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  • From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Chefs and parents plot a lunch revolution
  • Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:02:57 -0600


Chefs and parents plot a lunch revolution at one D.C. public school
by Ed Bruske 21 Jul 2010 4:00 AM
http://www.grist.org/article/food-chefs-and-parents-plot-lunch-revolution-at-D.C.-public-school/

A group of prominent Washington, D.C.-area restaurant chefs has volunteered
to introduce a novel concept in school-food service to one Capitol Hill
elementary school: collaborating with parents to take over kitchen operations
on a nonprofit basis, replacing the prepackaged, reheated factory meals that
Tyler Elementary kids currently eat with food cooked from scratch, served on
real plates with real cutlery.

Led by Cathal Armstrong, chef and owner of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Va.,
the group would undo the historically knotty issue of school food finances by
putting parents to work in the cafeteria as voluteers, and using the savings
in labor to buy better food, much of it from local growers. The proposal has
been approved by D.C. Public Schools' food services division but is still
being reviewed by the procurement division -- meaning much paperwork, red
tape, and potential snags remain between now and August 23, when classes
resume.

Cathal Armstrong on a visit to TylerChef Cathal Armstrong on a recent visit
to TylerArmstrong, who was a 2009 James Beard nominee for "Best Mid-Atlantic
Chef," is an outspoken advocate of fresh, local foods. He sits on the board
of Fresh Farm Markets, which operates several farmers markets in the city.
His involvement with Tyler Elementary stems from a meeting last year with
White House assistant chef and food advisory Sam Kass, whose title was
recently upgrade to senior policy adviser For Healthy Food Initiatives. This
appears to be the first time that First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity
campaign has extended its reach into a school food service operation.






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