Fremd cook retiring after 30 years

Michiko Murakami cooked up french fries for students at Fremd High School in Palatine for nearly 30 years.

Virtually every student has sunk his or her teeth into a crunchy fry prepared by Murakami, who retired at the end of school year.

Her retirement isn't related to childhood obesity or trans fat oils.

For Murakami, it simply was time to leave her post as Fremd's assistant cook.

Her journey began in Hiroshima, Japan, her hometown. She arrived in 1965 to America as a 21-year-old newlywed.

"I always wanted to come to America," she said. "It was a dream."

Murakami - who got the nickname "Mitch" from a neighbor who struggled pronouncing her name - first lived in the small town of Nashville in southwestern Illinois. Her husband's job brought them north, and she worked for Palatine Elementary School District 15 for a year before joining the Fremd staff in 1979. She took a school job so she could be at home at the same time as her children.

"I'm going to miss her," Fremd cafeteria manager Georganne Klage said.

Klage described Murakami as one of the cafeteria's most dependable workers, but not the most vocal. Though she learned English while growing up in Japan, Murakami was still sometimes reluctant to speak, despite the support from fellow food service workers who did their best to educate her in American slang.

The language barrier also made it daunting to prepare for the Illinois Department of Public Health's sanitary exam, a food service job requirement, Murakami said.

Still, Murakami is perfectly able to express herself, like after football players would grab lunch.

"How can they eat so much?" she said in amazement.

With cafeterias serving less and less fried food, Murakami's duties changed over the years. Kids now want more variety in their lunches, and school lunch providers are more health-conscious.

"When I grew up it wasn't like that," Fremd Assistant Principal Eric Dolan said.

From grilled chicken sandwiches to the full salad bar, Murakami has seen high school cuisine change from tater tots and sloppy joes.

Back at home she cooks more traditional Japanese fare. However, as her own children grew up and attended Rolling Meadows High School, they began asking for more American food like their classmates, a familiar request for children of immigrants.

Now Murakami dotes on her six young grandchildren, even preparing American food she learned to make while working at Fremd. Mini-corndogs are among the offerings.