UD chef to cater at the Olympics

Rob LoFurno, who has been responsible for culinary programs at UD for more than three years, will serve as executive chef in charge of catering at the Olympic Village in Athens.

11:05 a.m., July 8, 2004--Teamwork is just as important behind the scenes at the Olympics as it is at many of the competitive events. Thousands of professionals and volunteers assemble to help with the monumental task of feeding and caring for the athletes and their coaches, who come from all over the globe to compete in the games. Approximately 24,000 persons will be living in the Olympic Village.

Among the backup players at the Athens Olympics will be Rob LoFurno, who has been responsible for culinary programs at UD for more than three years. A district chef with Aramark, which provides food services at UD, Lo Furno will serve as executive chef in charge of catering at the Olympic Village in Athens. Aramark has partnered with a Greek organization to form Aramark Dasko to provide food service. The 2004 summer games in Athens marks Aramark’s 13th Olympic games.

“Aramark, an international company with partners all over the world, has been selected to serve the athletes, coaches and officials at the Athens Olympics,” LoFurno said. “They have asked me to be in charge of an international group catering special events at the Olympic Village in private dining rooms, such as coaches’ meetings, Olympic team meetings and VIP get-togethers. It’s a challenge, and I am excited about the opportunity.”

He left for Greece on July 2 to prepare for the Olympics, which will be held from Aug. 13-29.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., LoFurno began his culinary career as a teenager working as a bus boy and dishwasher at local tavern. While attending the institute, he worked for a dinner theatre company that served more than 14,000 guests a week. He also served an internship in an Italian pastry shop by day and at a three-star restaurant at night.

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LoFurno has worked for Aramark since 1986 as district and regional chef in the business dining division before coming to the University. At UD, he oversees menus, monitors food safety and supervises training culinary staff. This is his first overseas assignment other than participating in the International Guest Chef Program in 1994 in England.

Article by Sue Moncure
Photo by Kathy Atkinson

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