Meet the Team

	Hanan is the face of Krishna Lunch. As the first one to greet and welcome you to Krishna Lunch, Hanan loves what he does, which is why he has been managing Krishna Lunch for 10 years. Reason for joining: “My favorite thing to do is to serve prasadam (sanctified food) and I was hoping for an opportunity like this.” Highlight: “I always feel more energized once at Krishna Lunch. It’s the happiest hours of my day seeing all the nice people and their grateful smiles.” Words of advice for first timers to Krishna Lunch: “Give feedback, ask questions, and feel free to express interests and concerns.” Hobbies: reading, writing, drawing, studying philosophy, and teaching “compassionate management” Trivia: Hanan served in the Israeli Army for 3 years.
	Jagannath Puri Dhama has been Krishna Lunch's head cook for the past three years. Reason for joining: I was looking for a better opportunity and had a good friendship with my predecessor. Its a good way to survive, engage in some real humanitarian work and go to school. Best part of the job: I guess the best part is really feeling like you're making a difference in so many people lives on a regular basis. Sometimes in my classes we have to tell people what we do and I say, "I cook Krishna Lunch." Once that got me a standing ovation. But soon everyone forgets and you get to smile when you see them eating later and they'll never know why. Trivia: The first time I came to Krishna Lunch, I came with the Festival of India and I met Hanan then. He tried to convince me to come and be a part of the team, but I felt obliged elsewhere. Something like 10 years later, Hanan and I work together everyday.
	Ananda Loka is the enthusiastic assistant chef for Krishna Lunch and describes his service as "a wonderful opportunity." Krishna House was the first temple he ever visited in 1977 so he is happy to be an integral part of the team now. He appreciates the spirit of cooperation and cohesiveness of the residents and the entire program. "There is enough service to keep you busy 24 hours a day! The devotees are wonderful here. I am so fortunate." He raised three daughters and spent 18 years teaching tennis in high school and summer camps in New England and across the country. He is a retired tennis pro.
	Gopal has been steadily chopping, grating, slicing and dicing vegetables for over 18 years. He is an integral part of Krishna Lunch. When he first started volunteering, simply going out and serving Krishna Lunch on campus was the highlight of his day. He explains, "Most people my age have so many other things they have to do. I am grateful to be able to do this service full time." Previous to coming to Krishna Lunch, Gopal worked in restaurants for six years. Throughout those years, his desire was to eventually wash pots for Krishna. He has been playing drums since he was eight, and semi-professionally for fifteen years.
	Chaitanya & Vallabha Sena Chaitanya dasi Favorite Dish: blueberry halava and chili Highlight of serving: Hearing the people come through the line saying, “I can’t live without Krishna!” Trivia: Chaitanya was a NCAA Volleyball champion in college! Vallabha Sena das Favorite Dish: banana crème pie halava Highlight of serving: "A girl came through the line and told me she had a dream where she got very angry because I wouldn't give her any salad dressing." Words of advice for first timers to Krishna Lunch: “It's the best food you'll ever have.”
	Dvijamani & Vaishnava are responsible for making one of Krishna Lunch’s most famous items, the salad dressing and have been making it for three years! They are grateful do have a service that makes so many people happy on a daily basis. For them, living at the Krishna House is like living with their family.
	Diwakar serves at Krishna Lunch. He especially enjoys the morning meditation program at Krishna House and the association of such dynamic, enthusiastic and loving residents there. He has a Master's degree in mechanical engineering. In his free time, he likes singing for Krishna, painting, and writing poetry.
	Eric is responsible for loading the truck, setting up Krishna Lunch, serving out and then cleaning up after. He moved to Gainesville in early April. He describes the people he works with and meets through Krishna Lunch as “very great people!” He likes serving so many people on such a large scale and witnessing the happy reactions of students who come for Krishna Lunch on a daily basis. He describes himself as secretly being Gainesville’s best rapper and hip hop artist.
