top of page

FLIK of a switch

Carrie Yang '27

Jan 17, 2025

With the community return from winter break, the Mercersburg Academy dining experience has been elevated by the introduction of a new dining service: FLIK Independent School Dining (FISD). This collaboration brings a fresh approach to Mercersburg dining, focusing on nourishing the whole person, fostering community, and promoting sustainability. 

As student body president, Taimur Rehman ‘25 was part of a student-faculty group that chose the company. “We did a very comprehensive analysis of each dining provider,” Rehman stated. “They were given a rating. FLIK had the highest rating, and that’s why we chose it.”

Ryan Sonson, the Regional Chef for FLIK, commented on his initial experience at Mercersburg: “It’s a beautiful campus, and it has a beautiful view of the mountains from inside the dining hall. I love the environment.” Sonson also identified one of his favorite featured recipes: “The stir-fried beef bulgogi had amazing flavor, and that was an amazing dish.” 

The revamped dining hall presentation has sparked excitement within the community. Liza Hoa ‘27 said, “I personally enjoy breakfast the most because of the chocolate chip pancakes. There is so much more variety. The new additions, like the charcuterie boards, are cool, but I feel like they take up a little space.” 

Pema Namdol ‘27 agreed, “There are more options for everyone. I love the hot sauce bar, expanded salad bar, and new condiments.”

Dining staff are encouraged to focus on their commitment to ensuring inclusivity and quality. Meghan Lukman, the District Manager, explained, “When writing the menu, we tried to take a holistic approach to consider every dietary need, and preferably something very similar across the board. So, we try to keep things as consistent as possible so that everyone feels like they are eating the same thing.” 

Bryan Scheieger, FLIK’s Regional Support Manager, added, “We have designated stations for the gluten-free and allergy boards and signs so people can see what’s available and in the food. ”

There are key innovations to the dining hall’s approach under FLIK. “Now there is a greater sense of variety, like the ice cream station and the rice bar offering sushi rice and brown rice. And we don’t make dressings from a packet but from scratch,” said Sonson.

With the updates brought by FLIK, the dining hall has become a welcoming space for the Mercersburg Community. “If you ask the staff for something, they are always there to assist you,” said Namdol ‘27.

Rehman continued, “I think they’ve been doing a great job, you know. Like they say, though, there’s a honeymoon period, so I wanna see how they do when the difference starts to get more subtle in a month, two months, and at the end of the year.”

Anderson Wang ‘26 stated, “I’ve definitely seen a noticeable improvement. I didn’t go to breakfast once in the fall term and went 1-2 times before winter break. Ever since they changed the dining hall provider, I have been committed to going to breakfast every day to try the different and higher quality options.”

It seems like many Mercersburg students and faculty agree that the dining hall service has improved, and they look forward to working with FLIK.

Copyright 2024

bottom of page