FM On Demand with Tara Fitzpatrick: Midwestern roots with U of Dubuque’s Director Andy Mettert

Andy Mettert, foodservice director at University of Dubuque is a busy guy, and tough to pin down for a podcast! Dozens of emails passed between us but he managed to find the time recently to get us caught up on what’s happening with the dining program at the University of Dubuque. We also get into Project Rooted a community-based culinary collaboration with the goal of bringing nutritious food and farm-to-table experiences to kids in food deserts and everywhere else. He’s been working with Project Rooted since before the pandemic, when suddenly the project went from “nice to have” to “serving a real need,” serving thousands of meals when schools were closed.  

On the culinary side, Mettert muses on Midwestern cuisine and why the ‘meat and potatoes’ vibe in this part of the country doesn’t have to mean plant-forward food moves to the back burner. And if you’re a roller coaster enthusiast, stay tuned because we talk about Cedar Point, a childhood memory for both of us, complete with historic coasters like the Blue Streak and Gemini.