FSD Quarterly | Q3 2024

QUARTERLY Q3 / 2024

BACK TO SCHOOL NEW ATTITUDE P. 4

WITH A WHOLE

University of Michigan Executive Chef Bouakhanh "Bou" Greene, CEC, shares the story behind her gold medal win at NACUFS' national chef competition.

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FSD QUARTERLY MENU DIRECTIONS IN ATLANTA P. 40 1

GETTING R-E-S-P-E-C-T AT WORK P. 12 CHEF COMPETITION COVERAGE PLACE P. 6

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR TARA FITZPATRICK SENIOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR FOODSERVICE DIRECTOR | INFORMA CONNECT

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CIERRA BRECKNER, MICHIGAN DINING

INSIDE

ON THE COVER MONETT R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT: FROM FARMS AND GREENHOUSES TO STUDENTS’ PLATES By Julianne Pepitone PEOPLE EXCELLENCE IN COLLEGE DINING HONORED WITH AWARDS AT NACUFS’ 2024 CONFERENCE By Tara Fitzpatrick OPERATIONS BRAILLE MENUS MAKE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND FEEL WELCOME AT ORANGE CO. CONVENTION CENTER By Tara Fitzpatrick OPERATIONS 3 SIMPLE STRATEGIES K-12 OPERATORS SHOULD TRY TO GET BUY-IN FROM SKEPTICAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP By Benita Gingerella MENU ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S NORTHWEST HOSPITAL: CARING FOR KIDS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE By Julianne Pepitone MENU HOW ROLLINS COLLEGE’S TEX-MEX CONCEPT WON LOYAL FANS WITH 'BUSSIN' MEALS By Tara Fitzpatrick MENU 3 WAYS THE NUTRITION TEAM AT WICHITA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS UTILIZING AI By Benita Gingerella MENU 7 TASTY PRODUCTS TRIED AT THE ANC EXHIBIT HALL By Benita Gingerella OPERATIONS

P. 46 | Photo Courtesy of Lazy Dog

K12 EDIBLE EDUCATION: FOOD TRENDS By Pisanick Partners K12 NEXT UP PODCAST: NEW EPISODES From NxtGen Network K12 #UNAPOLOGETICALLYYOU: TIPS TO PREVENTING BURNOUT IN THE WORKPLACE By Mary Ellen Gilliam MENU AI CAN HELP CHEFS IN THE KITCHEN, BUT YOU HAD BETTER DOUBLE-CHECK ITS WORK By Tara Fitzpatrick OPERATIONS THE FUTURE OF FOOD AS MEDICINE: IT’S A WORK IN PROGRESS By Tara Fitzpatrick MENU 12 MIND-BLOWING, MONEYMAKING MENU MOVES TO STEAL FROM COMMERCIAL RESTAURANTS By Tara Fitzpatrick WORKFORCE HOW OPERATORS ARE TACKLING TODAY’S LABOR PAINS By Benita Gingerella WORKFORCE EUREST UPDATES ITS UNIFORMS WITH AN EYE TOWARD INCLUSIVITY By Heather Lalley IN EVERY ISSUE WATCH WITH FSD Watch FSD editors try all the best mocktails at the national restaurant show IN EVERY ISSUE LISTEN WITH FSD Onsite with FSD Podcast

BARBECUE WITHOUT BORDERS: METZ CHEFS INSPIRED BY WEST AFRICAN TRADITIONS By Tara Fitzpatrick STEAL THIS IDEA

FRESH FROM THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT SHOW: 4 RESTAURANT IDEAS TO STEAL TO CAPTURE GEN Z DINERS By Benita Gingerella MENU HOW CURA CHEFS ARE REIMAGINING PUREED FOODS FOR SPECIAL DIETS By Tara Fitzpatrick

OPERATIONS

MONETT R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT: FROM FARMS AND GREENHOUSES TO STUDENTS’ PLATES

LOCAL BEEF, FRESH GREENHOUSE GREENS AND OTHER LOCAL INGREDIENTS ARE FIXTURES ON THE MENU.

T he farm-to-table movement has been permeating schools from C&U to elementary for a few years. But at Monett R-1 School District in Mon- ett, Missouri, students’ meals aren’t just local farm-to-school. They’re also on-campus-greenhouse-to- school, cattle-ranch-to-school and so much more. For Food Service Director Ralph Meredith, it’s the only way to attain the true meaning of “fresh.” “I can order fresh vegetables from my supplier, but when you open up the box, the cucumbers are coated in in wax so they'll last longer,” Meredith says, “That’s the process, and it can never be quite as fresh as we really wanted.” Spurred by this shortfall, the BY JULIANNE PEPITONE

