Fisher Dining Services Rolls Out Fresh Bread

When Gaetano’s Bakery closed its doors in March 2025, Chef Joel Kraft, interim director of Fisher Dining Services, saw the news as an opportunity. Rather than source a new vendor to provide sub rolls, he brought an idea to his team: make them in-house.

“It was instant acceptance,” he said.

With the team on board, Kraft got to work testing recipes in search of the perfect rolls.

“I wanted something that was softer, lighter, that wasn’t dense,” he said, adding that it was important that the rolls be as “hypoallergenic” as possible.

“If we’re going to offer this to students, I want as many students to enjoy them as possible,” he explained.

With the help of his brother, Jamie, who is a master baker, Kraft created a recipe that uses olive oil instead of butter and omits eggs, while maintaining a soft inside and crusty exterior that toasts nicely.

The new bread rolled out in April at the Sub Shoppe at Murphy Dining Hall and the deli in Ward-Haffey Dining Hall.

Led by Lesia Kachaluba, the Dining Services team bakes about 320 portions a day, with around 200 at Murphy and 120 at Ward-Haffey. The dough is made at Ward-Haffey, then proofed and baked at each dining hall, resulting in a truly fresh product.

In the future, Kraft and his team hope to add focaccias and specialty breads to the rolls, sweet breads, and muffins already being prepared in-house.

“I’m proud of the team for always saying, ‘let us do it,’” Kraft said. “That’s really the mantra of food here.”