What a picture perfect weekend we just had, the weather was a little cool and the wind was gusting, but the sun was shining and the cool fall air felt great! Friday was Founder’s Day at the Mount in celebration of the Sisters of Saint Joseph starting their Academy for Young Women 153 years ago, and Sunday was our open house. Open house is the day we show off our school and all it has to offer, and my Culinary Club has been part of Open House for the past three years.
I have to give a huge thanks to the Parents at the Mount for all their hard work and dedication, and it was my privilege to work with them today as they prepared all of the tasty treats served to our visitors. They did such a great job of decorating the Mount as well, you could really feel the season.
I had four of my culinary students working our table at open house, but as I looked around the room I saw so many more of my students representing other clubs in the school. I am fortunate to have such an outstanding group of young women as my students, their strength, and confidence shines through in everything they do. But it wasn’t just my students that made me swell with pride, but all of our girls did such a fine job representing the school. This was such a great day for me, as I got to speak with many of hte new parents as they told me just how happy their daughters were with the food we served. That’s not something you here everyday about school lunches. I also had a steady stream of visiting parents coming by to meet me, because of all the wonderful things the students of the Mount had told them about their school lunches during the tour.
I was recently telling a new friend about my job, and they questioned how I could be happy making school lunches, how could it satisfy my creative need and stroke my ego. It made me laugh, what I told them was, not only am I allowed the freedom to create my menu, but encouraged by my company to be creative, to think outside the box, to take my meals to another level. So in that respect I am very fortunate, I’ve worked for a few other food services companies and believe me it’s not always that way. I told him that I’m also in a position where I can greatly impact someone’s day with a meal or even a cookie.
Where else can food mean so much that it makes your day, do you remember when life was that simple? No, I told him….. I’m where I belong.
Now this is where I get on my soap box and tell you about how lucky I am to be working for a company that believes that school lunches should be healthy and delicious, and that gives me the freedom to tailor my menu’s to my girls at the Mount. In case your wondering, that would be Flik Independent School Dining. We don’t receive a standard menu that’s followed by the entire company (some companies actually believe that they should be able to get the same meal at any of their accounts on the same day any where in the country) , how sad would that be. Part of feeding a school is learning about their eating habits, the other part is teaching them how to eat good foods……and that part is not always easy! But my girls have plenty of options, and really isn’t part of teaching them to eat giving them choices?
Cubano Panini
Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella
Moroccan Vegetable Wrap
We have at least two types of pizza every day, and occasionally stromboli’s. Pasta with two sauces is always available, and this year they are loving whole wheat pasta!
Pizza Margarita
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Our list of entries vary according to the season, Asian and Mexican themed lunches are always a hit, and although they don’t get it as often as they would like, buffalo chicken tenders and our famous walking taco’s do make an appearance.
Oven Roasted Salmon
Philly Style Roast Pork with homemade potato chips
Then of course there is the salad bar, with a variety of roasted vegetables, fresh cut fruit, tofu, hummus, and whole grain salads. Did I mention that Flik Independent School Dining won the National Whole Grain Challenge? One of our schools did win that honor, we serve whole grains at every meal. Of course there is a home made soup every day too, and more than half the time its a vegetarian option!
Salad Bar
Mexican Quinoa
Fresh cut Fruit
Of course we always make room for dessert, and my girls do love dessert. Cupcakes have always been a favorite, but this year they finally found out how good bread pudding is. They do love our classics, peanut butter pie, toll house cookie pie, and of course the Sundae Bar. We do offer whole fruit, low fat yogurt parfaits, and sugar free fruit yogurt. Of course no school is complete without puddings, and jello, but we take it one step further by offering sugar free puddings and mousse. But there all time favorite are still the Mount
Bread Pudding
Peanut Butter Pie
Sundae Bar
My culinary classes start this week, it looks like we have close to 80 girls signed up for classes for the third year in a row, our new students will begin their training with basics, knife handling, sanitation safety, prepping veggies for all uses, and of course sauces. My second and third year students will be challenged this year, they will work in teams be given recipes and work independently to make the recipe they have been given. I will keep you updated on their progress!
The Mount’s Top Chefs!
Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you enjoyed your little tour of some of our school lunches, my girls do love to eat and I love feeding them, it’s a match made in heaven!
Have a wonderful happy week my friends and until next time, stay full and stay safe,
I teach at a high school. We could use you! Great job
Wonderful! Lunch at your school sounds delicious! I’m glad you’re enjoying the students AND the creativity!