Monett foodservice team has em- ployed several initiatives to bring truly fresh produce and meat to students’ plates: a district-owned greenhouse, participation in a pro- gram that connects local ranch- ers with schools for beef donations, and soon possibly buying bulk pro- duce from local Missouri farmers. LESSONS FROM THE GREENHOUSE The greenhouse is the newest of these programs, and its evolution is still ongoing. Meredith and his team have learned several lessons about the process since FSD report- ed on the greenhouse’s launch last May . Built by Amish artisans in Ar- kansas, the structure was built with help from a U.S. Department of Ag- riculture (USDA) grant worth about $15,000. The district chipped in an

extra approximately $5,000. One team member runs the greenhouse and the raised beds outside, which grow largely tomatoes and cucum- bers in addition to lettuce, squash, zucchini, jalapenos, bell peppers and pumpkins. “We reasoned that we’d be able to offset some of our costs when it comes to the meal offerings at dif- ferent school levels,” Meredith says. The team serves about 1,800 meals to Monett’s preschool through high school students. The greenhouse has provided leafy lettuce for Monett’s ever-pop- ular chicken wraps, slicing toma- toes for burgers and cherry toma- toes for chef’s salads, jalapenos for taco day, and lots of miscellaneous variety for staff salad bars. “We’ve saved probably a cou- ple thousand dollars, easily,” Mer-

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONETT R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT

edith says. “In our middle school and high school level, I don't think they bought lettuce for probably six months.” Amid the successes, the team has also learned hard-won lessons. For example: The greenhouse is built such that any excess water flows out of the structure. But this first winter, the team found that this setup allowed too much cold to seep in—and plants that weren’t as close to the single heater, like some let- tuce heads and a squash plant, were lost. The team quickly blocked the cold and purchased a second heater. Other investments have helped streamline time-consuming tasks. “Instead of standing out there try- ing to water everything,” Meredith says, they installed a digital timer system that can water four zones according to the unique schedules needed for those plants. “We’re also creating spread- sheets and tracking systems to bet- ter understand what we grow, how much we grow and what’s going out where,” Meredith says. Some of the initial plans—like a partnership with vocational school students to harvest produce, and re- cruiting graphic design students to create signage for use when green- house items are served in the caf- eterias—haven’t yet come to pass. But as the program evolves, Mere- dith hopes to involve more students in the process. “My best advice, other than ex- ploring the many tools and technol- ogies out there, is to start small,” he says. “You can always add on as you master something or learn more. Our first water timer allowed us to program only one or two zones— and then we expanded, so we now have one that waters four. As you grow, you’ll learn what works best.” ‘OUR KIDS GO ABSOLUTELY CRAZY FOR IT’ The greenhouse is “one of the best things we’ve ever added to our pro- gram, says Rachel Sullivan, kitchen manager for Monett Intermediate School. But what her fourth- and

GET TO KNOW MONETT R-1 SCHOOL DISTRICT’S RALPH MEREDITH See what’s in store for Meredith’s operation, which was named FSD’s July Foodservice Operation of the Month.

Q: What is it that makes your operation excel? Everyone gets on board and supports what is happening. I don't have anyone who says, “I don’t want to try it this new way.” They love to use our own prod- ucts that we grow, and they support that mission. The team getting behind one another has made this program—and frankly, makes me look more successful than I personally feel like I am. Q: What are your goals for the operation in the coming year? My goal is to be able to grow more products, get more people involved in grow- ing products and use those products in a variety of ways. We also hope to start programs like “Chef of the Day” for our younger students and get them in the kitchen to see how these meals are made. For the upper levels, we’re thinking about ways to get the kids excited about what they're hav- ing—versus just, “It’s chicken patty day.” There are opportunities with the fresh produce coming in from us and buying fresh produce from local growers—it's going to be able to help us succeed in getting this freshness in front of the kids and getting them excited.

fifth-graders love most are special items using beef acquired through the local program Mo Beef Kids . The organization partners with lo- cal ranchers who donate beef to schools. Monett, which has worked with Mo Beef since 2019, typically re- ceives about five or six cattle over the school year. The district does pay to process the meat, which is turned into ground beef, brisket, and roast beef. Sullivan and other kitchen man- agers use the products for all man- ner of meals—like hamburgers, birria tacos, and a highly popular smoked brisket sandwich that sells out in the high school and middle school each spring. “Our kids, oh, our kids absolute- ly go crazy for it,” Sullivan says. “I feel like they can actually tell the difference.” During last school year, the Mo Beef program expanded to include Mo Pork. Monett received a do- nated hog that became pork roast, bacon, and lots of sausage. The

foodservice team has purchased an extra walk-in freezer that is sole- ly dedicated to the Mo Beef/Mo Pork program. “We really use every bit,” Mer- edith says. “After all the bacon and sausage was gone, we used the left- over bits to make sausage gravy—so great for controlling the amount of salt and sodium and that kind of thing. For six months our high schoolers got this delicious home- made sausage gravy instead of something out of a can.” The farm- and greenhouse- and ranch-to-school approach has worked for Monett in several ways— from cutting costs to improving the diner experience. “Especially for someone coming in new to this, I recommend team- ing up with someone or at least ask- ing another director who has been doing this,” Meredith says. “I had got the privilege speaking to others who had bought from local produc- ers, and I also have a great team. Surround yourself with people who have the knowledge—then listen.”

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PEOPLE

EXCELLENCE IN COLLEGE DINING HONORED WITH AWARDS AT NACUFS’ 2024 CONFERENCE AWARDS AND PRIZES HIGHLIGHTED THE HARD WORK OF COLLEGE DINING PROFESSIONALS WITH THE LOYAL E. HORTON DINING AWARDS, NATIONAL CULINARY CHALLENGE AND MORE.

