Inside the school nutrition operation feeding Henrico County students

, and WTVR CBS 6

October 16, 2026 . 3:14 PM

1 min read

Dana Whitney, Director of School Nutrition Services for Henrico County Public Schools (Courtesy WTVR)

The school cafeteria has come a long way from mystery meat and chocolate milk.

At Godwin High School in western Henrico, students can build their own burger — one of several restaurant-style options now available in the county's middle and high schools.

Dana Whitney, Director of School Nutrition Services for Henrico County Public Schools, oversees a school nutrition operation that serves more than 50,000 students across 69 locations countywide — including 1,600 students at Godwin High School alone.

"We operate 69 locations, so think of us as a chain restaurant," she said. "That's chain restaurant times 10."

Making that happen requires precision. At Godwin, Cafeteria Manager Simon Harik runs a kitchen of just 10 staff members.

"It also involves you having a good crew. You train them well, you gather to understand what we're doing. I think I have the best crew around in Henrico County," Harik said.

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