Chefs
Move to Schools Web Stories
ACF chefs are making a difference and fighting childhood obesity in
communities throughout the U.S. Here are some of their stories and photos.
If you are an ACF chef involved in the Chefs Move to Schools program,
we want to hear from you. Please take a moment to share your story with
us.
Kelley Robasco, La Mesa Dale Elementary School
principal, and Chefs de Cuisine of San Diego member Cynthia
Meyers
Chefs De Cuisine of San Diego
Culinary Student Cynthia Meyers
San Diego, Calif.
La Mesa Dale Elementary School and culinary
student Cynthia Meyers from the American Culinary Federation Chefs de
Cuisine of San Diego recently organized a student health fair to
launch their Chefs Move to Schools partnership.
Volunteers from community organizations partnered with the elementary
school to show students and their families that a healthy lifestyle is
fun and delicious. Pharmacology students from the University of
California offered free health screenings while other volunteers
provided face painting, Zumba classes and games that promoted physical
activity. Students and families fueled their activity-filled day with
healthy snacks donated by Specialty Produce of San Diego. The Chefs de
Cuisine of San Diego also provided organic tangerines and tangelos along
with pretzels, yogurt and bottled water as well as a cheese tasting
contest. The kids and their families couldn’t get enough of the
fresh and healthy snacks. One student confessed that this was her first
time trying raw vegetables!
Chefs from the ACF chapter are working with the school staff and
principal, Kelley Robasco, to promote healthy snacks to its students
during the school year. Promoting healthy eating is important to the
school employees because many of La Mesa Dale’s students rely on
the school for 75 percent of their meals. The elementary school offers
breakfast and lunch to its students during the week and partnered with
the local Lutheran Church Ministries to ensure students and their
families have meals on the weekends.
ACF North Carolina Chapter
Charlotte, N.C.
The American Culinary Federation North Carolina
Chapter has partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Child Nutrition
Services to bring the Chefs Move to Schools program to schools
across the district. Sterling Elementary School in Charlotte, N.C.,
enjoyed a special event on Jan. 30 presented by the ACF North Carolina
Chapter members. Claudia Cauliflower, Bradley Blueberry and Tommy the
Tomato were introduced to students to help demonstrate the importance of
choosing a colorful plate when making meal selections at school and
home. Chefs discussed the importance of fruit and vegetables in the
students’ diets and demonstrated how to meet dietary goals when
eating lunch at school. After the event the chefs and cafeteria manager
accompanied students through the lunch line and encouraged them to make
healthy lunch choices by creating a colorful plate.
“We were thrilled to welcome the team of chefs to
Sterling,” said Principal Beth Wardy. “Positive choices are
often about familiarity and education…the children were so excited
to touch, feel and eat yams that were pulled fresh from the
ground!”
ACF North Carolina Chapter members present, pictured left to right:
Philip Lloyd, CEC, chapter president; Jean-Pierre Marechal; Jason Wolf;
Jason Ziobrowski, CEC; and Karl Hoffman.
Chef Timothy Bucci, CEC, CCE
Associate Professor
Joliet Junior College
Orlando Park, Ill.
ACF Louis Joliet Chapter
Chef Timothy Bucci visited 120 kindergartners, first- and
second-graders at Newark Grade School in Newark, Ill. to talk and
demonstrate to the students about healthy eating. Chef Bucci was greeted
with enthusiasm and some very vegetable savvy students eager to
participate in his cooking demonstration.
The children were excited to touch, see and taste the food items Chef
Bucci brought to the school. He was even able to encourage some students
to eat vegetables they had never tried before. Bucci reinforced the
children’s interest about healthy foods with the help of a
familiar and all-time favorite children’s book, The Very
Hungry Caterpillar. Many of the children agreed it is important
to eat fruits and vegetables to stay healthy, while a few still held to
the belief that the only reason to eat fruits and vegetables was because
they are forced by their parents. But Chef Bucci was able to convey the
importance of eating fruits and vegetables by relating proper nutrition
to the children’s interests and its importance in keeping us
healthy during the winter, especially when playing in the snow.