I loved hearing about your open house Chef Dennis. I think teaching kids to eat properly and how much social value food has can be incredible. Food connects us, brings us together when things are good, when things are bad. It’s such a memory stimulant. One smell and we can be transported to another time. You’re creating memories those girls will look back on and cherish forever. Sounds like an amazing job to me. Plus look at all that incredible food. Heck of a perk.
Heavenly lunches! Dennis, your blog looks more beautiful than ever and I so enjoyed reading about your open house. Yes, you are where you belong! And what a blessing it is for you as well as the girls! You are all living deliciously – may you savour every moment!
I must say, those are some lucky ladies to be able to enjoy your dishes for a school lunch, Chef! I think that if you were serving me in school, I probably wouldn’t graduate because I wouldn’t want to leave those lunches behind!!!
I only hoped there was an invitation tucked in somewhere for me! That lunch looks fabulous!
Glad the open house was such a success! You are lucky to be able to create your own menu-that alone would make it very worthwhile endeavor. By the looks of the food, it is hard not to like the menu!
Wish my lunches looked like that
Your students are lucky indeed to be served such wholesome, delicious food. I can tell you, it’s a far cry from what was on on offer in my high school cafeteria! I can’t imagine any more important work than nourishing kids and educating their palates.
I’ll just echo what KimBee said! Truly, you’re giving these girls a skill that will carry them for a life time. The other classes are important, but I don’t know that being able to tell the difference between a metamorphic or igneous rock affects my day-to-day living. Cooking well; I know that does. (I could still use a bit of help with the knife handling so I may show up there someday.)
Gosh, what a terrific seleiction. Bravo! Even better, it’s wonderful that the girls have an opportunity to learn culinary skills, which will serve them well throughout their lives.
Wow, Chef. This post has me thinking back to the school lunches I used to have and just thinking back to how unhealthy it all was, pizza, french fries, taco bell, and burgers. I love what you are preparing for these young ladies. Not only are these girls learning how to eat right, but they also get to eat all of your delicious food!
Lucky, lucky girls at the Mount! And what a service you are doing for them – giving them life-long appreciation of what really good food is. I’m guessing these girls will not settle for going through the drive-through.
The food in this post looks absolutely deliciously wonderful! Oh my, Mexican quinoa and Cubano paninis?! I’ll be there for lunch! Those are some lucky girls…
What a great post! I also worked for Compass Group (through Eurest at one of their major accounts in the Pacific NW) and I was just telling a friend last night that it was, overall, my most satisfying placement in my culinary career. You’re very lucky that you’re able to teach as well – keep up the great work with your girls!
Chef Dennis, your gals are so lucky to have you at the Mount. Giving them your best and all those healthy yet delicious lunches you serve them
If I am the parent, I would surely want to meet you in person. I enjoy reading your write out on the open house that you had at the Mount. Thank you and I am happy that your enjoy your job..like I always say ” I want to be in your shoe ” can?
Have a nice day Chef,
Elin
Wonderful!
Lucky girls and lucky parents! Beautiful looking food.
I am so glad that you and your team are offering healthy school lunches. I mean, quinoa, fresh fruit and salads – the students look like they’re eating at the Whole Foods Salad Bar! More schools should do what you guys are doing. Good luck!!
I think you have an incredibly difficult job–I was a terribly picky eater at that age! They’re lucky to have that variety and quality of food.
so wish I was eating at your school for lunch. Everything looks fabulous!
Chef,
Your girls are so lucky to have such a talented chef cooking for them and giving them many food options, that most students at other other schools would be green with envy. Also, giving the girls, the opportunity to learn many important culinary skills, which will follow them through life. And even some may follow in your footsteps, and go to Culinary School.
Good variety dishes, surely will satisfy everyone’s palate. Thanks for sharing.
Chef, You most certainly are right where you ought to be. How fortunate you are to have an employer who gives you free reign to cook from your heart outside the mold of institutional cafeterias AND a student body who embraces your dining philosophy. Bravo good man!
Oh wow, that peanut butter pie with whipped cream is making my mouth water!
It’s not something you find often here in Australia. What an amazing bunch of young chefs.
Your girls are soooooo lucky, and so are you. Thanks for the tour!
Can I grab a tray and get in the line, please. Looks great over there, hope you are having a great week.
-Gina-
i know you have impacted your girls in more ways than you may ever realize, just another way you shine your light the way you do…..everything looks STELLAR, what a blessing to have such delicious and healthy food to choose from…..you rock D
That is totally awesome! My kids would devour your lunches! You are doing an amazing job and should feel totally proud that you are feeding such healthy meals to these kids. I salute you!
