Confessions of Janet Paul Rice

Janet Paul Rice, associate director of dining services at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and current NACUFS president, wants to stop worrying, doesn’t understand the big deal about cupcakes and admits indecisive customers can be annoying.

Q. What is the best part of your job?

I work with great people and food is really fun.

Q. What is the worst part of your job?

To me, “worst” implies “terrible,” and there aren’t any parts of my job that I’d consider terrible. Indecisive customers are rather annoying though.

Q. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Getting my master’s degree while working full time and serving as NACUFS at-large director.

Q. What is the most unusual foodservice/catering request you have ever received?

Garrison Keillor’s request for a church basement supper—funeral hotdish, dead spread sandwiches, Jell-O—during a taping of “A Prairie Home Companion” on campus.

Q. Which talent would you most like to have?

I would like to be artistic.

Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I could worry less.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

Lately, I really admire Fargo’s mayor, Dennis Walaker. He has kept the city safe through three epic floods in the last three years.

Q. What is your favorite meal?

Some great cheese, a loaf of good bread, some olives and bottle of port.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure?

A splash of good wine while watching shows like “48 Hours Mystery.”

Q. What is the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

It doesn’t seem weird to me, but as kids, my sisters and I loved Ritz crackers dipped in Roka blue cheese dressing. I still eat it as a snack.

Q. What do you consider to be the most overrated foodservice trend?

I don’t understand the whole cupcake craze.

Q. What are your words to live by?

Be polite, be kind and don’t burn bridges if you can possibly help it.