Wellness in the Schools

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chef Samantha Rios!

“I’m WITS Chef Samantha, and this rotation I’m working at PS 971K and PS/IS 30 in Brooklyn. I love this job because I dealt with childhood obesity from poor eating habits and I hope presenting the kids healthier meals can combat the epidemic. Before WITS I worked in corporate cafeterias cooking scratch-made food for adults. My favorite food ever is Arroz con Gandules - Yellow Rice with Pigeon Peas a dish that instantly brings me back to my childhood. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my son and walking all over Brooklyn. My favorite moment as a WITS Chef so far has been my entire experience working at PS 971K because the administration and kitchen staff really care about what they do — Cook Vincent even started a School Food Championship program to encourage kids to eat this delicious food!”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

Our team of 100 Wellness in the Schools change agents wishes you and yours a very happy and healthy 2024!

Last chance this year to donate to WITS and give over one million children access to nourishing food and active play in public schools 🧡

wellnessintheschools.org/donate

One of this year’s highlights was developing a new WITS Lab, Pineapple Rice Medley 🍍, based on a recipe now on the NYC school lunch menu through our Chefs in the Schools program (a partnership with and ). The recipe is by Chef Chef Council Member Tyler Ranson of !

WITS Chefs Yamilet Limonta and Mark Bjerke are two of the many who have enjoyed teaching this new Lab. Check out photos from WITS Labs at (NYC) and (CA). 🧑‍🍳

🍏🕎🥔 Celebrating a fantastic week at Rancho Elementary School with Wellness in the Schools! From homemade applesauce to delicious potato latkes, our students are diving into Hanukkah traditions with Chef's guidance. Grateful for these tasty lessons! 👩‍🍳🍽️

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Vanessa Gomez and Frederico Oliveria!

“I’m WITS Chef Vanessa, and I’m at P.S. 186 and PS/MS 208 in Queens. Being a part of WITS is amazing — I love incorporating new and fresh items in the kitchen and seeing the kids eat it all up! Before WITS, I worked at a bakery and decorated cakes (I now have a side cake business called Going Bananis!), and was also a Chef at a nonprofit school for girls who didn’t have the best home life so school was their safe space to try different, “home-cooked” foods. It’s full circle to be back in a school community like the one I grew up in (born and raised in Queens)! Like a true New Yorker, my favorite food is pizza or any type of rice and beans with protein, and I also love hanging out with my friends and trying new places for brunch. As a WITS Chef, some of my favorite moments are sampling days, where I get to engage kids and have something they’ve never had!”

“I’m WITS Chef Frederico, and I’m currently working at Taft High School and PS 313 in the Bronx. I am so grateful and happy to work at WITS and to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of the students and workers. Before WITS I had spent most of my career working in restaurants/hotels learning as much as I could from the amazing chefs I was so fortunate to work with. My favorite food is seafood, if I had to pick just one recipe it would be for salt cod croquettes and when I’m not working you can usually find me outside on a walk or riding my bicycle. Connecting with the kids and talking about food during my recipe samplings are definitely the stand out moments for me!”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Erin Mallare-Lee and Emily Garcia!

“I’m WITS Chef Erin, currently working at P.S. 117 and P.S. 099 Annex in Queens. I chose to work with Wellness In The Schools because I love seeing kids come alive when they see fresh fruits and veggies, and recognize wholesome foods they eat at home. Interacting with the students is my favorite part of the day! Before WITS, I worked in NYC restaurants and enjoyed teaching recreational culinary classes. My all-time favorite dish is whole fried red snapper, Filipino mango relish, and a heaping bowl of steamed white rice. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling with my husband, photography, and karaoke! My “star” moment is when I came back to school after a week and as I was setting up the salad bar, three of my 1st graders ran up and hugged me, telling me how much they missed me!”

“I’m WITS Chef Emily, and right now I’m working at P.S. 160 and P.S. 71 in the Bronx. I love this job because it makes me feel like I’m helping society for the better. Before WITS, I worked in a few restaurants and did private catering events. I had to step away from the food industry for a bit. I was going through cancer at the time, but I love being back in the kitchen. I think my favorite food ever would be onigiri, I had really good ones in Japan and I haven’t been the same since! As for exercise I like to walk as if Pennywise is coming to get me… makes me walk a little bit faster. Outside of work, I love to go to film festivals and concert events. My favorite moments as a WITS Chef are getting to know the cooks in the schools and making fond memories.”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Carlos Ventura and Chandala Waters!

