Alyx Reinhardt (she/her) still remembers how it felt to be “out” at work, from her very first day with Aramark. Whenever someone asked about her family life, she would mention her girlfriend, now wife. Then and now, she has always been received with grace.
“It was empowering. People knew my truth right away,” says Reinhardt, an IT Senior Technical Analyst. “Most importantly, they didn’t care — I was just their new colleague and coworker.”
More than 22 years later, Reinhardt seeks to cultivate a welcoming environment for fellow members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) community as Co-Chair of the Aramark Pride employee resource group (ERG). “The robust ERG programming at Aramark not only provides a sense of belonging for marginalized groups, but also shows how much alike we really are,” she states
Read on to learn how engagement takes shape for our LGBTQ+ employees and allies, as well as our Pride Month plans and the chefs we’ll spotlight across our locations this June.
A Sense of Belonging
For historically underrepresented groups like the LGBTQ+ community, awareness months can yield a range of emotions. Pride Month is intended to be a celebration of inclusion and of how far society has come, but it can also be a source of healing, Reinhardt attests. For example, she and her fellow Pride ERG members turned to each other to cope with the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in June 2016, an experience she calls “inspiring and cathartic.”
It's but one example of how our ERGs have adapted over the years to meet members’ needs. The dramatic changes to the workplace brought on by COVID-19 are another, points out Reinhardt’s Pride Co-Chair, Vince Poplaski (he/him), VP of Executive Compensation. “The pandemic forced us to rethink how Pride delivered value to the organization,” Poplaski shares. “By hosting virtual events for nearly two years, we broadened participation and actually made our ERG stronger and more inclusive.”
This Pride Month, we’re focusing on the personal growth and professional development of existing and new Pride members with the theme “YOU Belong Here!” Programs will include a panel on employment benefits for LGBTQ+ employees, training on allyship and respectful use of pronouns, even an employee Phillies Pride Night at Citizens Bank Park. The Pride team has also planned an event with another ERG, Aramark Rising Sun, called “Two-Spirit Identities: An Intersectional Celebration of National Indigenous History Month.”
“Through our Pride Month activities, we hope employees are able to build connections with each other, learn from the experiences of those in the LGBTQ+ community, and find inspiration to serve as allies,” says Reinhardt.
Poplaski echoes this perspective. “Through our ERGs, I’ve made connections with employees I would not have met in the normal course of my job,” he explains. “I’ve really come to rely on this broader network.”
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Meet a Few of Our Chefs
Our Chef Spotlight program will run again this month, showcasing our LGBTQ+ culinary talent and how their personal identity influences their work. It’s a natural complement to the Pride ERG’s plans for Pride Month, one that extends to our clients and guests. “Chef Spotlight reinforces our inclusive culture and ensures that we are living our values,” Poplaski says.
Here are a few of the chefs whose recipes and stories will be featured across our locations throughout Pride Month.
Chef James: Embracing His Identity
When Chef James Duran (he/him) came out as gay, his mother was accepting. His extended family, however, was not — which drove him to embrace his Latinx identity and queerness.
Working under his first LGBTQ+ chef, he witnessed the strength and perseverance of this community in action. “I spent years feeling insecure about both my sexuality and my ethnicity and not fitting in,” Chef James recalls. “But as I grew in my career and had the opportunity to work with companies like Aramark that value inclusion and diversity, I have come into my own.”
Now a Campus Executive Chef for Eastern Kentucky University Dining, Chef James feels comfortable being his authentic self. His Barbacoa Tostada highlights his Latinx heritage and is an homage to his mother.
Chef Shannon: Food as Personal Reflection
Chef Shannon Tuttle (she/her) decided to enter the culinary world after working on local produce farms as a teenager. Watching crops grow from seed to harvest shaped her perspective on food, as well as how she cooks: always with quality ingredients and always using proper techniques.
“Every plate I put out is a reflection of myself, my creativity, and my love of bringing people together through food,” says Chef Shannon, a cook at the Taft School in Connecticut whose recipe, Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Browned Honey Butter, has been in her repertoire for years.
Today, Chef Shannon brings her authentic self everywhere she goes. “The fact that there is still hate in this world toward the LGBTQ+ community inspires me to share my story and show people who may be struggling that it is okay to be yourself. There is so much love and support out there for you.”
Chef Jordan: Showing His True Colors
Chef Jordan Lublin (he/him) pinpoints sixth-grade home economics class as the moment that inspired his future career. The smell, sight, and taste of his first Potato Leek Soup left a lasting impression, and food has been a major part of his life ever since. His featured recipe for Chicken Sausage Stew is a take on a New Orleans delicacy, full of aromatics, Cajun spices, hearty meat, and fresh vegetables.
Though the LGBTQ+ community still faces adversity, Chef Jordan feels it has only made them stronger. He has built up further resilience during his 12-plus years in the culinary industry. “Being in a kitchen has taught me to have a thick skin and strong character. The kitchen teaches you to respect each other regardless of your background,” he shares.
What’s more, Chef Jordan is proud to show his true colors as a Chef Manager for the Ford Motor Company: “I'm never grey or dull, I am radiating sunshine and daisies — like a drag queen with purpose!”
Making Us Proud
We’re proud to foster an open, inclusive environment where all members of the LGBTQ+ community are seen and embraced for who they are. This longtime commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has culminated with several honors, including a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for eight years running. Last month we were also recognized by DiversityInc as a Top Company for Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), for the first time, and a Top 50 Company for Diversity, for the sixth consecutive year.
“This very tangible recognition illustrates that Aramark not only promotes LGBTQ+ policies internally but also serves as a corporate example of LGBTQ+ inclusion,” says Poplaski.
