Continuing MMI Preparatory School’s focus on a more sustainable, healthier food program, the school hosted guest chefs Tuesday who crafted a special and healthy “build a sandwich” menu for the students. The guest chef program is part of the three-year plan undertaken by MMI Preparatory School to provide preferable food to student body and staff in a more sustainable manner.
“Even on a typical day at MMI, our chef, Theresa Kairewich, and kitchen staff prepare scratch-made lunches using locally sourced ingredients to provide nutritious meals for our students,” said MMI Head of School Thomas G. Hood. “We placed an emphasis on nutrition starting in the fall of 2014 because research shows that eating healthy meals helps children and teens grow, develop, and perform well academically,” Hood said.
Organic flatbreads, turkey sausage, marinated grilled chicken, roasted spring vegetables, as well as a variety of sauces, toppings, and salads were all on the menu crafted by Chef, Kevin Ruch, from “14 Acre Farm Gourmet Eatery” in Lehighton with assistance from Culinary Institute of America-trained Chef, Mikel Percy.
“Welcoming guest chefs to the kitchen gives us an opportunity to provide our students and staff with different, delicious foods. Our three-year plan to make MMI’s food service program more sustainable, healthy, and locally sourced has lead the school to focus more on where our food comes from, how it is made, and what we do to ensure environmentally sound practices,” Hood said.
Chef Ruch can usually be found at 14 Acre Farm in Summit Hill, which he founded with his wife Sara in 2004, or at their latest venture, 14 Acre Farm Gourmet Eatery in Lehighton. Completely organic, 14 Acre Farm grows more than 200 varieties of fresh, chemical-free produce each year and offers farm-to-table catering, as a well as a summertime program on sustained agriculture. The Ruch’s have enjoyed 11 years of success in Carbon County and are committed to growing, baking, and cooking with the best local ingredients they can get their hands on. For more information about 14 Acre Farm and 14 Acre Farm Gourmet Eatery, visit www.14acrefarm.com.
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