French Inspired Menu Wins Sodexo Sponsored Kitchen Wars Challenge at Lakewood High School in New Jersey
Sodexo partnership with Lakewood Public School District focuses on culinary skills and creating awareness of healthy food
GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 30, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life and student nutrition to nearly 400 school districts throughout the U.S, recently hosted The Kitchen Wars Challenge for Lakewood High School students in Lakewood, New Jersey. Teams of seven submitted recipes to compete in the “At the Movies...” themed event. Chef G. Garvin joined Diane Piasentini, Kevin Campbell, and Laura Winters from the Lakewood Public School District (LPSD) to serve as guest judges to determine the best team based on taste, presentation from the students, plate appearance, recipe knowledge and decor of their station.
This year’s winner chose Beauty and the Beast for its movie theme and created a French inspired menu. The winning team received $1,856.00, a percentage of ticket sales from the nearly 400 attendees, which they will donate to three student clubs. HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America), FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) and Interact, will each benefit from the win.
“I’ve been to all the Kitchen wars since they started and this was the most people they have had so far. The community really came out,” explained Laura Winters, Lakewood public school district superintendent. “Sodexo really outdid themselves this year,” added Winters.
Kitchen Wars is one of several innovative food and nutrition programs Sodexo supports within the Lakewood Public Schools District. A partner for more than 20 years, Sodexo also provide free nutritious breakfast and lunch for over 5,000 students a day in addition to operating a summer feeding program.
This year Sodexo created a curriculum for structured learning experiences (SLE’s) targeting juniors and seniors that may not be going to college. This program gives interested students a full training in the kitchen and provides them with ServeSafe certification and school credit.
“Supporting the communities we serve is a core Sodexo value,” said Cory Goldfarb, Sodexo general manager. He continued, “The Kitchen Wars Challenge is a fun and exciting way to engage today’s youth while creating awareness about healthy food choices, nutrition and cultural awareness.”
-XXX-
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 133,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $30 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoInsights.com and connect with us on Facebook and @SodexoUSA on Twitter.
