Think about a typical night out at Lafayette. Pregame in the dorms, head out to a house party with your friends, maybe hit up Campus for some late-night booty popping. Each night may be a little different from the last, but there is one constant, one thing you can always rely on—stumbling up the steps into Milo’s at the end of the night to be greeted by Orlando at his post by the door.
Everyone knows his face, and if you’re lucky, he knows yours too. You haven’t reached the apex of the Lafayette’s party scene until Orlando recognizes you and waves you into Milo’s with a smile.
What you may not know is that Orlando’s role at Lafayette goes way beyond checking IDs at our favorite hangout. Starting off working at a hibachi restaurant in Philadelphia, he was told that he would be way more successful working as a full-blown chef. He attended the Philadelphia School of Culinary Arts for two years while he finished separate schooling AND participated in the Marine Corps. Whew, and we think we’re busy? Once he graduated from the Philadelphia School of Culinary Arts he worked his way through Philly until he eventually ended up in Easton.
After working in an assortment of restaurants around town, he decided fast food wasn’t really his speed and made his first appearance on Lafayette’s campus. He started as a chef at Gilbert’s and, of course, at his position as the bouncer at Milo’s. Although he didn’t stay at Gilbert’s through the Sodexo/Bon Appetit crossover, he didn’t stay off campus for long.
Photo by Luis Gomez
These days, in addition to his spot at Milo’s, you can find Orlando in Phi Psi working as the fraternity’s personal chef. During our interview, he was post-meal production, but still had the energy to show us his secrets. A simple pork chop cooked in water with only a few spices became a gourmet meal in a matter of minutes. Take it from me, he knows what he’s doing.
The next time you come across this not-so-hidden gem, use some of your liquid courage from all those Natty Lights you spent the night chugging to strike up a conversation. Ask him about some of his favorite dishes or one of the many places he’s built up his culinary resume. But whatever you do, show a little appreciation to one of Lafayette’s most well-known faces.