Middle School

I am the Executive Chef of the Westminster Community Charter School in Buffalo, New York.  It is a very low-income area and we have an 88% Free & Reduced lunch rate.  We have three chefs on staff, as well as 5 part-time employees.  We prepare fresh, from-scratch meals for about 500 children every day.  I took over the kitchen in 2010 and changed the lunchroom from a processed foods only kitchen to one that only prepares homemade and fresh foods.  We make our peanut butter and strawberry preserves, pizzas, granola, as well as every dish on the school lunch menu.

Sage International School's Design Technology summer school class is partnering with Mary Ann Newcomber, local 'Dirt Diva' in developing a urban garden on the 2nd floor deck of our school. Under Mary Ann's guidance, students will design and build all the necessary containers. They will also plant and fill those containers with organic edibles. The students will plant and connect Espalier fruit trees as a part of the planting design. Harvest of those fruit trees to be in the Fall when school resumes.

 Green Mountain Farm-to-School is a nonprofit organization in Newport, VT whose mission is to restore and strengthen local food systems in Vermont by promoting positive economic and educational relationships between schools, farms, and communities. We do this by building school gardens, delivering local food to schools, and educating children about healthy food choices.