Oh my, the cubano panini, the pizza margarita, bread pudding… it is all wonderful! I wish I was attending that school. Great job Chef D! The girl are beautiful
Hey Chef, I really need to check in with you more often, just browsing through your blog inspires me in so many ways. What your doing for school lunches is awesome. Looking at those sandwiches and comparing them to what is on offer at my daughters school is totally night and day. Thank goodness she is far more content helping me make her lunch each morning and I know exactly what she will be eating even if she eats it backwards
I think the problem with our school lunches are that they are driven by older members of the boards and who think that mushy green beans and chicken fingers are quite acceptable for our kids. What we need is an injection of new ideas and formats coming from the type of chefs you proudly show above. Young and fresh, just like our veggies should be like! Sorry for the rant…
Take care..
Amazing food and amazing work you do! What’s cool too is these young ladies will teach what they learn from you and your programs to others – their friends, families and future coworkers.
Having a centralized menu offering the same standardized product to every location on any given day is the philosophy of fast food chains, and the difference in quality is obvious. With all of the obesity, eating disorders and other health problems we face as a nation, we would be much better off if more schools followed your example.
Dennis I simply love this and will need to restrain myself to not write too much here. One does not have to watch too much on the news to know the nutritional crisis our school children are in. A combination of what is made available to them and frankly I suspect a skewed palate developed over a duration of eating sub par food. It’s clear from your description and photos you are offering them a wide variety of well balanced and delicious food, allowing them to try new fabulous things as well. Top that off with the skills you are offering your culinary students that most adults don’t get in their normal living. You are setting these girls up for success now and also to go out into the world with a wonderfully developed palate and knowledge to experience food and take care of themselves.
I think it’s so odd that people think so much about what kind of gas they put into their car and don’t take pause to realize what one eats is the same thing. If we don’t fuel ourselves correctly or well, we can’t function to our optimum. You are training these girls to crave good food so they can do all they are able to do! Rock Star.
That’s not like any school lunch I have ever seen! You should see what they serve at traditional schools if you haven’t already. (I’m sure you know all about it…) It’s pathetic and I wouldn’t care if it were free.
I’m loving that buffalo chicken pizza!
All looks great! What kind of bread are you using on you Cuban Panini’s? They look so good I would like to try them out myself.
I use Baguette’s for those sandwiches, they seem to hold up the best for this sandwich, thanks!
Yessir, those girls are pretty dang lucky! All this food is just gorgeous! My college cafeteria was managed by a Stouffer’s company and it was very good, but this is wonderful. Bet you get lots of guest diners!
Doing what you love, that’s a blessing. Not to mention those deliciously looking dishes. The girls are so lucky to eat such great food every day…
I just love Buffalo chicken pizza. It’s truly the best of both worlds, isn’t it? Might not be great for you but whoa, does it taste great!!! Sounds like fun doings at the Mount. Congrats on the anniversary!
Chef, you think your school would take a 47 year old student? I just want to come there for the food
I’m so jealous! Wish I was taking this class!
Oh, my gosh, I want to go to your school!!! The food looks just amazing…and prepared with love. What a service you’re doing for the school and these girls…bravo, Chef Dennis! You are an inspiration!
Such lucky girls! I still use recipes that I learned during cooking class in high school
Ah hello – I want to go to school there and I’m old! I wish my children had choices like that!
When I read this I think Jamie Oliver. I am always excited when you hear about someone making a difference and that is exactly what you’ve got going on at the Mount. You are positively impacting these girls lives and bravo to you for all that you do.
the cubano sandwich looks terrific!
I wish my high school offered such an amazing program like this! And the food for lunch – those girls are so so so lucky!
Very inspiring, Chef. I always love stopping by to get some good ideas…food for thought, if you will. My kids would be over the moon if they had this at their school. It all looks so wonderful, I think the most difficult part would be deciding which dish to eat first! I’m glad to hear everyone is doing well.
I’m back just to drool over the food. Apparently, I like to torture myself by browsing your archives. I need to try your pizza combination. I’m, not sure a pizza has ever tempted me more. Not to mention everything else, but the pizza really caught my attention this time. Have an AWESOME weekend, Chef Dennis! Those girls are so very blessed to have you.
Thanks Mary! The school has been very good for me, really gave my tired career a restart, made me remember why I got into the business.
Chef, you constantly impress me in your kitchen at home, but reading about what you’ve created and the students you’ve touched at school, really hits home with me. I teach at a title one high school, and am a little embarrassed to admit that our school lunches are a far cry from yours. I wish you worked at my school! (Or that I worked at yours!) This all looks delicious.
Reading your post actually makes me want to go back to high school…as long as there’s a culinary program there and you’re teaching it.
Thank you!