Flik Dining: Nourishing Our Community at North Broward Prep

“Together, we’ll nourish a brighter future" — a quote from Food by Flik. Flik is what feeds our community. It is the foundation that helps bring us together.

“We like to be involved. For Homecoming, our student government asked us to make a pink dessert for Pink Spirit Day. On Earth Day, we make dirt cups. When it comes to boarding, our chefs engage with all the students to make them feel like they are at home, like they are enjoying Sunday brunch.”
— Jessi Cox, Flik Resident District Manager

“I have a boarding student who plays hockey and can’t make it to dinner, so I save him food to pick up right after practice.”
— Alfredo Pena, Executive Chef

Flik’s dining staff genuinely care about our community. They organize food around spirit days to make meals exciting for students and help create a sense of home for our boarders.

Flik’s staff have the experience to build up our community. Alfredo Pena has been with North Broward Prep for six years and with Flik for 22 years. Jessi Cox has been with North Broward Prep for just shy of two years. Most of her career was spent as a chef, and before joining us, she created a full culinary program (1,200 hours) at a technical college.

Not Your Traditional School Cafeteria

“You are not coming into a cafeteria; you are coming into a restaurant. We want something different every week. Students are coming back for seconds. It feels nice because they like what they are eating. We call it a dining hall, not a cafeteria."

— Alfredo Pena, Executive Chef

In North Broward Prep’s dining hall, students are ensured meals that are nutritious and tailored to their needs. Everything is fresh; nothing is frozen. Flik’s staff makes everything from scratch. Roast beef, turkey, and chicken cutlets are all prepared in-house. We cut all our vegetables ourselves, and none of our food is processed. Even our soups are made from scratch. 

Supporting Dietary Needs

Flik is committed to accommodating a wide range of dietary restrictions. Some students struggle with major stomach issues and can only eat plain foods, for example, tilapia, potatoes, chicken, and rice.

Flik always offer a separate gluten-free menu. Students who are gluten-free can come to our window and ask. We also have signage and boards displaying menus and allergy information, which are updated daily.

For our North Broward Prep students, we work closely with the nursing staff, and for our lower school students, we collaborate more with their teachers since they may not be able to advocate for themselves. Our dining staff, faculty, and students all work together to ensure we meet nutritional needs and foster a safe, caring community.

Sustainability and Education

Flik partners with our school by composting 100% of our food waste. We work with a local composting company, which returns the finished compost for use on our campus. It has been added to our garden, spread by our landscapers on the baseball field, used in enrichment programs, and incorporated into projects with our middle school garden club and Earth science program.

Flik is more than just a dining hall; we help educate our students about trying new foods, give them opportunities to contribute to our community through composting, and empower them to take part in shaping their dining experience.

"Students have the chance to tell us what they would like to see on the menu. They can speak directly with our team, or use the “Let’s Talk” flyer displayed in the dining hall. Creating that space for feedback allows us to build meaningful relationships. For example, at a middle school event, a student approached me to ask how we could support her allergies and help her feel more comfortable."
— Jessi Cox, Flik Resident District Manager

A Menu That Reflects Our Values

From kid-friendly chicken nuggets to flank steak, Flik focuses on healthy choices, a wide variety of foods, and well-rounded options. We make sure our students have a voice, foster a strong sense of community, and ensure they are exposed to sustainable and ethical food practices.