“I’m WITS Chef Carlos, and I’m currently working at Elm Tree Elementary & Newton High School in Queens. I love working with WITS because it allows me to share two of my passions, cooking and nutrition. On this team, I’m able to contribute to the community and most importantly create awareness for young minds of healthy eating habits. It brings me joy when the students are exposed to different types of culturally responsive foods, and I love bringing a smile to their faces when they taste a new WITS Recipe! Before WITS, I worked in restaurants and taught young adults as a culinary arts teacher as well. Outside of work, my favorite workout is strengthening and I am a competitor in powerlifting.”

“I’m WITS Chef Chandala and right now I'm working at P.S. 115 in Manhattan. One of the main reasons why I love working for WITS is our tagline . It’s amazing to make that change in the school systems and pass on my knowledge to cooks. Before WITS I was working at a bakery, thinking about what I could do next to make a difference. Working here, I’ve found that my favorite recipe and food is kale salad and one of my favorite workouts is jumping rope. Outside of work, I enjoy baking at home and enjoying time with family and friends. One of my favorite WITS moments so far is seeing the kids' faces when they try the new recipes and like it. So far, the Pineapple Rice Medley and Kale Salad Recipes are big favorites!”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

We're excited to announce that our Executive Director/Co-Founder Nancy Easton is PUBLISHED! Today, the book "Food Inc 2" is officially released, as a sequel to the award-winning Food, Inc. documentary.

Nancy Easton joins brilliant innovators in documenting how we can create a hopeful new future for food. This book is the perfect roadmap to understanding not only our current dysfunctional food system, but also what each of us can do to help reform it.

It is a huge honor to be among those writing about this great work. Thank you , , & for lifting up Wellness in the Schools.

Books are available at: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/participant/food-inc-2/9781541703575/?lens=publicaffairs

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Lisa Dorvilus and Brandon Draeger!

“I'm WITS Chef Lisa, and right now I'm working at Bronxwood Prep and Bronx Alliance schools. I love this job because I love supporting our NYC public school kitchen staff in providing kids with healthy meals. Before WITS, I was a pastry production cook with Union Square Events and Mahzedahr Bakery and I currently own my own micro Bakery, but I love being in the schools making a difference. My favorite workout is distance running and eating healthy really helps me power through my workouts at the end of the day! Outside of work, I love reading, trying different ethnic cuisines, and watching movies. My favorite moment with WITS so far has been working closely with the cooks here at Bronxwood Prep, preparing a salad bar daily, and hearing from cooks that they are learning a lot and enjoy having Wellness in the Schools in the kitchen.”

“Hi, my name is Brandon Draeger and I am a WITS Chef. I started this job because I am very passionate about providing quality tasting food to the kids of New York. I believe that if a child is full, they will succeed in school. I started my culinary career at a young age, being taught by my Grandmother. She instilled knowledge of healthy eating and sustainability by growing and harvesting what we had on the farm. When I'm not at work, I enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures. The best moment I've experienced during my time with WITS is getting high-fives from the kids every morning!”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

In the spirit of giving thanks this season, we're thankful for who donates the fresh produce and ingredients for our WITS Labs cooking classes in schools. This fall, our WITS Chefs are cooking up a new recipe with students: Pineapple Rice Medley, created by on our NYC Chef Council.

The recipe is now on the public school lunch menu thanks to our Chefs in the Schools program with . This photo is from a WITS Lab at where students helped prepare, tasted, and loved the Pineapple Rice Medley 💛

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Selena Pacheco and Janelle Mitchell!

“I’m WITS Chef Selena, and right now I am working at P.S. 22 and 861 in Staten Island. I love working with schools and children, making an impact on them, and giving them access to new recipes. Getting them to try new items prepared and their feedback is the most honest and pure you could ever imagine. Before WITS, I was both a Patient and School Food Service Manager. Focusing on food production and meal services. My favorite food to eat is rice, rice of any kind, any flavor, any culture. One of my many, hobbies outside of work is scratch baking with my son. We are a nonstop baking force on the weekends! By far, one of the best moments I experienced as a Chef in the schools was at IS 75 during my sampling, when I came out to refill my samples — the students started cheering and clapping saying ‘The Chef is back,’ excited to try another sample!”