Chef Bucci’s presentation received strong participation from
the students and created excitement about cooking and healthy eating. He
looks forward to returning to the school for further demonstrations.
ACF Professional Chefs/Cooks Association of Rochester
Rochester, N.Y.
The ACF Rochester, N.Y., chapter’s Chefs Move to Schools
program finished its pilot year with great success. The chapter
partnered with Foodlink, the local food bank, and the Rochester Prep
Charter School. With a team of seven committed ACF chefs and a Foodlink
volunteer they were able to reach over 200 students, ranging from fifth
to eighth grades. The children were allowed to work with the chefs
during school demonstrations to help prepare smoothies and breakfast
burritos from scratch. The chefs taught students healthy cooking
techniques, sanitation and development of flavors, and the Foodlink
volunteer educated the children on the importance of fiber, fruits and
vegetables and how to make good food choices. The demonstrations were so
popular students are asking for blenders as Christmas presents.
Chef Michael McGreal, CEC, CCE, CHE, MCFE
Department Chair
Joliet Junior College
Orlando Park, Ill.
ACF Louis Joliet Chapter
Chef Michael McGreal’s recent visit to the White House for the
launch of the Chefs Move to Schools initiative inspired him to develop
his Chef for a Day program. The program pairs culinary students and
chefs with local school children allowing the children to become
honorary chefs for the day. The children learn nutritional cooking
techniques and how to make healthy food choices.
“The Chefs Move to Schools program allows us to help kids that
just need a little direction, guidance and motivation to get
healthy,” McGreal said. “We can’t sit back anymore and
hope this epidemic just goes away. The potential for greatness and
opportunity should be what continually increases for our nation’s
kids, not their waistlines.” Source: www.jjc.edu/about
Chef McGreal’s next project is filming a pilot cooking show for
kids with a local PBS station in the Chicago area.
Gretchen Zegarra
Executive Chef
Morrison Health Care Food Service
Culver City, Calif.
Chef Gretchen Zegarra visited El Rincon elementary school in Culver
City, Calif. and introduced delicious, healthier eating habits to its
students. Chef Zegarra focus was teaching the students about whole
grains and introducing the ChooseMyPlate.gov concept to the children.
Chef Zegarra created interest in healthy eating through her roving table
filled with a bountiful display of squash, vegetables and grains,
allowing the children to actually taste, touch and see what they had
learned. The demonstration was supported by educational materials and a
MyPlate.gov coloring sheet. The students enjoyed the samples of roasted
pumpkin seeds and exploring the “guts” of the pumpkin.
David Gurdus
Executive Chef
Pinnacle Health System
Lebanon County, Pa.
ACF Harrisburg Chapter
Chef Gurdus is working with the 7th grade class at Northern Lebanon
Middle School in establishing a Beginners Cooking Club to promote
awareness of well balanced healthy food choices. There will be 8 monthly
meetings from October 2011 to May 2012 and at least one food item will
be prepared during the meeting. Parents are also encouraged to
participate.
As our nation faces the largest crisis of childhood obesity in our
history, our local chefs began their own crusade at Charles R. Drew
Charter School in Atlanta’s East Lake community.
Chef Michael Deihl and Chef Karen Patton recently adopted Charles R.
Drew Charter School in the Chefs Move to Schools program, spearheaded by
First Lady Michelle Obama in her Let’s Move! program. Chef Deihl,
the Executive Chef at East Lake Golf Club and Chairman of the Board for
the American Culinary Federation Greater Atlanta Chapter, has always had
a passion for healthy cooking and for giving back to his community.
Combine his love for children and a true belief in their future, and you
have a winning recipe! As part of the East Lake community, Chef Deihl
and the East Lake staff follow the incredible example set by Mr. Tom
Cousins and the CF Foundation of giving back to the community through
the work of the East Lake Foundation. Each and every member of the East
Lake family has a strong commitment of giving back to their
community.
Chef Karen Patton received her culinary training from Atlanta
Technical College and has had her own catering business for nearly five
years. Chef Karen has joined the Chefs Move to Schools initiative
working with Drew Charter School and has formed a nonprofit organization
that focuses on educating seniors, diabetics and children on nutrition
and the benefits of local growing.
