From grocery aisles to school cafeterias: Breakroom Chronicles duo named honorary "Lunch Ladies"
From grocery aisles to school cafeterias: Breakroom Chronicles duo named honorary "Lunch Ladies"
Melissa “Melly” Turner and Linisha Smith, the now well known Breakroom Chronicles duo who currently have about 645,000 followers on TikTok under the handle @breakroom_chronicles and more than 20 million likes came to the campus of Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School March 20 to be given an honor.
Photo by Patrick Robinson
Fri, 03/20/2026
On March 20, the shared campus of Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School was filled with even more rhythm and joy than usual. The stars of the day were Linisha "Esha" Smith and Melissa “Melly” Turner, the viral sensations behind the Breakroom Chronicles, who visited the schools to share their signature dance moves and receive a special community honor.
The duo, who rose to fame by filming high-energy dance videos and comedic skits during their breaks at a SeaTac grocery store, have become local celebrities for their authenticity and ability to represent everyday workers with humor. Their visit to the campus was a celebration of that spirit, as they were officially named Honorary Lunch Ladies by Seattle Public Schools.
Eva Yablonsky-Smith Nutrition Services Operations Manager presented the award to the Breakroom Chronicles duo. Photo by Patrick Robinson
During the ceremony, Lunch Lady Doree Fazio-Young from the Seattle School District Culinary Services presented the pair with certificates to mark the occasion. Fazio-Young expressed the district’s gratitude for the positivity the two women share with the world, stating, “We would like to thank you for being here and for putting smiles on our faces, and on kids' faces every day”.
Doree Fazio-Young, Teresa Yeung Senior Administrator SPS Culinary Services, Will Boyle, SPS Culinary Supervisor, Eva Yablonsky-Smith Nutrition Services Operations Manager, Lunch Lady Vicki, Lunch Lady Ardeen and the Breakroom Chronicles Duo. Photo by Kimberly Robinson
The presentation was filled with warmth and laughter as the duo was officially welcomed into the fold of the school’s nutrition team. “We are now making you lunch ladies... official lunch ladies for the Seattle school district,” Fazio-Young announced. She even extended a standing invitation for them to return to the kitchen, joking, “Anytime you would like to come and serve lunch, you can come to Chief Sealth/Denny anytime... because I know you got your food handlers permit in your back pocket”.
The honor, which Eva Yablonsky-Smith described as “the biggest honor we have,” came with a playful warning about the early hours of school food service: “At 6 a.m. you're going to get a call!”.
For Linisha and Melly, the transition from the grocery-store breakroom to the honorary ranks of the school cafeteria was a seamless one, proving that a little bit of dance and a lot of joy can connect an entire community.
Music for the event was provided by Christopher Michael a 1978 Sealth grad.