WHO: David Davidson

WHAT: While managing a McDonald’s in Somerville and taking a course in restaurant management at Bunker Hill Community College in 1991, Davidson answered an ad in the Globe to manage the graduate dining facility at Harvard University. ‘‘I just kind of latched onto this environment versus the restaurant field,’’ he says. After a variety of roles at Harvard, he spent the last four years as executive director of dining at Yale University before returning this fall as managing director of Harvard University Dining Services. Davidson, who grew up in Peabody in a family of 12 children, credits his experiences helping with dinners at home for preparing him for his new role, overseeing meals for more than 6,500 undergraduate students.

Q. Your food management background is extensive, but do you have any cooking experience?

A. When I was in high school, I worked part time at a local nursing home near where I lived. My grandmother was the cook. So I’d work after school doing dishes, but over time, through her training, I became the weekend cook. We had about 35 to 40 patients who lived in the residence. So a lot of my experience comes from my grandma. I did take a chef training program at Northeastern back in the ’70s when they offered it. But a lot of it has to do with experience and being part of this very large family where everyone always had a role in preparing Sunday dinner.

Q. Did you eat together?

‘When I was in high school, I worked part time at a local nursing home. . . . My grandmother was the cook. So I’d work after school doing dishes, but over time, through her training, I became the weekend cook.’

A. Not regularly, because my mother also worked full time. She worked the third shift at General Electric and my father worked a day shift. So during the week it was always sort of these one-pot meals. She’d get home from work and get something brewing and people came in at night. Dinner would happen at different times during the week. But Sunday was the day that everyone - even as my brothers and sisters got older and they moved away - everyone was home for dinner.

Q. Were you ever responsible for a weeknight meal?

A. During the week dinner would be prepared and then instructions would be left. You know, heat this up, that sort of thing. We also lived in a neighborhood where my grandmother lived and my mother was one of 12 children. I had two different aunts and uncles who lived in the neighborhood. So it was sort of like the family compound, people constantly either at our house or us over at their house. Italian-Irish family on my mother’s side, English on my father’s side. Lots of food and conversation.

Q. What was your role during the holidays?

A. I’m the third oldest of the family and neither of my parents drove, neither had their license, so when I was 16, I got my license. My first car was a [Ford] Gran Torino station wagon and we would load up the car and go grocery shopping with the family. So at a young age, I was probably older than I was.

Q. Many people aren’t used to preparing meals for large groups. What can they do to ease the stress of holiday cooking?

A. It’s all about planning, just being organized and planning. So figure out what you’re going to make and then strategically schedule what you’re going to do so it’s not all on the same day.

Q. You recently oversaw your first holiday at Harvard as managing director, the Adams Hall Thanksgiving. How did that go?

A. It went great. Our staff usually eats a half hour before the dining hall opens so we actually got to sit with them and have turkey and vegetables and everybody was in a great mood. We rotate three different houses each year so the same staff isn’t working every Thanksgiving. The spirit was really high and we just thanked them for being there. Really, it’s a sacrifice to give up your time with your family to be there, but we have a good team of people. They’re really excited about taking care of our students. This is like our students’ second family, if you will.