Also assisting with the Chefs Move to Schools program is Tracy
Nailor. Tracy, a pediatrician, appeared on Gordon Ramsey’s Master
Chef program this past season. Tracy has a child in kindergarten at
Drew, and will be involved as a chef in Drew program.
The first Chefs Move session, as part of the Healthy You, Healthy
Drew initiative was held on Wednesday, August 24th at Drew Charter with
more than 60 Pre-K students and their teachers attending. The topic:
peaches and reducing sugar in our food choices. The students sampled
fresh peaches and a reduced sugar dessert made with peaches and
sugar-free Jell-O. They also learned about eating fresh fruit as part of
their daily meals.
“Handing a child a piece of fresh fruit they have never seen
before and watching them take that first bite is as humbling a culinary
experience as there is. If your eyes are not watering after that, you
are not a true chef at heart.” —Chef Michael Deihl
Monthly sessions are planned for the entire school year at Drew
Charter School, as Chef Deihl and Chef Patton make a difference right
here in our local community!
Orange County Publics Schools and ACF Partner for Better
Nutrition
In September 2010, 11 ACF chefs in Florida were paired with select
public schools in Orange County, Fla., the nation’s 10th largest
school district, for a Chefs Move to Schools pilot program. Read more
about how these chefs are leading the way in the fight against childhood
obesity and are bringing positive changes to America’s school
foodservice programs.
Paul O’Toole, CEC, AAC
Executive Chef
Deerfield Golf and Tennis Club
Newark, Del.
ACF Philadelphia Chapter
Since Paul O’Toole’s visit to the White House with ACF in
June, he has hosted monthly Chefs Move to Schools demonstrations at
UrbanPromise in Wilmington, Del. During his visits, he talks about the
origins of fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, the effects of food on
the body performance, and hosts hands-on demonstration with students
ages 7–14. Catherine Dolan, head of school, also says children are
beginning to suggest healthier selections at the grocery store.
Robert Corliss
Executive Chef and founder of ATE (All Things Epicurean)
Century Elementary School
Nixa, Mo.
ACF National Chapter
Chef Corliss taught “Incredible Edibles” to a
kindergarten class. The students had a blast experiencing new and unique
fruits and vegetable such as spaghetti squash, purple potatoes,
artichokes, baby bananas, star fruit, tomatillos, purple and yellow
carrots, and fresh popcorn which is popped right on the actual cob.
Robert Corliss
Executive Chef and founder of ATE (All Things Epicurean)
Pleasant View Elementary
Springfield, Mo.
ACF National Chapter
Farmer Curtis Millsap and Chef Corliss have created a greenhouse and
culinary program to teach elementary school children how to compost,
plant, tend to and harvest their crops. The students then come into the
kitchen classroom to prepare, eat and enjoy their harvest. They work
with the teachers to apply the greenhouse/culinary teachings to math,
science, art, language etc.
Robert Corliss
Executive Chef and founder of ATE (All Things Epicurean)
Goddard Preschool School
Springfield, Mo.
ACF National Chapter
Raised beds and pocket gardens were built at the preschool and the
pre-schoolers are taught an appreciation for nature, where their food
comes from and to have fun in the garden. The students pick the crops
and flowers and then taste and explore the items in the classroom.
Northwest Elementary School
Hudson, Fla.
ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association Inc.
The chapter worked with the school principal and 2 third grade
classes to establish a sustainable vegetable garden and compost pile.
The importance of vegetable in their daily diet will be incorporated
into the third grad curriculum. The chefs supplied 62 large pots filled
with organic soil and along with the American Legion and the New Port
Richey Garden Club, they assisted the students in planting 19 varieties
of vegetables and five different herbs. There will also be a special
container in the school cafeteria solely for green waste for the compost
pile.
Andy Bacigalupo
Culinary Instructor
Bay Arenac ISD Career Center
Bay City, Mich.
