For Linet, food has always been more than a job. It’s connection, comfort and conversation — the kind that can quietly turn a hard day around. This belief is especially meaningful as March marks National Nutrition Month, a time to celebrate the important role food plays in our overall well-being. Nearly three years into her role in Blue’s Cafe, the cafeteria operated by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) where she serves as Food, Beverage and Sales Controller, Linet brings that philosophy into everything she does, from menu planning to large-scale catering events to the simple act of greeting people by name.
“Good food and a good conversation can really change anybody’s disposition for the day,” Linet says. It’s a philosophy she’s carried with her throughout her career — and one that shows up daily in Blue’s Café.
Finding her way to Blue
Linet’s path to BCBSKS began in a hospital kitchen. She spent five and a half years preparing food for patients, staff and guests. When she started looking for her next opportunity, she was drawn to BCBSKS not only because she had always worked in food, but because she’d heard the work-life balance was different.
When she interviewed at BCBSKS, excitement and nerves came together in a very Linet way. “I was super nervous,” she laughs. “I was like, ‘Sorry, I just came from my other job — I probably smell like French fries.’”
What stood out immediately, though, was the culture. “It felt like coming into a family,” Linet recalls. “Everyone was so welcoming.”
Why food matters
Linet traces her passion for food back to family. Growing up, meals were where memories were made — conversations happened, stories were shared and people connected. That belief only deepened during her time working at a hospital.
She saw firsthand how a meal could shift someone’s mindset — whether it was a staff member coming off a difficult case or someone who simply hadn’t had time to eat. “You never know what anybody’s experiencing,” Linet says. “But nine times out of ten, you think better and feel better when your stomach’s full.”
That perspective still shapes how she approaches her work in Blue’s Café. For Linet, food is never just about feeding people — it’s about taking care of them.
No day is ever the same
No two days look alike in Linet’s role. Some mornings start with a quick store run for last-minute catering items before heading in to check emails and confirm event details. If there’s a morning catering, she checks in with the team, makes sure everything is set and asks the question that comes naturally to her: How are you doing today?
From there, she shifts into planning mode — building menus, working on catering contracts and mapping out upcoming months. When needed, she jumps in wherever help is required, whether that’s serving, helping with dishes or adjusting plans on the fly.
“I really like to step in and help where everybody is,” Linet says. “But I always try to say hi — even to people outside my department.”
Most of Blue’s Café’s catering work is internal, supporting meetings and events across BCBSKS. That means Linet’s work touches teams all over the company — and she takes pride in that connection.
A culture that feels like home
If Linet had to sum up the culture of Blue’s Café, it would be this: quality first, people always. “We want it to feel like you walked into someone’s home — not a cafeteria,” she says.
The focus is on good food, done well, without rushing — and on learning when something doesn’t work. Running out of an item or seeing a dish underperform isn’t treated as a failure, but as feedback. “OK,” Linet explains, “what do we do differently next time?”
After years in kitchens, she’s confident in saying: “It’s a good kitchen. I’ve not seen a better one in my working career.”
Blue’s Café information
Blue’s Café is located inside Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas in Topeka (Building B) and is open to both employees and the public. Its hours are Monday – Friday, (Breakfast) 7 – 9:45 a.m., (Lunch) 11:20 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. and (Snack) 1:45 – 3 p.m.
And if you haven’t stopped by Blue’s Café lately, Linet has one final message: “We make great home-style meals. Come down.”
Evan Meyers, Corporate Communications Specialist