	Franco is part of the Krishna Lunch cleanup crew and is responsible for maintaining the orderliness of the kitchen. He tried Krishna Lunch for the first time in January 2012 and really enjoyed it. “I came for the food and ended up staying for the message. This is the first spiritual path that made me feel something inside. Usually with jobs, I feel like I’m perpetuating a cycle of monotony, but here I’m rendering service to Gainesville and to Krishna.” He likes having stimulating spiritual conversations with people and hearing people say, “I went hungry without you Krishna’s!” He is a musician and has been playing cello for ten years.
	Gaura L. coordinates the Krishna Lunch kitchen cleanup, or in his words, "cleaning the transcendental pots of the Lord." He enjoys cleaning his heart and talking philosophy with his coworkers. He reads in his spare time and likes pizza, a lot.
	Gauranga Prasad is the CEO of Sanga Foods and a talented chef. “I really love cooking vegetarian food and seeing how much people enjoy it. I also like sharing what I have learned with other people and watching how they take off from what I have shown them.” He has been playing music since he was eight and loves singing and drumming for Krishna.
	Lacie is a senior Spanish major at UF. She is often seen at the table in the front of the Krishna Lunch, ready to give you a card or answer any questions you might have. She especially likes pujari services because of all the knowledge and purification she gains from it. She enjoys traveling and has been to 8 different countries.
	Menaka likes serving others and interacting with all kinds of people in kindness and a joyful spirit- "Living at the Krishna House is a one-of-a-kind opportunity where one can meet people of one’s age to grow spiritually with, to journey into devotional service, and to build a toolbox for further spiritual focus and life." She would like to pursue holistic health and put her passions to use for Krishna.
	Michael C., also known as the Tea Man, is always ready to serve you a refreshing beverage. He enjoys making sure everybody stays happy and hydrated! He is also a visual artist and electronic musician. He likes to travel the world with his music and inspire people to move. He can also wiggle his ears.
	Michael W. is pursuing nursing as a career. He is also a regular server on the Krishna Lunch line and part of the cleanup crew afterward. He appreciates how the service cleans the heart. He has been a spray paint artist since he was 14 years old and uses environmentally friendly materials for this art.
	Narayana is the official Krishna Lunch truck driver. He also sets up, takes down, shops for the ingredients and serves Krishna Lunch. He enjoys seeing how much people appreciate what Krishna Lunch does. He is a tennis instructor in Alachua and a musician. He enjoys putting humor to use and eating delicious prasadam (sanctified food).
	Padma is a friendly Krishna Lunch server. When she sees how happy and grateful the students are for Krishna Lunch, she feels grateful for her service. She has a B.A. in fine arts and an M.S. in art therapy. She is currently directing the painting of a beautiful mural at the Krishna House.
	Purusartha is not only an avid photographer, providing most of the photos on this website, but a regular at the bhajan blanket during Krishna Lunch. He is a professional bass player and regularly travels around the world as a special guest at international kirtan events and festivals.
	Syamala Kishori is the coordinator for the late lunch serve out on the front porch of the Krishna House. She enjoys meeting so many friendly and interesting people on a daily basis. She is especially grateful for all of the people that live and serve at the Krishna House and finds them a great source of inspiration. She has a B.A. in psychology and enjoys singing and playing the mridanga (clay drum).
	Tony manages the Krishna Lunch cleanup crew. He enjoys singing the Hare Krishna mantra with his coworkers, whom he considers his family. Being a very spiritual person, Tony likes meditation, kirtan (devotional music) and crystal healing. In his free time, he staffs events at the Civic Media Center and goes biking and hiking.
	Utahna works in the kitchen washing out salad dressing bottles and salad containers. She enjoys the Krishna Lunch program because of the healthy work environment including the commraderie, the consciousness, and the association of the Krishna Lunch team. She's an artist and mother of four college graduates. She grew up on a farm in Tennessee and is an animal rights activist.