Meet Chef Jason. As the Culinary Operations Director for School Nutrition Plus, he is responsible for approximately 20,000 meals per day, focusing on K-12 charter schools in the Los Angeles and Orange County area. It’s no easy task to cater to a dining segment this large, but when schools are on the National School Meal Programs, innovation is key. Read on to find out how Chef Jason went from a Bay Area Top 100 restaurant to creating nutritious dishes for kids, and discover the differences in the two foodservice sectors.
Why do you enjoy working with California walnuts?
I find they’re very versatile and a nice change to the normal day-to-day vegetarian options we provide to students and staff.
Where do you find inspiration for original recipes with walnuts?
A lot of it comes from previous experience with walnuts and other nuts. I try to imagine the texture and flavor profiles of walnuts and how they’ll fit into a school diet. Currently, I’m working on recipe development and aiming to incorporate them into a veggie burger patty as well as a walnut “chorizo” breakfast burrito.
Are allergens a concern for you when working with walnuts?
Allergens are a huge concern for us. A lot of schools have gone nut-free because one or two students have tree nut or peanut allergies. We plan on getting schools excited about incorporating walnuts by showing them how we separate potential allergens when prepping food in our kitchens.
Is your clientele concerned about healthy menu choices?
It runs the spectrum – from schools that back our mission of healthy food and wellness, to parents whose only concern is that their children eat, even if it means serving processed food. Whenever we menu a new item students may not be familiar with, we serve it several times, providing encouragement and education, which helps with acceptance. Many life long eating habits are established by elementary school, so we firmly believe in exposing kids to nutritious food early in life.
What restrictions do you face when cooking in a school setting?
There are many restrictions because we primarily work with schools on the National School Meal Programs. From milk fat content, to the “color” of vegetables we are serving, as well as calories, sodium limits and fat content, they all contain restrictions. Our hands are being tied quite a bit, especially with salt. So, we look for other ways to enhance the flavors of foods, utilizing different acids, fresh herbs, and spices.
Do you have a cooking tip for working with walnuts?
Just be creative. Try not to get stuck in the standalone loop of strictly adding them as a topping. Braise them, roast them, or puree them. Think outside of the box.
What makes you choose to use walnuts over another nut?
Their unique fat content over other nuts provides a great texture without having to add a lot of extra oil.
What is your favorite walnut/food flavor pairing?
Walnuts paired with blue cheese and chocolate. I know it sounds weird, but it works.
What surprises you most about the dining habits of your students and the staff?
The staff often talks about wanting healthier items on the menu. But when I place a fresh salad on the menu next to a cheeseburger, they go straight for the cheeseburger. As for the students, their definition of food seems to be a fast food version. For example, they’ll say they don’t want a taco unless it comes in a Taco Bell wrapper. I think a lot of it has to do with the food deserts and accessibility to healthier options. For families struggling to make ends meet, it’s cheaper and easier for them to go to a drive thru than buy fresh ingredients. And that needs to change!
What do you feel is the next big industry trend?
I feel like we’re coming back around to a time before the industrialization of our food supply. The focus is on fresher, locally sourced items, and made-from-scratch meals. Community gardens are coming back. Schools are also getting in on gardening and developing new programs for aspiring chefs and farmers. People are paying attention to additives and moving away from overly processed foods.
To learn more about Chef Jason read his full bio here
