Inside Chef Mike’s, a Columbia University sub shop that’s become an instant hit

When Chef Mike’s opened on Jan. 18, Columbia University’s dining team wasn’t prepared for the level of excitement the new sub shop would draw. “Our students absolutely are bananas [for the concept],” says Associate Vice President of Dining Vicki Dunn. “We open at 11, and they started lining up at 10 o’clock this morning.” And so far, it stays that busy most of the day, the team says, with about 100 students in line at any given time. Here’s a look behind the scenes.Photo courtesy of Columbia Dining