As rising star interns, we get a lot of opportunities to do a variety of activities. Last week we got to experience two very different parts of the food system in Sioux City.
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City was our first stop. We enjoyed a meal at the World Tour buffet before beginning our behind the scenes tour. Chef Keith brought us to the employee entrance of the Hard Rock and we got special passes in order to start our tour. We were able to see the kitchens and food storage areas of the Hard Rock and were amazed
by the amount of food they go through on a daily basis. We also got to see Main and Abbey, another restaurant in the Hard Rock and we were awed by the cool design of the restaurant and the homage to the former knife factory that is now where the Hard Rock is housed.
The next place we visited was the Food Bank of Siouxland Inc. There we learned about the differences between what a food bank is and a food pantry. Food banks supply food pantries. Food Bank of Siouxland provides food and other supplies to over 100 different pantries. They have an entire warehouse full of donated and purchased product. We also learned that a number of people and organizations volunteer on a daily basis for the wide array of programs that they have. It was a great experience learning about food systems and how both of these places contribute to Sioux City.
~Lauren