“I'm WITS Chef Janelle, and I am working at P.S. 57 and TAG M, both in East Harlem, the community I live in! This is one of the best parts of working in WITS — I am making a difference in the community I live and raise my children in. I love making culturally relevant foods from scratch and ensuring access to healthy fresh food for the children in my neighborhood. I depended on school breakfast and lunch as a child, so it brings me joy to see them line up for the salad bar and choose fresh vegetables. Before WITS, I was a school food service manager and this is what I was meant to do in life, Feed Children! I am a mom of 3 and our favorite meal is baked ziti and homemade garlic bread. My children will eat this every day if I make it for them. One of my favorite moments has been at P.S. 57, where school staff were all looking for me — and asked me to please make some more dressing from scratch! The Honey Vinaigrette dressing was enjoyed by kids, staff, everyone. I was so proud and happy the kids were enjoying homemade salad dressing, something most of them have never had.”

Support the fantastic humans and Chefs of Wellness in the Schools on Give Miami Day 🌱

Featuring WITS Chefs Leonor and Sara, WITS Chef Partner , and the school staff at who help students to live, learn, and thrive.

ONE DAY LEFT TO DONATE: givemiamiday.org/organization/Wellness-In-The-Schools-1 

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Alexis Rosa and Drew Jimenez!

“I'm WITS Chef Alexis, and I'm currently working at New Settlement in the Bronx. I love doing this work because I have two children, and I strive daily to feed them a well-balanced diet. So it's truly a blessing to be a part of this mission that provides these children with healthy delicious food that will benefit them! Before working with WITS I was a chef at Facebook and catering for weddings. I have an overall love for food and just enjoy exploring and experimenting with different ingredients. Outside of work, I love walking, it's great exercise and a way to clear my head. One of my favorite moments so far has been at Bronx Career Prep when I decided to move their salad bar, so the children were lined up to take salad (which wasn't normal at this school) and the staff were surprised and happy that they were. Moments like this make it all worth it!”

“I’m WITS Chef Drew, and I am currently working at M.S.088 and Sunset Park High School in Brooklyn. I got into this work after my exploration into jobs where I can utilize my skills in a setting that allows me to have a better work/life balance. My son just began 1st grade and my concern over his nutrition in public school led me to this unique opportunity to be a part of the change. Before this I had been a Chef and Bartender for over 13 years, serving food and drink at the highest standard of quality possible. That is the philosophy I bring to everything I do, may it be cooking or playing music. I try to let this show through my work in schools because passion can be infectious. It invariably leads to the proudest moments, when I can watch the cooks start to enjoy the food they make and be excited for the next day, and the next recipe!”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

This week’s conversation is with my friends Nancy Easton and Bill Telepan. Nancy founded Wellness in the Schools in 2005—almost 20 years ago. Wellness in the Schools is an organization that, among other things, teaches and helps school cooks learn how to execute food from scratch.

In 2008, Nancy recruited one of New York’s most famous, beloved, and personable chefs, Bill Telepan; he became the executive chef for Wellness in the Schools (he is also culinary director at the Metropolitan Museum of Art).

Nancy and Bill have worked very closely together for the last 15 years and have had a number of successes, which will ultimately lead to the full funding of Wellness in the Schools as a training program in New York’s public school system, which serves more meals per day than any other entity in the US, excluding the military.

It’s a great story, and Nancy and Bill are enthusiastic, lively, fun, and wonderful people. Hope you’ll listen—and review Food on Apple, if you’re so inclined. https://tinyurl.com/wduv6m4x

Our WITS Café Day at had some special partners at the table: and joined us to make, educate on, and taste their new collaboration salad with these students!

The new menu item, Maya's Plant-Based Falafel salad, features ingredients on the school salad bar at lunch as well as new flavors and textures for students to experience. Olives, spicy peppers, chickpea falafel, crunchy greens — it is a big hit!

WITS Cafe Days are interactive meals during lunch with our Chef Partners. These unique experiences encourage students to choose healthy foods and sample new menu items, while we educate them on ingredients, whole foods, and nutrition.

Thank you Maya Feller and Chop't for joining us to create a fabulous and delicious experience!

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Michael Singh-Hulse and Lucia Annunziata!