T he National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) award- ed several university dining teams and individuals at its conference in Louisville last week. One of NACUFS’ most recogniz- able set of awards, the Loyal E. Horton Awards, were named after a founding member of NACUFS who was known for innovation. The Culinary Challenge event is always highly anticipated, featuring chefs who won in their respective re- gions. Also this year at the confer- ence, NACUFS’ highest honor, the Theodore W. Minah Distinguished Service Award, went to Tufts Uni- versity’s Patti Klos . LOYAL E. HORTON AWARDS The gold, silver and bronze award winners of the Loyal E. Horton Awards were announced in June and celebrated at a special awards luncheon over the weekend. Here are the grand prize winners of the Loyal E. Horton Dining, Nutrition and Sustainability awards: BY TARA FITZPATRICK

University of North Texas won Innovative Dining Program of the Year; Residential Special Event of the Year and Catering Program of the Year. Liberty University won Residen- tial Dining Facility of the Year and New Facility of the Year. University of California-San Di- ego won Renovation of the Year. Marywood University won Ca- tering Special Event of the Year. SUNY at Buffalo, Campus Din-

ing and Shops won Retail Sales Sin- gle Concept of the Year. Pennsylvania State University won Outreach & Education Pro- gram of the Year. The NACUFS 2024 Nutrition Awards recognize outstanding nutrition and wellness programs implemented in college dining to serve a dynamic student population with changing needs. The grand prize winner is Boston College. The NACUFS 2024 Sustainabili-

“

I have to be mentally and physically prepared … I want to make sure everything I do in front of the judges is a beautiful dance that they can’t keep their eyes off of, working extremely clean and organized … the judges want to see if I can cook, have creativity and professionalism.” - Chef Bouakhanh Greene

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Laotian fish essence, shrimp crispy balls, bulgur, mung bean, crushed peanuts and savoy cabbage wrap. Before the competition, Greene shared some behind-the-scenes observations with FSD, particularly about the way the judges watch each chef’s every move, such as setting up the perfect mise en place. “In our world of chefs, it’s ‘everything in its place,’” she said. “I have to be mentally and physically prepared … I want to make sure everything I do in front of the judges is a beauti- ful dance that they can’t keep their eyes off of, working extremely clean and organized … the judges want to see if I can cook, have creativity and professionalism.”

ty Awards recognize college dining’s role in the overall environmental sustainability and social responsi- bility of a campus. The grand prize winner is Simon Fraser University. NACUFS 2024 CULINARY CHALLENGE After an evening of intense culi- nary competition overseen by ACF (American Culinary Federation) judges, Chef Jeffrey MacDonald of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) was named the first-place winner. Representing the North- east region for the second year in a row, MacDonald, chef de cuisine at UMass, won an ACF gold medal. His dish: Kombu-cured branzino with miso matcha mousseline and

shrimp gyoza dashi cream, wasa- bi pea puree, bulgur wheat stir fry, soy-glazed mushrooms and baby bok choy. Notably, all of the com- peting chefs received the honor of an ACF gold medal as well. MacDonald was upbeat after his win, praising all of the competitors for “an amazing job,” and thanking his wife for her support and for car- ing for their three children while he practiced on his days off, as well as his mentor Anthony Jung, executive chef at UMass, for his support, input and feedback. Chef Bouakhanh “Bou” Greene of the University of Michigan won second place and an ACF gold med- al with her pan-seared branzino with

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF NACUFS

OPERATIONS

THE SODEXO LIVE! TEAM IN ORLANDO SHOWED FORETHOUGHT, CARING AND TRUE HOSPITALITY AT THE ANNUAL GATHERING BY HAVING BRAILLE AND LARGE-PRINT MENUS MADE, ALONG WITH OTHER INCLUSIVE MOVES. BRAILLE MENUS MAKE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND FEEL WELCOME AT ORANGE CO. CONVENTION CENTER

A local company printed hundreds of braille versions of four different menus for the event.

I nclusivity is at their fingertips. For this year’s annual gathering of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the Sodexo Live! team at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) welcomed the group with specially made braille and large- print menus. To foster inclusivity among guests at this event, a proactive approach on the part of staff was key, according to Warner Peck, Sodexo Live!’s di- rector of sales and marketing at the convention center. “When groups come in with special needs, it’s a great opportunity to push ourselves a little, and be innovative from the service perspective,” Peck says. “We talked about it, and being in- clusive and taking into account people’s needs, you want to be proactive, not re- active and have the lines of communi- cation open.” BY TARA FITZPATRICK

Peck, who, earlier in his career, learned the power of “surprise and de- light” in hospitality at Disney World, is always looking for ways that the OCCC can do special things that set it apart. With this in mind, Peck wanted to make the group feel welcome in an un- expected way, and the braille menus seemed like a great, inexpensive way to do so. “There wasn’t an ask for [the braille menus], but it was unique and special.” Peck found a local company to print braille and large-print menus, thinking “it would be a great surprise and de- light,” he says. “We want to give them a reason to come back. We want to treat every group special and give them a reason to come back. And the lines of conversation were there. When the NFB executive director found out about it, he was like, ‘Yes, this is great!’” John Berggren, executive director of operations for the National Federation of the Blind, expressed gratitude, espe-

The layout of the convention center remained the same during the event, so those using canes could navigate better.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SODEXO LIVE!

