The Kappa Delta sorority has been at MU for 46 years, and for nearly the entirety of the chapter’s existence, the house kitchen has been helmed by the same person: Stan Lewis. 2023 will mark 40 years since he first became the chapter’s private chef, and over those years he has formed close bonds with multiple generations of members.

Lewis was born in Glasgow, Missouri, and his family moved to Columbia following his mother’s death when he was 11. He first took up cooking to help take care of his younger siblings, working as a dishwasher and later a cook for various restaurants during his youth. He later became a chef for the U.S. Army from 1978 to 1981, and then for the National Guard for one weekend a month until 1988.

He first became affiliated with Greek life at MU in 1982, receiving a full-time position as the house chef for the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. He moved over to Kappa Delta the following year and has been there ever since.

Over the four decades Lewis has spent with the chapter, he has earned a reputation as not only an exceptional cook but also a friend and mentor figure for members living in the house.

“He has just become a member of our big, extended KD family,” said Bridgid Kinney, a 1996 MU graduate and Kappa Delta alum who serves as the chapter’s House Corporation Board president. “He loves those girls and he loves the chapter — and we love him.”

The feeling is clearly mutual, as Lewis feels right at home with Kappa Delta.

“It’s unbelievable how nice everybody is,” he said. “I’m here just as much as I am at my own house.”

While he interacts with Kinney on a regular basis, Lewis rarely forgets the name or face of any former member and is always eager to hear about what they have been up to. When 2002 graduate Sarah Marsh visited campus in 2018, she described seeing him as “just like seeing a family member.” He recognized her instantly and gave her a hug.

“He’s probably the number one reason that living in the house felt like a home for me, and I know a lot of us felt the same way,” Marsh said.

He maintains relationships with not only Kappa Delta members, but also the Evans Scholars who volunteer in the kitchen in exchange for free meals. Alumni of the Evans Scholarship program have paid him visits during homecoming and even gone on fishing trips with him.

Due to his status as a full-time employee of the chapter, Lewis is able to give his cooking a personalized touch. Among his most popular meals are his grilled cheese, toasted ravioli and chocolate chip bread. His buttermilk chocolate cake is especially beloved, so much so that one alum member obtained the recipe and gave it to a friend as a birthday gift, according to Marsh. Lewis’ personal favorite dish to cook is his chicken parmesan, which he hammers by hand and serves with a homemade spaghetti sauce.

He is also known for being flexible and accommodating to various kinds of diets. Marsh recalls being a picky eater when she was younger, and Lewis would never hesitate to make her a grilled cheese whenever she did not like what was being served, sometimes without her even asking.

“He really took joy in making sure everybody was fed,” she said. “He was never offended if you were picky.”

He works closely with House Director Marit Voglesong to ensure every meal is as inclusive as possible. For instance, when lasagna is served, he prepares a version made with gluten-free noodles as well as a vegetarian option that replaces the meat with broccoli. “He puts it all together himself,” Voglesong said. “ He really does go the extra mile. And I think Kappa Delta is proud of that.”

Lewis has been met with challenges over the years, whether it be in the increase in mouths to feed as the chapter has grown or the switch to packaging meals in to-go containers during the height of the pandemic.

“He just rolled with all of those changes,” Kinney said.

Both Marsh and Voglesong agree that Lewis embodies the core values the Kappa Delta sorority aims to impart on its members.

“The most important thing in Kappa Delta is caring for one another and being true to each other and living like a family,” Marsh said.

She believes his presence to be “a gift to the girls,” describing him as somewhat of a “house dad.” He acts as a trusted friend and confidant both in and out of the kitchen — from preparing enough food for a homecoming tailgate to helping jump-start a member’s car.

“If there’s anything they need, I’ll try to do my best to go out and help him,” Lewis said.

Voglesong said a Kappa Delta motto is to strive for what is highest and most honorable, and she believes Lewis sets a strong example of this value for members to follow.

“These girls are just like family to me,” Lewis said. “I’ll do anything in the world to help them out.”

Edited by Egan Ward | eward@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Sterling Sewell and Jacob Richey