make authentic pho… That is my absolute favorite dish and I wanted to share it with the students here.”
Photo taken by Covenant College Dining via Instagram
Interaction opens the door for the Covenant dining experience to be more than just food for students to mindlessly consume. Scruggs uses the menu to share his passion and love for cooking good food with students in a fun and interactive way. Interaction also makes a space for Scruggs to interconnect with the students on a personal level, developing relationships while sharing his passion with them. Scruggs commented, “It’s always fun having, not only seeing all the students, but then the one on one interactions and creating small relationships with the students… trying to remember everyone's name of 700 people gets a little rough but the more you talk to me, the more I get to talk to you.”
Scroggs has been a vital part of providing passionate food creation while also working to intentionally cultivate relationships with the students who are receiving his hard work. He’s a great person for students to witness sharing their passion for others to enjoy.
Thumbnail photo taken by Covenant College Dining via Instagram.