Panelists discussed supply chain challenges, meal participation and more during the 2024 School Nutrition Industry Conference.

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OPERATIONS BRAILLE MENUS MAKE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND FEEL WELCOME AT ORANGE CO. CONVENTION CENTER

Attendees at the National Federation of the Blind's conference at the Orange County Convention Center

When groups come in with special needs, it’s a great opportunity to push ourselves a little, and be innovative from the service perspective.” “

- Warner Peck

than just that place with the famous mouse. “I think people want to be chal- lenged by food when they travel,” Peck says. “We’re so much more than just el- ephant ears and cheese fries.” Also during the event, for safety, the OCCC put a ban on the Segway scoot- ers that normally cover the massive 8 million-sq. ft. space. And features like furniture, trash receptacles and dis- plays were not moved throughout the event, as people had gotten the lay of the land on the first day. “The convention center opened up the walkways for guest flow, and noth- ing was changed or modified,” Peck says. “Once you’re walking with the stick, you know where things are. I’ve never been in that situation, but appar- ently, you’re thinking the next 50 steps ahead as you go.” To Berggren, the whole experience was a positive one, setting the bar high for future events. “I think everyone heard our con- versations about what’s important to blind people, and it’s reflected in the interactions our members had with the staff,” he says. “It makes selec- tion of a destination much more easy, when we know that people are thinking about our members’ needs before we even arrive.”

cially for the caring staff who took the time to learn something new. “The convention center staff ex- pressed a great deal of interest in learn- ing more about the blind community, and understanding who the blind are and how best to serve our members while we’re here at the convention cen- ter,” Berggren says. “We’re an advo- cacy organization and inclusiveness is critical to who we are. So, Sodexo had the forethought to put together a Braille menu—before we asked—and that of- ten is not our experience.” A total of four menus were print-

ed, with braille descriptions of items like chicken Caesar wraps, Caribbe- an Craze wraps and more. “If you say ‘Chicken Caesar,’ people know what it is, but what’s in the Ranch Cob, or the Cheese Box? It’s those details where for folks who read braille, this is great,” Peck says, adding that “we have won- derful front-line employees who can verbally explain a menu item, and I’m always about that human interaction, but this way, it made things easier.” Like every event at the convention center, the team aims to showcase that Orlando’s food scene is so much more

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SODEXO LIVE!

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OPERATIONS

K-12 FOODSERVICE DIRECTORS SHARED THEIR BEST PRACTICES ON COLLABORATING WITH DISTRICT OFFICIALS DURING A SESSION AT THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE. 3 SIMPLE STRATEGIES K-12 OPERATORS SHOULD TRY TO GET BUY-IN FROM SKEPTICAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP

D uring the School Nutrition As- sociation’s (SNA) 2023 Annu- al National Conference held last July in Denver, attendee and Food Service Director for Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisconsin Josh Perkins, kept hearing over and over from fellow attendees that while they were inspired by many of the sessions they attend- ed, they knew they wouldn’t be able to BY BENITA GINGERELLA

place earlier this month, the directors discussed the results of a project in which they interviewed principals at their own districts about their thoughts on their respective district’s school nu- trition program. The results from the interviews re- vealed certain pitfalls that K-12 oper- ators could find themselves in when speaking with district leadership. Here are three things shared during the ses- sion to help operators make their next conversation with district leadership a beneficial one.

get their district leadership to sign off on whatever initiative they wanted to start, whether that be breakfast in the classroom or expanding farm to school. Seeing that this was a recurrent problem throughout the K-12 segment, Perkins joined fellow Wisconsin K-12 nutrition directors Bobbie Guyette at School District of New Richmond and Kaitlin Tauriainen at Ashwaubenon School District, at this year’s ANC in Boston to lead a presentation on how to approach district leadership. During their session, which took

Josh Perkins, Bobbie Guyette and Kaitlin Tauriainen speak during their session at ANC 2024.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BENITA GINGERELLA

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OPERATIONS 3 SIMPLE STRATEGIES K-12 OPERATORS SHOULD TRY TO GET BUY-IN FROM SKEPTICAL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP

1 ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS so K-12 operators will want to make the most of every conversation they have with district leadership. When going into a conversation with district leadership, operators will want to look for ways to keep the con- versation going and find opportunities to learn about the leaderships’ current responsibilities and goals that they have for the district. “I might have a request or a demand, something I'm pushing for, but you're going to want to keep them talking as well so that you can learn more about their perspective,” said Perkins. Time on principals and other dis- trict leaders’ schedules is limited, One of the best ways to keep the con- versation going is by asking open-end- ed questions. Instead of asking, “What do you think about our program?” for example, operators should ask ques- tions like, “Where do you think we share interest in our jobs as leaders in this school district and helping our stu- dents reach their fullest potential?” or “Can you share possibly three different things that you would like to see im- proved in the program here and why?” 2 COME INTO THE CONVERSATION AS AN EQUAL One of the takeaways from Per- kins, Guyette and Tauriainen’s inter- views was that the school nutrition department can be seen by school leadership as second-class compared to other departments. “We do believe that from the an-

