As summer waits around the corner, temperatures rise outside. But inside the Commons, things are getting much cooler with the addition of a brand new fridge stocked with a new supply of frozen treats.

Walking into the Commons at lunch on Friday, April 10, students immediately saw that something was missing. It was the old, familiar ice cream freezer. 

Despite its small stature, the previous freezer was a daily staple in the lives of Westridge students. Every day, during lunch and after school, students would dig through the piles of Haagan Dazs cups, Go-Gurt, and ice cream sandwiches. Deep inside the rectangular ice cream freezer. Moisture collected at the sides of the freezer, forming a thick layer of solid ice. However, the nook where the freezer usually sat was completely empty.

Just a few hours later, a sleek new addition replaced the old fridge between the two existing drink and snack refrigerators. Although empty, it was filled with students’ hopes and dreams of soon-to-be frosty delights.  

By lunch on Monday, April 13, these dreams became reality when a wide variety of brand-new ice cream options appeared. Taking the center stage were the Aiko Garden viral fruit ice creams in the shape of mangos, strawberries, and peaches, as well as the whimsical fried chicken ice creams. Along with them, chocolate lovers were met with classics such as the Snickers bar and M&M’s cookie sandwich. For a kick, the Mango Chamoy ice cream paired the sweet mango flavor with a sour and spicy chamoy sauce.

The addition of the new ice cream options was met with universal delight and surprise, as stampedes of students rushed to the Common during lunch, eager to have a taste. The area around the fridge quickly became a whirlwind as hands reached in to grab an ice cream. On the first day of the ice cream fridge’s release, six different flavors sold out, even though each student was only permitted to buy one ice cream. Even days after the launch, the fruit ice creams that Chef Brandon restocks every morning continued to disappear within the first few minutes of the lunch period.

The inspiration for the new selection actually came from social media. Director of Dining Services Chef Brandon Worrell discovered the new supplier while browsing Instagram, where he saw a supplier reviewing unique, viral flavors like fruit ice cream and fried chicken ice cream. Chef Brandon was then able to contact the supplier, set up a meeting, and create an arrangement with the supplying company.

Previously, the school’s ice cream was either delivered by Cisco or by Chef Brandon, who regularly made trips to Smart & Final to restock the ice cream fridge. He noted that this change was born out of both necessity and a desire for change. “Cisco got really expensive,” explains Chef Brandon. “It was a pain to constantly go to Smart & Final, fill up shopping carts, and have it almost melt on the way back.” 

Not only did the new fridge display a clean, high-quality build, but it also showed major improvements from the old one.

“I feel like it fits better with all the drink fridges. And I like the little containers they’re using to organize them,” says Carina A. ’29.

“I like the variety and how it isn’t in that pit anymore to dig through,” adds Liv C. ’28. “You can see them all.”

Ice cream has always been popular at Westridge, but the new items have certainly brought a tasty addition to the Commons options. “Ice cream’s a big sell here; it separates us from a lot of other schools,” says Chef Brandon. “So I was like, ‘Let’s do it, let’s make a change, have something different.’”