Today, more than 60 chefs are visiting elementary schools across Chicago to share lessons about healthy eating through fun, interactive lessons with school children through the Chef in the Classroom program.
Chef in the Classroom is a program of the Go for the Gold campaign, a citywide effort to support schools in meeting the high standards for food, physical activity and nutrition education set by the HealthierUS School Challenge, the program First Lady Michelle Obama is urging schools to take on. In particular, Chef in the Classroom is a response to the Chefs Move To Schools initiative launched in June as part of the First Lady's Let's Move initiative to reverse childhood obesity.
After spending the morning connecting with students at their schools,chefs will join their school principals -- along with other chefs and principals from across the city -- for a luncheon celebrating their good work and offering opportunities to develop an ongoing partnership with the school.
The weeks leading up to the event included training sessions to prepare the chefs, who are already stars in the kitchen, shine in the classroom as well. Many chefs will share a lesson developed by Purple Asparagus that includes the award-winning children’s book about making good food choices, Little Pea, written by Chicago author Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
Stay posted for photos and updates! You can also follow Chef in the Classroom day on Twitter.