3 BE PREPARED TO COMPROMISE AND EDUCATE Another main takeaway garnered from the interviews was that many district leaders don’t fully understand the regulations and responsibilities nutrition professional have. “I have often heard frustration from school leaders, kind of like, ‘I just want you to do this.’ And I’m like, ‘I would love to but there are federal regulations that I have to follow and so how are we going to agree on what I can do for you?,’” said Perkins. Perkins recommends that school nutrition operators briefly explain what “guard rails” they must follow to leadership so they have a better un- derstanding of why the nutrition team can’t do certain things. In addition, operators should be prepared to compromise with district leadership and know ahead of time what concessions they would be willing to make. “When you go into a negotiation with somebody else, and you need their time, their resources, or something like this, you’re probably not going to get everything you want,” said Per- kins, adding that operators should be clear on what concessions they could make to help [district leadership] with what they need and that still gets them their most important objectives for their students.

swers and from sort of the demeanor and from the stories that we're kind of hearing, we feel that while no one's explicitly said this in our interview re- sponses, we do conclude that school nutrition as a department just simply isn't seen as equal,” said Guyette. In order to be seen as equals, K-12 operators should work on their tone, word choice and more when meeting with district leadership. “If you come in just as a peer, not as an underling, you set that tone with your body language and how you're saying words,” said Guyette, She also recommended that oper- ators take the time to train the rest of their team on the approach that school nutrition is “a part of a bigger team” and that they should be respectful of everyone, including those in other de- partments. “We are all one district,” she said.

“

I might have a request or a demand, something I'm pushing for, but you're going to want to keep them talking as well so that you can learn more about their perspective.”

- Josh Perkins

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7 TASTY PRODUCTS TRIED AT THE ANC EXHIBIT HALL BY BENITA GINGERELLA O ver 300 vendors traveled to Boston for the School Nutri- tion Association's (SNA) An- nual National Conference (ANC). Throughout the ex- hibit hall, attendees could sample a wide range of products for their menus, many of which will end up on students' breakfast and lunch trays. Here are 7 products spotted (and sampled!) while walking the floor.

OVERNIGHT OATS Over at the National Peanut Board booth, the team was showcasing an overnight oats recipe for school nu- trition teams who are looking to incor- porate more scratch-made dishes into their breakfast menu.

BLENDERLESS YOGURT SMOOTHIE One of General Mills' latest products is a low-fat, reduced-sugar vanilla yogurt which can be served as part of a parfait or mixed with fruit juice or puree to create a blenderless smoothie. During ANC, the General Mill's team show- cased the produce three ways: in a man- go smoothie, by itself and in a parfait.

SWEET AND SAVORY SAUCES Attendees could sample a wide range of reduced-sodium sauces paired with popcorn chicken at the Kikkoman booth. The selection of sauces includ- ed orange, sweet and sour and more.

NEW TWIST ON CHEEZ-ITS Coming to school cafeterias in 2025-26 school year are new Extra Cheesy and Buffalo Cheez-Its. The Kellanova team decided to offer the new takes on the original cracker as a way to meet stu- dents' request for bolder flavors.

APPLES TOPPED WITH CHAMOY Fruity Chamoy Sauce from Tajin added a spicy kick to apple slices and yogurt parfaits.

WILD MAINE BLUEBERRIES Director of School Nutrition for RSU 14 Windham in Maine Jeanne Reilly was on hand at the Wild Blueberries booth, handing out samples of the fruit. Small but full of flavor, the blueberries are perfect for muffins, parfaits and more, Reilly said.

SPREADABLE CHEESE Land O'Lakes was handing out sam- ples of its new spreadable cheese. This savory spread can be used as a dip for bagels, chips, veggies and more.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BENITA GINGERELLA AND WILD BLUEBERRIES (BOTTOM CENTER)

Award-Winning Feta and Tzatziki Dip

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COMMUNITY SPIRIT IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE MORRISON HEALTHCARE TEAM, WHO STRIVE TO BRING MOMENTS OF JOY TO PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BY JULIANNE PEPITONE ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S NORTHWEST HOSPITAL: CARING FOR KIDS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE OPERATIONS FOODSERVICE OPERATION OF THE MONTH

W e take care of the little people—and the peo- ple who take care of the little people.” That’s the daily motto for the Morrison Healthcare team providing the foodservice at Arkansas Children’s Hospital North- west, says Food Service Director Megan Herrmann. Because it takes a special person to work at a children’s hospital: to set a toddler up for their third chemothera- py treatment, to dress a child’s painful burn, to comfort young patients’ fam- ilies on what may be the most difficult day of their lives. It takes more than a village. It takes a community. That whole-community spirit is the driving force for Herrmann’s team, who focus on bringing moments of joy to their pediatric patients, nour- ishing the physicians and staff who care for the kids, and inviting in neigh- borhood businesses to participate in special events. “I think it’s important to share the wealth and spread the joy wherever you can,” says Herrmann. “Since we opened, we’ve challenged ourselves to think outside the box, and to bring peo- ple together.” Since Arkansas Children’s North- west’s opening in Springdale in 2018— as the region’s only children’s hospital and only 24/7 pediatric emergency room—the foodservice team has held "

Chef Cody Dodson hands out cookies to patients and learns more about them during "rounds."

