Fall Chef Series 2013
Event on 2013-09-19 19:00:00
Calling all cooks and foodies … we’ve got the perfect recipe for a great evening!
Campus Cuisine by Hollyberry invites you to the first event of our “Fall Chef Series!” Join us for a FREE fun-filled and informative evening of culinary demonstrations in the Westminster Cafe focused on the benefits of using fresh ingredients in cooking, advantages of organic farming, and details of the increasingly popular slow-food movement. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste the dishes prepared and demonstrated by our guest chef, as well as tour the recently dedicated student and community garden on Westminster’s campus.
Chef Robert Rusan, September 19th, 7:00pm in the Cafe
We are eager to introduce you to a person who has inspired both the inception of Campus Cuisine, and also has been a tremendous resource for our own WCA Student and Community Garden – Chef Robert Rusan! Chef Robert is the district chef at Maplewood -Richmond Heights School District. His menus have been making waves for over 6 years, and his recipes are winning over a staff and a community.
Maplewood School District was a failing district a few years ago, but with the help of a vision from former Superintendent Linda Henke and Chef Robert Rusan, the district is now flourishing – literally! Chef Robert Rusan started preparing the food for the Maplewood/Richmond Heights school district's Healthy Eating with Local Produce program, a three-year grant program at its inception six years ago. "The district was interested in changing the way kids eat and what they eat," Rusan said.
Twenty-five percent of the foods served in the program are locally grown and obtained from local farmers and local stores. Healthy Eating with Local Produce also uses food grown in its own gardens and the honey in its dishes comes from its own beehives! Rusan said an emphasis on the natural allows students to enjoy the food in its original texture and taste, unlike processed foods. He also said the attitude of the students has been great. "We've faced very little rebellion, he said. When we started this, we changed the menu gradually so that the kids could get used to it."
The Campus currently has multiple gardens, including a Pizza garden complete with tomatoes, basil and a stone oven! Teachers use the garden for classes from Math concepts to Science lessons, and they even grow various types of plants inspired from historical or literature references. The school even houses a Tilapia farm on campus!
But the best part is that the concept of Garden to Table is connected to the Cafeteria on an everyday basis. Chef Robert says, "I want the students to be aware of good food, balanced food. I want them to realize the food pyramid can be adapted to each person's taste. I want them to know – what all kinds of food are and not push them away. I want them to connect with healthy eating with how they feel and the imporance of eating right. I just want them to know when they go in the store and out into the world that they have options."
Come meet Chef Rusan- and bring a friend -I guarantee you will not forget it!
Sincerely,
Holly Cunningham and the Campus Cuisine Team
Content for above from Sauce Magazine and Zoominfo.com
at Westfminster Christian Academy – Town & County Campus
800 Maryville Centre Drive
Chesterfield, United States