For the rest of the school year, Thursdays are "Thursdays in the Kitchen" for our Food Service Department as they continue to try and bring new items and flavors to our school lunch menu!

 

For six Thursdays, from April 24-June 5th, members of our Food Service staff can attend a three-hour cooking lesson in that week's designated school kitchen. On May 1st, around 25 staff members went to Kenmore West for a cooking lesson that revolved around pizzas and calzones. They made: garlic, mushroom, and spinach pizza; philly cheese steak pizzas and calzones; Italian calzones; Alfredo pizza; antipasto salads; and protein power-up balls.

 

 

Over the course of these afternoons, they plan on testing out lasagnas, stuffed shells, sandwiches/wraps, strombolis, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, salads, and more.

 

The purpose of "Thursdays in the Kitchen" is to learn new recipes, learn how to adjust ingredients in recipes, and improve cooking skills.

 

 

These lessons are similar to the Food Service's summer culinary camp held every year in August. During Culinary Camp, staff members make around 20-30 food items/recipes for administrators to taste test and give feedback. Some of those menu items end up on that year's school lunch menu. During the 2024-25 school year, Culinary Camp school lunch menu items included cinnamon and strawberry nachos, kale/apple salad, and honey-roasted squash and potatoes!