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MORRISON HEALTHCARE

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OPERATIONS

The Morrison Healthcare team often hosts special events complete with fun new menu items to brighten patients' days.

scores of events like a Mother’s Day charcuterie board sale , holiday mar- kets, and special meals. Perhaps the quintessential exam- ple, however, is a summer pig roast and luau that truly brought together the foodservice team’s three areas of focus: patients and their families, hospital staff and community businesses. Executive Chef Cody Dodson was buzzing after attending a Morrison research and development program called MasterWorks, and Herrmann had just returned from a vacation in Hawaii. They decided to purchase a whole local pig, roast it Hawaiian style and serve Kalua pulled pork in the hospital’s courtyard. Dodson shared the plan with a hospital staffer who is from the Marshall Islands (Springdale has a sizable Marshallese population). The staffer loved the idea and asked: “Do you need hula dancers? Because I know some.” The luau was on, complete with a hula. Families gathered to dine on the pork from the local farmer, doctors and nurses spent some time in the sun, and pediatric patients enjoyed the show. For the second half, the dancers moved inside to perform for patients unable to come to the courtyard. The team no- ticed a patient clapping and giggling— and the patient’s mother weeping.

“

I think it’s important to share the wealth and spread the joy wherever you can. Since we opened, we’ve challenged ourselves to think outside the box, and to bring people together.”

- Megan Herrmann

“The mom came up to us and said, ‘I just want to thank you guys. This is the first time that they’ve been out of their room in four days. They don't want to come out of the room. But seeing these girls dance completely changed them,’” Dodson recalls. “That’s why we do these things: to help our kids here enjoy life,” he adds. “Meanwhile we’re supporting the farmer, we're supporting the local hula club, and we're getting the community together to experience something that they probably would have never seen outside of the hospital.” ‘THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN PIECE’ Not every day is a special event, but the

foodservice team works to make Ar- kansas Children’s Northwest’s patients and families feel special every day. Dodson performs “rounds” like those of the physicians in the hospital, meeting most of the patients one-on- one. While handing out oatmeal choc- olate chip cookies encased in a package depicting Dodson as a superhero, he’ll introduce himself, learn patients’ pref- erences and meet their families. “You see them frequently, and you see the stress and the anguish that the family goes through right along with the child. We try to ease that as much as we can through food,” Herrmann says. “Some kids come in and all they want is a few bites of ramen noodles. We

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OPERATIONS ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S NORTHWEST HOSPITAL: CARING FOR KIDS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE

“ As a culture, we’ve gotten away from playing with your food and having fun. But when they got to play with their food, it became something fun and led to them eating—which was life-changing.” - Chef Cody Dodson

will go to the store and get them ramen noodles, because our goal is to comfort them with what they want.” Recently, the mother of one young patient came to the team with news and gratitude: Her child had gone from four tube feedings a day to just one— because they enjoyed the new menu so much and actually wanted to eat. They especially loved a French toast-style bread pudding that Dodson created in individualized loaf pans to main- tain an appealing texture, as well as a paintable ketchup. “We gave them the ketchup with these tiny pastry brushes, and they could paint it on their chicken tenders,” Dodson says. “As a culture, we’ve got- ten away from playing with your food and having fun. But when they got to play with their food, it became some- thing fun and led to them eating— which was life-changing.” The child’s mother couldn’t wait to share that their tube feedings had declined by 75%. It’s moments like these—and others such as watching a child ring a bell after completing cancer treatment—that both remind the Mor- rison team why they’re here and drive their inspiration for future planning. “We’re lucky because we have that purpose-driven piece of our jobs here,” Herrmann says. “It’s giving me goose- bumps right now to think of it: We’re on our second wave of new families, and we get to know some of them so well that they come down to see us in the kitchen. It feels good to be a bright spot in the difficult days.” “We take care of the little people—and the people who take care of the little people.”

GET TO KNOW MORRISON HEALTHCARE AT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S NORTHWEST HOSPITAL’S MEGAN HERRMANN

See what’s in store for Herrmann’s operation, which was named FSD’s June Foodservice Operation of the Month. Q: What is it that makes your operation excel? Our team shows up here for the kids. They have a reason that is far beyond a paycheck, and so we have a team of people who really cares. We have a solid, strong team of people dedicated to making sure patients are taken care of. Our patient satisfaction scores are really high, and they've been consistently high for years. Now, you can't make that happen with one person. We would not be able to do all these cool things we do if I didn't have my team, which is made up of diverse backgrounds and people. I truly think the more diverse your team, the better— especially in food. That's what makes food so amazing: Everyone wants to try these different flavors and new dishes. The mix of people keeps it exciting. Q: What are your goals for the operation in the coming year? I want to make sure, as an operator, that I'm providing quality of life for my people. Frontline folks might clock in and out and do their 40 hours. But for managers in foodservice, you can end up working a lot. So, I’m in a mode right now of doing that gut check and making sure that what I'm asking of my team is doable because I want their personal and family life to come first. That can be hard in food service: There's always a fire somewhere, always some kind of problem you can tackle. But if that starts to bleed into their home life, it’ll affect work. When everything’s going well at home, they’ll be more impactful at work. So, I'm really coming into this like: We can still push the envelope, work hard, and do really cool stuff, but there's a different way to go about it. You don’t have to stress out your team by constantly asking for too much.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MORRISON HEALTHCARE