ACF Flint/Saginaw Valley Chapter
The Bay Arenac ISD Career Center has started a garden, developed a
healthier cafeteria menu and offer fresh fruit smoothies to all
students. The center has also appointed a new committee to oversee all
school nutrition activities called Team Nutrition. Upcoming events for
the center include a Wellness Fair featuring demonstration, food
tastings, school wide cardio activities, weight loss challenge and a
Chefs Move to Schools presentation to the Women’s AAUW group of
Midland.
Update, Sept. 2011: The garden was a huge success and it produced
over 1500 pounds of fresh produce which was donated to food banks and
rescue missions in the community.
Bradley Labarre, CEC
Executive Chef
Galway Hooker Irish Pub
Corneilus, N.C.
ACF Inc. Charlotte Chapter
Chef Labarre visited two local schools to offer nutrition information
and culinary demonstrations. At Pinewood Elementary, he showed fourth
graders the nutritional and taste difference between store bought food
and made from scratch items such as pesto and pasta. This spring, Chef
Labarre will work with the schools to plan a garden and using the
produce for future demonstrations and serving to the students. At
Davidson Middle School, Chef Labarre worked with the students on knife
skills, basic cooking practices and discussed healthier food
choices.
Donald McMillan, CEC, AAC
Chef Instructor
The Stocked Pot Cooking School
Winston-Salem, N.C.
ACF Triad Chapter NC
Chef McMillan conducted a cooking class for the staff of the Downtown
Health Plaza in Winston-Salem, N.C., and the residents of the
surrounding community. The class was to teach everyone how to cook the
fresh produce from the Goler Community Garden which was established to
make healthy eating more accessible to everyone in the community.
Download 
healthy
recipes (1.07 MB) used by Chef McMillan.
David A. Smith, CCC
Associate Professor
Johnson County Community College
Overland Park, Kan.
ACF Greater Kansas City Chefs Association
Working with the children ages 2½ to 6 at the Hiersteiner Child
Development Center, David Smith makes sure children learn about the food
process, from seed to planting to production. An unheated greenhouse
called a “hoop house” is used to grow fruits and vegetables
year-round. Every child comes to the greenhouse once a week where they
gain exposure to foods they may not otherwise be eating. There is a list
of chores and child-sized wagons and tools. They have also planted 20
fruit trees and have plans for a nearby potting shed.
Brian Peffley, CEPC, CCE
Pastry-Arts Instructor
Lebanon County Career & Technology Center
Lebanon, Pa.
ACF Harrisburg Chapter
Brian Peffley has several Chefs Move to Schools projects on the
horizon. He is planning an open forum for all south central Pennsylvania
school foodservice directors, members of the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture, PA preferred (produce), Pennsylvania Restaurant
Association, food purveyors, local farmers and ACF Harrisburg Chapter to
formulate ideas on what can be done for the children in central
Pennsylvania. Peffley will also be visiting Hershey Middle School as
part of a General Mills conference in early November to talk about
nutrition and baking healthy in schools.
Joel Schaefer, CCC
President
Allergy Chefs, Inc.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Chefs de Cuisine Association of Hawaii Honolulu
Joel Schaefer signed on to work with the J. Allen Axson Montessori
School in Jacksonville, Fla., to start container gardens in each
classroom. The food grown will be used as part of a cooking class where
the children will participate in food preparation.
Michael Speranza, CEC
Corporate Chef, Eastern Region
Custom Culinary, Inc.
Victor, N.Y.
ACF Professional Chefs/Cooks Association of Rochester
As a part of the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, Michael Speranza
works with students at Victor schools in their gardens. He recently
joined them for some weeding and returned later that week to teach them
how to make a basil pesto, finishing off the night with a pesto feast.
Speranza also plans to do cooking demonstrations in the classroom,
perhaps featuring Indian dishes in a class that is learning about
India.
Thomas Trevethan, CEPC
Pastry Chef
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Las Vegas
ACF Chefs Las Vegas
Thomas Trevethan and the non-profit organization Create A Change Now
is working with elementary school children to plant edible gardens. The
goal is to educate children on where their food comes from and to get
them involved in the process-from the ground, to harvest and preparation
to the dinner table.
