New Food Service Director joins Campion's staff

Campion Academy welcomes Nick Allen to the staff as Food Service Director. Allen has worked in food service for his entire career and has worked in the cafeterias of Andrews University, Mt. Vernon Academy, and Pines Springs Ranch camp in Southern California. “I’ve always loved being in the kitchen,” he says; “I grew up helping my mom and grandma and my first jobs in high school were in the kitchen. Over the years, I’ve seen that working in the kitchen is my passion, and I view it as my service to others, following the example of Christ of being a servant-leader.” 

​Allen grew up in Berrien Springs, Michigan where he attended Andrews Academy. Later, he earned a certificate in Vegetarian Culinary Arts at Atlantic Union College.

“When I saw the opportunity to be at Campion Academy,” he comments, “it reminded me of the good memories I made at Mt Vernon Academy. I enjoyed interacting with the students, especially with those who worked in the kitchen with me. I got to mentor them, and I missed that. This was an opportunity to be able to live, and work, and play with teenagers again, and I thought ‘I can’t pass this up.’” 

Allen enjoys making a wide variety of dishes from around the world and experimenting in the kitchen. “I like learning what people like and what they don’t like and challenging myself to make new dishes based on that,” he says. “I also love doing pizza night, and I make my dough from scratch. One of my unique favorites is (vegetarian) barbecue-chicken and mac and cheese pizza. I also have experience with meeting needs of people who are vegan and gluten-free, and I’ve been experimenting with making my own vegan cheeses, and so far everyone has loved it.” He says he’s also looking forward to making authentic ethnic dishes and continuing Mrs. Fagan’s recent tradition of inviting our international students into the kitchen to help prepare foods from home. 

In his free time, Allen and his family enjoy RC cars and trucks, hiking, and biking. They are looking forward to trying out backpacking and mountain biking in the Rocky Mountains. His wife Valerie has a passion for music and plays violin and viola. He and his wife, and their two children Orianna (10), and Tristan (7), will be moving to campus in mid July. 

​Jill Harlow, Communication Director

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