By Nate Erez, Torah Editor

Darren Melamed, owner of the kosher fast food restaurants Pizza World and Chick’n’Chow, takes over Shalhevet’s lunch service beginning Aug. 29, replacing former school caterer David “Dudu” Zrihen of CA Catering.

Mr. Melamed, who is also the father of senior Laura Melamed, will be providing meat meals on Mondays and Wednesdays and dairy on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, according to a menu sent out by Judaic Studies Principal Rabbi Ari Leubitz, who announced the change in an e-mail to students, teachers and parents last week.

“We are pleased to inform you that … our new food service provider will be Darren Melamed, who will be offering a daily selection of delicious, fresh and healthy food options,” Rabbi Leubitz wrote.

For the first three days of school, meals were provided by Jeff’s Gourmet (Wednesday), Got Kosher (Thursday), and Pizza World, Mr. Melamed’s Fairfax Avenue dairy venue, the e-mail stated.

The $5 “personal pizzas” were so popular that they sold out halfway through lunch period.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said sophomore Scotty Silver, who usually orders pizza with mushrooms from Pizza World.

”I have very high expectations of them. I didn’t enjoy the food so much last year so I think hopefully they’re here to stay.”

Rabbi Leubitz said free breakfast would continue being provided in the cafeteria as in the past, and thanked Dudu for his service. Many students were disappointed he had gone.

“Whenever I needed a lunch, I would buy the salads or sushi or the wraps, and it was just a great alternative for packing lunch,” said sophomore Robin Ashkenazi.

Mr. Zrihen ran the kitchen beginning in 2008. He said in an interview that he was disappointed by the news, which he said he learned on Tisha B’av.

“I was very surprised,” said Dudu in a phone interview.

Dudu said he was still running his private catering company,  and expected to be providing food for YULA Girls High School and the Kaballah Center.