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IN CASE YOU’RE NOT UP ON GEN Z LINGO, THAT MEANS “DELICIOUS.” TAKE A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES OF CORNELL CAFÉ, WHERE THE SODEXO TEAM KEEPS IT FRESH, SIMPLE AND CUSTOMIZABLE. BY TARA FITZPATRICK HOW ROLLINS COLLEGE’S TEX-MEX CONCEPT WON LOYAL FANS WITH 'BUSSIN'' MEALS

T he most-popular retail dining spot on the Rollins College Florida campus is clearly Cor- nell Café, the Tex-Mex concept where tortillas are made by hand every day and special diets are easily accommodated. At a juncture in college dining where streamlining, technology and even AI are entering the chat, Cornell Café is proudly harkening back to the old- school ways of Mexican comfort food. It’s located in the Cornell Sciences building on the north end of campus, and its busiest times of day are between noon and 2 p.m. and again between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. “The food here is bussin’! It’s so good and the guac is delicious,” one student raved in a recent survey. An- other student was impressed by the staff, especially, stating “the workers at Cornell Café are absolutely incredible and they work so hard every day.” The hard work shines through in touches like the handmade tortillas, fresh fried tortilla bowls and chips, fresh sliced meats and veggies, and the signature pico de gallo and guacamole, each made from scratch. Students no- tice the attention to detail, and the con- cept has won a loyal following. Fun limited-time offers every two weeks keep things interesting for cus- tomers, and have included warm chur- ros, Buffalo chicken quesadillas, cevi- che tacos and chicken tortilla soup. Using a Chipotle-style assembly line, meals can be tailored to tastes with numerous configurations that can accommodate dietary preferences like vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and glu-

ten-free. Students order a lot of cus- tomizable quesadillas filled with not just cheese, but beans, chicken, guaca- mole or rice. Sodexo Retail Manager Paolo Ruvo- lo has found that this model really suits the student or faculty member who is “looking for a healthy and hearty meal on the run,” he said, adding that the fresh tortillas are totally worth it. “The taste and smell of a house-made tortilla are unbeatable, and students love how fresh they are.” From a labor standpoint, Tex-Mex is a good cuisine due to its simplicity. “The flavors come from the fresh- ness of the ingredients,” Ruvolo said,

“so, the food prep and assembly are straightforward.” New employees first train on the register to learn the menu. Then, they shadow senior cooks until they’ve mas- tered the process and begin to work in- dependently during non-rush hours. Ruvolo said that while mobile order- ing is available, delivery is not currently a focus, and that’s intentional. “Cornell Café doesn’t offer a de- livery option because dining is an in- tegral part of a residential liberal arts experience,” he said. “Getting students out of their rooms and into the com- munity is an intentional aspect of our education model.”

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SODEXO

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“Basically, think of [AI] as your friend who knows everything and likes to tell you about it, right or wrong,” he said. “There are inherent risks with AI because it pulls everything from the in- ternet and weird stuff is out there.” Terronezalso uses AI to translate training videos recorded in English into other languages. After recording the video in English, he uses an AI transla- tor platform to translate it into the lan- guage(s) needed. “Everybody usually has someone where English probably isn’t their first language, and this is just something that could help with that,” he noted. 2 COMING UP WITH MENU IDEAS When the district began roll- ing out breakfast in the classroom, some teacherswere hesitant about im- plementing the program because they were worried about the meals making a mess. In response, Terronez decided to fill the breakfast in the classroom menu with mess-free recipes and turned to Chat GPT to help him brainstorm. “I asked it for school breakfast ideas where mess is minimal and it [gave me] ideas,” he said. Similar to using the program for training, operators still need to re- view and edit Chat GPT’s responses as needed, Terronez advised, but it can, “help get the ball rolling” when trying to come up with ideas for new menu items. 3 CREATING CONTENT FOR WEBSITES, NEWSLETTERS AND MORE Outside of the kitchen, Assistant Director Adrea Katzenmeier uses Chat GPT to create content for things like the nutrition team’s website, job fair flyers and the quarterly employee newsletter by simply entering in a prompt about what she wants the content to be about. During the session, she showed how she recently used it to create a page on their website about the district’s upcoming summer meals program by simply typing in the information she wanted Chat GPT to include. “I'm pretty much feeding it all that information, the details of our sites, the dates, the times, all the informa- tion that parents might want to know, and then out pops some good content in great formatting that I can use by copying and pasting into my website and reviewing and editing as needed,” she said.

THE TEAM NOW USES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR EVERYTHING FROM TRAINING TO NEWSLETTERS. 3 WAYS THE NUTRITION TEAM AT WICHITA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS UTILIZING AI

1 SIMPLIFYING TRAINING At Wichita, employees have varying levels of skill in the kitchen. Chef Andrew Terronez has turned to Chat GPT to help him simplify recipes and other instructions for staff who may not have as much kitchen experience as some of their peers. Terronezwill sim- ply tell the AI-enabled chat platform to rewrite recipes into an easier-to-follow format, and the program will provide a simplified version. While the tech is helpful, Terronez cautions that operators need to double check its work and make sure it con- tains no errors or misinformation. For example, there have been instances where Chat GPT has put things in Cel- sius, Terronez said.

