Federico Gonzalez has catered events at Chapman University since 1998, serving three presidents and countless students, faculty, staff, and community members.
At campus events, everyone says hello. Administrators, professors, public safety officers, photographers. After more than two decades setting up rooms and serving meals, Gonzalez knows them all.
Three Presidents
As a catering supervisor for Sodexo at Chapman, Gonzalez handles everything from small office meetings to major university celebrations. A morning might bring a Board of Trustees luncheon. An afternoon could mean coordinating a reception at an off-campus Chapman event.
He staffed events throughout President Matt Parlow’s inauguration this past October. Before that, he worked closely with former president Struppa for years. And before Struppa, President Emeritus Jim Doti.
“Federico has been an integral part of our catering team for many years,” says Rodney Reed, Sodexo’s Resident District Manager at Chapman. “He brings a level of ownership into every event.”
That ownership shows in the details. Gonzalez arrives early, checks the setup twice, makes sure the presentation matches what clients expect when they’re paying for the occasion.
The work matters to him because of who he’s serving.
“It’s special,” Gonzalez explains. “You have important people—the board of trustees, the president’s office. You do your best.”
Working with His Hands
Gonzalez came to the United States from Michoacán, Mexico, in 1995. His first job was in a body shop—painting cars, replacing parts, fixing what was broken.
A friend who worked in hotels told him the pay was better. Gonzalez made the switch and discovered he enjoyed it. Hotels led to Chapman in 1998.
He started as a server. Within a few years, he became a captain, then a supervisor. More than two decades later, he’s still here.
The common thread: working with his hands. Body shops, hotels, catering—jobs where you see the results. On weekends, he still takes side jobs fixing cars and motorcycles. At home, he cooks for his family.
His hands stay busy.
The Smile
Priscilla Gonzalez, Catering Operations Manager at Chapman, supervises Federico directly.
“Federico is an outstanding employee,” she says. “He consistently goes above and beyond. His positive attitude creates a great environment for colleagues and guests.”
That attitude is intentional. Gonzalez believes presentation extends beyond the food.
“You make a nice face,” he says. “The people see you, and you have a nice expression. It makes it fun.”
The fun comes from connection. Students cycle through every four years. Leaders transition. But Gonzalez remains—a constant presence who remembers names and never stops grinning.
When asked why he’s stayed so long: “I like the people. I like the job.”
What Stays
His son works as a catering manager at a convention center in Seattle, following a similar path. His daughter, now 16, attends high school and wants to become a lawyer. When he talks about them, his whole face lights up.
But family also describes what Chapman has become.
Struppa once told Reed something that stuck: “Federico is like family. Even my kids love Federico.”
For someone who came to this country looking for opportunity, who started fixing cars and ended up serving three university presidents, that recognition matters.
Gonzalez plans to stay until retirement. The occasions will keep coming. The faces will keep changing. He’ll keep showing up early, making sure every detail is right. Always with a smile.
Story by Brian Belardi | Photos by Nathan Worden