Deep within the intimate confines of Kings Court English Dining Hall, chef Deborah Day is busy cooking what may be your next lunch.
From chicken pot pie to orzo with red peppers, Day, known as Deb to her friends, loves to cook. And nothing makes her happier than a satisfied student with a full stomach.
The students "eat everything, and that's good!" she said enthusiastically.
Day began her career with Penn Dining 38 years ago. "I started as a bus girl and worked my way up," she said. She previously worked at Class of 1920 Commons and the now defunct Training House - a former Penn Athletics dormitory complete with a dining hall - before coming to Kings Court.
A grandmother eight times over, and one of four siblings, Day was born and raised in Philadelphia. Her daughter works in retail for Class of 1920 Commons. Her husband of 19 years, meanwhile, works for the city of Philadelphia and her oldest grandson will be starting college in the fall.
When cooking, this Dunkin' Donuts-loving chef enjoys taking advantage of organic and locally grown produce in the kitchen. She is also very enthusiastic about Penn's Restaurant Nights, on which she gets to plan the menu and utilize real china, table cloths and candles.
However, Day isn't all work and no play. In addition to being a self professed "family organizer," she enjoys dancing, especially the Electric Slide. She also does not consider herself a regular television watcher, but enjoys American Idol and the Food Network.
In the future, Day hopes to open a catering business called "Laday's Catering," but in the short term would like to hold cooking classes for Penn students. "Cooking for the students, that's my hobby," she claimed proudly. "I try to make them happy."