W hile AI is still in its infan- cy, some school nutrition operators are embracing the tech and have already begun to incorporate it into their day-to-day operations. During the School Nutrition Associ- ation’s (SNA) Annual National Confer- ence (ANC) held this week in Boston, members of the nutrition team at Wich- ita Public Schools in Wichita, Kansas, shared how they’re utilizing Chat GPT and other AI platforms to help them with everything from employee train- ing to creating content for newsletters. Here's some ways the team is em- bracing artificial intelligence. BY BENITA GINGERELLA

Chef Andrew Terronez shared how he has used AI for training and more during the SNA's 2024 ANC.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BENITA GINGERELLA

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BARBECUE WITHOUT BORDERS: METZ CHEFS INSPIRED BY WEST AFRICAN TRADITIONS

IN THE RED, WHITE & TASTE PROMOTION CELEBRATING THE SUMMER GAMES IN FRANCE, METZ CULINARY MANAGEMENT’S SEASONAL FESTIVITIES FOCUS ON WEST AFRICAN BARBECUE PLATES, ALONG WITH FAMILIAR REGIONAL AMERICAN VARIATIONS ON THE SMOKY THEME.

B arbecue is an American legacy, but the smoky science and art of the ‘cue stretches far beyond our borders. Different regions of barbecue in this country can be vastly different as it is—think East- ern Carolina’s sauce vs. the western part—and the chefs of Metz Culinary Management are taking it even further for a summer promotion that will touch on barbecue around the globe, with a big focus on West Africa. The “Red, White & Taste” summer promotion, taking place now until Aug. 11, will bring smoky, succulent bar- becue goodness to all Metz corporate and onsite kitchens with a dozen dif- ferent, internationally inspired, bar- becue-based entrees along with other classic summertime staples. Metz Corporate Chef Xavier Smith sees this as an opportunity to “excite diners who have never encountered these wonderful international flavor profiles, as well as delight those who are familiar with them, but seldom find them,” he says, sharing credit with the team who developed the recipes, Culi- BY TARA FITZPATRICK

BEEF SUYA

nary Director John Selick and Health- care Division Chef Hannah Avarez. Proteins are being provided by Brookwood Farms in Siler City, NC, where Jerry Wood founded the busi- ness in 1978 and has passed it down through four generations of pitmasters dedicated to pit-smoked Southern bar- becue. Their methods, which haven’t changed much in those decades, in- clude stainless steel pit ovens heated by hickory charcoal. Starting with a familiar American barbecue plate, pulled pork and baked beans, the promotion takes off on an international flight from there with barbecue inspiration mainly from West Africa, a bit of Vietnam (lettuce cups with pulled meat inside) and a few re- gional American barbecue dishes for good measure. Barbecue seems like a fitting way to celebrate the international nature of the Summer Games, Smith finds, “bringing people from around the world to share their lives and experiences. We wanted this year’s Red, White and Taste pro- motion to give diners a taste of that.” Here’s a taste of some of the items from the promotion:

This West African dish of spiced beef studded with sweet potatoes and on- ions is set apart from the crowd with suya sauce, made with coconut milk, peanuts and cilantro. Suya, also known as tchintchinga, is traditionally mar- inated meat threaded on skewers to cook, and originated in Northern Ni- geria, spreading over West Africa and Sudan as time went by. It’s current- ly one of the best-known Nigerian street foods. Suya spice, or Yahi, like many spice blends, varies by region. You can find Suya spice in specialty stores, or make an approximation with cayenne pepper, onion powder, ground ginger, white pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, bouillon cubes and peanut powder.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF METZ CULINARY MANAGEMENT AND SHUTTERSTOCK (TOP RIGHT)

A street market in Senegal.

BEEF DIBI

AKARA BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS

AFRICAN VEGETABLE AND PEANUT STEW

Dibi is a Senegalese dish traditionally made with lamb and usually sold by street vendors and served in a brown paper bag to catch all the delicious drip- pings. It’s also called Afra in other parts of Africa, like Guinea and Gambia. The meat is cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with a mustard-based rub be- fore grilling. Since Senegal is a former French colony, you will often see Dibi served on a baguette as a sandwich.

A West African version of hushpuppies crossed with beignets, these fritters are savory, spicy and fluffy inside with a crunchy exterior. These are traditional- ly a breakfast item, but would fit the bill for an appetizer as well. They’re known as akla in Ghana, Kosai in Cameroon and Bean Akara in Sierra Leone, and have also made their way to Brazil, as acaraje, where they’re sliced open and stuffed with avocado or shrimp.

This could be the dish most Americans have tried as an intro to West African cuisine. Also known as Maafe, sauce d’arachide or tigadeguena, this stew is a cozy staple that’s easy for American chefs to make in one pot for a flavor- ful—and easily vegan—dish. In Sene- gal, it’s served family-style, over rice or couscous. Its cultural cousins include Filipino Chicken Adobo and Hungarian Chicken Paprikash.

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