The phrase “lunch lady” likely conjures up some gruff, gravelly-voice stock character plucked from afterschool specials and 80s high school comedies. And though Kelsey Weisgerber proudly embraces the moniker “Lunch Lady Kelsey,” she doesn’t exactly fit the hair-netted stereotypes.
As Food Service Director at the Environmental Charter School, the bubbly, young Weisgerber heads up a pretty unconventional cafeteria. After all, how many school lunch menus list the local farms they source from? In partnership with Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Weisgerber plans healthy meals cooked from scratch instead of thawing massive trays of chicken patties.
When she’s not at work, Weisgerber can be found teaching yoga or tracking down Pittsburgh’s best vegetarian food. She told us about the best meal she ate last week, a warming cold weather dish that she craves all year round.
It’s been pretty regular that we’ve been going to Noodlehead in Shadyside. They have this Chiang Mai Curry there that just kills me. I’ll be talking to my boyfriend Scott about what to do for dinner. We’ll think about cooking or kick around ideas for going out, but inevitably I’ll ask, “Can we just get Chiang Mai?” It’s becoming a problem.
Last weekend we went there to celebrate. It’s BYOB so we brought a bottle of champagne and ordered two curries. I get mine with tofu, and the combination with the noodles is just perfect. I order a five on spiciness, which is just the right level of heat. [Ed. note: Five is the highest level and is mind-numbingly spicy—though apparently not for Kelsey.] It’s something I crave pretty much all the time.
I love Noodlehead. It’s really pretty inside, the service is great and it’s super consistent. And I love to sit outside when the weather is nice. Plus, anywhere that you can get two huge bowls of noodles and drink a whole bottle of champagne for less than 25 bucks is pretty awesome.
Read more about Weisgerber here, and be sure to check out more best meals.
