Most weeks, this column takes readers inside restaurant dining rooms around the Pittsburgh area. This week, I had an opportunity to explore a more exclusive culinary arena, and one that takes on an important challenge for three to four weeks every summer: The dining hall at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, operated by Parkhurst Dining Services.

From late August through May, executive chef Rick Laskie and general manager Reggie Esmi oversee the preparation and serving of about 2,500 meals a day to college and monastery students, faculty, staff and guests. But in May, when most college dining halls are slowing down for a long break before fall, this dining staff is gearing up for another challenge: Feeding the Steelers.

The players eat three meals a day in the campus dining room, as well as a snack at another venue after their evening practice. The players' menus are in many ways similar to the regular student menus during the school year. Lunch entrees one day include a Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant Pasta and a Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap, while the next day the athletes can choose from Shrimp Scampi over Angel Hair pasta or Sicilian Baked Mushrooms, among other things.

There are, however, some important differences. Portion sizes of protein tend to be larger, and there are usually more options, such as eight kinds of fruit rather than the usual five. The menus are designed to offer players as many opportunities as possible to personalize their meals. At breakfast, there's an omelet station where players can choose from more than a dozen kinds of fillings. A burger bar was a very popular option one night -- Mr. Laskie manned the outdoor grill.

Of course, the Steelers' players aren't the only people eating at the training camp. Coaches, staff and members of the media eat in the dining room as well, and the Parkhurst team also prepares food for concession stands outside, for sponsor events and for a VIP box, as well as for summer students and the monastery students who are on campus year round.

The training camp is always a challenge for the kitchens. "It takes all of your team and disperses you in different directions. It's consistent too. It starts early in the morning and goes late," Mr. Laskie said.

The menu for training camp is approved in advance, and after eight years at Saint Vincent, Mr. Laskie says he's pretty aware of the players' needs and preferences. Still, Mr. Laskie and Mr. Esmi begin working on the menus about two months before the camp, because they need to be approved by Steelers strength and condition coach Garrett Giemont and the team nutritionist Leslie Bonci.

Ms. Bonci, a registered dietician and certified specialist in sports dietetics, has been working with the Steelers for 15 seasons. She also works with university athletes, 45 high schools, the Penguins, the Pirates, the Pittsburgh ballet, the Milwaukee Brewers and a few Olympic athletes.

"[Coach Giemont and I] both take a look at [the menus] for nutritional adequacy, yes, but also for performance. What is being served is something that is going to serve these players well when they're out there for practice," Ms. Bonci said.

So how much exactly does a football player need to eat? That depends upon the player. Some don't need more than 2,700-3,000 calories per day, but on the high end they might need to eat more than 7,000 calories per day. If you're trying to cut back on calories, that might sound like a lot of fun, but, as Ms. Bonci pointed out, "When it's 120 degrees at 4 in the afternoon on the field and they come in, they're really not all that hungry."

That's where Mr. Laskie comes in. "Their intake has to be spread throughout the day. It's not as much about eating huge quantities at one time as about eating frequently throughout the day," he said.

Variety at each meal and between different meals is key.

Since many players want high-protein, low-fat choices, staff offers grilled chicken and broiled fish at every meal. Blenders are set up so players can make their own protein shakes with fruit, protein powders, and yogurt or low-fat frozen yogurt.

Another major issue is salt -- football players need a lot of it. "Not only do they sweat a lot, but sodium losses in two hours of football practice can be 8,000 milligrams a day," Ms. Bonci said.

To put that in perspective, the federal government's "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommends that the average person limit sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams a day.

In order to keep players' sodium levels from falling too low, the kitchen staff makes sure that all of the food is highly seasoned. They also have soy sauce and other salty condiments on every table so that players can doctor their food to their liking. Texas Pete Hotter Hot Sauce is on every table at the request of the players. You can be sure that the food is never bland.

Of course, it's not all protein powder and broiled fish. They also have a few special dinners that give players a chance to relax. Every summer they have a pig roast -- a school tradition during the year as well -- and at another dinner they offer filet mignon and lobster tails.

In recent years, professional sports teams and athletes have become much more conscious of the relationship between nutrition and performance.

"Every year the rookies come in and they're a little more savvy because they've been working with sports dietitians in college," Ms. Bonci observed. Others have noticed changes as well. "They eat more chicken and fish. They're eating a lot more turkey burgers than beef. They eat more smoked turkey," noted Mr. Esmi.

One thing that the dining hall doesn't emphasize is dessert. Ms. Bonci said, "They're not big dessert eaters. The desserts are all the way in the back so they're a little hard to get to, but they really don't prefer it."

Of course, some players also have specific goals that specific diets can help them meet, and Steelers training camp is probably the best opportunity Ms. Bonci and the coaches have to influence the players' eating habits.

"We have some guys that are trying to lose some weight, we have some guys who are trying to put on some weight, keeping weight on, we have guys who are dealing with health issues," Ms. Bonci "My other hook is career extension. If you take care of your body ... you might be able to play longer."

Though Mr. Laskie and Mr. Esmi work hard to make sure the dining hall is a place where players can relax and decompress, the work they do when they're eating is in many ways as important as the work they're doing out on the field. At the end of the day, if everyone does their job, the Steelers will leave training camp, healthier, stronger and ready for a fantastic season.