Feeding minds at the Jaguar Dining Center
Director Kimyatta McGee brings the magic
By Sarah Shoaf, Staff Writer
Since joining Governors State University (GovState) in the summer of 2023, Kimyatta McGee, Director of Dining, has taken campus dining to the next level, even getting kudos off-campus.
Most of McGee’s day-to-day tasks involve managing the food service, yet she’s also the magic behind the scenes of the food served at on-campus events, including breakfast omelets. This is a point of pride for McGee.
“Sometimes I see the students outside of GovState and the compliments flow. ‘They say, 'The food is good,' " said McGee with a laugh.
The rewarding feeling that comes with these kinds of compliments is part of food service and event planning, McGee’s long-time passions.
“I started at 18-years-old as a server at a fine dining faculty club at the University of Chicago School of Medicine,” said McGee. “For the bulk of my career I was employed at the University of Chicago. Over the years, and many promotions later, I began taking management positions. Then, I went and did other things in the food service industry, like corporate dining, higher education dining, and K-12 dining.”
Her more than 20 years of experience grabbed the attention of a recruiter when she was applying for food service director positions, which brought her to GovState.
“A recruiter reached out to me and mentioned Governors State and said, I think this is a good opportunity for you,” said McGee, who had no previous connections to the University or the recruiter.
That chance encounter still seems surreal to McGee, who took a chance on that recommendation and went in for an interview, securing the role of Dining Director at GovState's Jaguar Cafe.
The Jaguar Cafe is operated by Arena Food Service, Inc., which posted about McGee in its February newsletter. “Ms. McGee, with her calm and deliberate management style, has provided guidance, stability and vision to her team. All aspects of the campus dining program have been elevated thanks to Kim's background in both contract services and high-level event management.”
With a smile on her face, McGee talked about the support she gets from Arena, as well as GovState's students, faculty and staff to the cabinet, including recently retired President Cheryl Green.
“It’s a joy serving them,” said McGee. “It’s a joy making sure that their events go off how they planned it, and that they like the food and service.”
While McGee is often seen at campus events, managing the food spreads, she draws on experience from her own event space. With pride in her voice, she shared how she can bring events to life, something that she’s especially passionate about.
Looking ahead, McGee hopes to see the University grow its academics and its dining options, too.
“My biggest dream is that Governors State University expands and obtains more retail outlets for dining and private dining,” said McGee. “That would be wonderful.”
Meanwhile, the cafe will soon offer breakfast bowls. Visit Campus Dining to learn more and to see daily soup specials.