Fresh Start Brings Local Food to Next Step Charter School

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06.29.2010 --

Photo by Ezra Gregg

Just as discussion of reforming school food heats up, DC Central Kitchen is expanding our pioneering initiative to bring fresh, local food to school cafeterias.

Fresh Start now provides contract food service for Next Step Public Charter School in Columbia Heights. Next Step joins Washington Jesuit Academy, which has contracted with us for several years.

Our approach is unique, combining school nutrition with job creation and investment in growers. When a school like Next Step contracts with Fresh Start, it allows us to hire graduates of our Culinary Job Training Program to cook from scratch on-site at the cafeteria.

“The food is excellent and fresh,” says Principal Susan Espinoza. “It is not greasy or processed. The salad bar is the biggest hit with the kids. They are eating so much salad!”

Next Step serves students who face extraordinary challenges or who are not supported in traditional high schools with the opportunity to continue their education in their native language, whether English or Spanish. Students at Next Step are generally immigrants, ages 15-24, with little or no formal education and low literacy. All staff is bi-lingual, intimately working with students at their own pace as they progress through the six steps to receiving their GED in English and/or Spanish.

Photo by Ezra Gregg

James, a graduate of DC Central Kitchen’s Culinary Job Training program and employee of Fresh Start, transports homemade, locally grown, and seasonable cuisine to Next Step for both breakfast and lunch.

Because Fresh Start is the first non-Hispanic caterer for Next Step, students are exposed to many new foods, such as bulgur, wild rice, and various spices. To encourage student exploration of the new foods, third period teachers provide an explanation of the lunch menu.

“I used to never eat the food at lunch. But I love the salad bar. One day, we had scallops, and another day, we had halibut. The exposure to new food is good and because many students work in restaurants, they appreciate the quality,” says Gonzalo, a student at Next Step.

Staff also enjoy the food with the students. “Students are happy about the new catering and are eating much healthier. They feel special because of the excellent presentation,” says Susan. “It’s great working with an organization that wants to do the right thing.”