“I’m WITS Chef Michael, currently working at P.S. 197 and Madison High School in Brooklyn. I joined WITS because I remember walking past the salad bar every day in public school, not knowing what any of the vegetables were. It brings me joy to see a student trying a new vegetable and coming back to the salad bar the following day. It’s hard to pick my favorite food, but I enjoy anything plant-based. Previously, I worked in the military and at restaurants, but I enjoy being back in my community spreading healthy eating habits. Some of my hobbies outside of work include fostering kittens, baking cupcakes, and exercising. The moment that stands out to me in this work is leading a sampling of Roasted Adobo Chickpeas and Sofrito Rice (Chef Council recipes), because multiple students came up for repeated samples, and when the recipes were served at lunch the next day, that was all the students wanted to eat that week. Students tried and loved the new menu items, and it brings me joy that students are choosing healthier options at school.”

“I’m WITS Chef Lucia, and I am currently working at Gotham Collaborative High School in the Bronx. I love working for WITS because I get to make a difference in my community. Being able to help provide a delicious meal that is healthy and culturally relevant is very rewarding. Food is a beautiful way of connecting people and I am so blessed to be able to share that with the children and staff in schools. Before WITS I worked for SoHo House and hosted cooking parties as a culinary instructor. Outside of work, I like to stay active with my two dogs going on hikes and exploring new areas. My favorite moment as a WITS Chef has been working on the Chef Council recipes and giving out samples to students — I love being able to interact with them and their honest feedback always puts a smile on my face.”

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Yohaira Antigua-Hylton and Alvaro Luna!

“I'm WITS Chef Yohaira. My schools are P.S. 191 and Fredrick Douglas in Manhattan.. I love my job because I always had a soft spot for children even before I have my own, and it brings me so much joy to prepare healthy food to this kids in the school where they spend so much time. I worked as a pastry chef over a 10 years but always maintain my knowledge and love for healthy eating. I don't have a favorite food, I just love good food - but Dominican food brings me great comfort and I always think of my late grandmother when I cook Dominican food myself. Outside of work my favorite thing to do is spending time with my 4 years old twins and my 8 years daughter, they are my pride and joy. My favorite moment so far was sampling day. I got many children to try things they were skeptic to try. Most love it and will eat again and that’s what it’s all about!”

“I'm WITS Chef Alvaro, also known as Mr. A. Currently, I'm working at P.S. 175 and P.S. 92 in Manhattan. I love this job because I'm energizing and building confidence in the cafeteria staff to prepare new recipes from scratch, cooking and delivering nourishing food for the kids. Before joining WITS, I was a cooking instructor at Google and worked in various aspects of corporate catering. However, one of my greatest rewards now is connecting with all these little smiling faces who come to see what's for lunch. My favorite dish varies every week. Since I became a WITS chef, I pay close attention to nutrition and healthy ways to compose a meal. Lately, I've been adding my Peruvian culture and spices to put a unique twist on grains. Outside of work, I'm an artist. My preferred mediums are watercolor and digital art, and my work has been featured in shows around the city. So far, my favorite moments as a WITS chef have been elevating the knowledge and confidence of my head cooks to bring more smiles to the kids' faces.”

Big thank you to the team for outfitting our WITS Chefs in their uniforms! This year, our 75 new Chefs and Managers are wearing their gear with pride. It was a treat to welcome the Chef Works team to a school visit and the rooftop gardens on a sunny day with .easton .

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chef Evangelista Deolmo!

"I'm WITS Chef Eva, currently working at P.S. 123 in Brooklyn. Being a WITS Chef is a dream come true for me. I was a New York City public school student myself, and my passion for cooking, education, and providing children with real, healthy food led me to this fulfilling career.
Before joining WITS, I worked as a pastry chef for a corporate catering company and later as a Senior Cook with OFNS in NYC Schools. Returning to the school community through WITS has been a truly rewarding experience. My all-time favorite cuisine is Ecuadorian food because of its rich fusion of flavors from around the world. Outside work, I enjoy dancing, hiking with family and friends, and exploring new places through travel. One of my most cherished moments as a WITS Chef was when a child tried cauliflower for the first time and loved it. It's also heartwarming to see kids lining up for seconds of salad. Knowing that I'm positively impacting their lives fills me with joy."

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

Last chance to join us at our Fall Harvest Dinner, one week away! Our amazing Chefs and Chef Council members have crafted a plant-based dinner of your dreams to celebrate the Wellness in the Schools programming bringing healthy, nutritious, and delicious food to NYC schools and communities.

Get tickets here: https://www.wellnessintheschools.org/event/fall-harvest-dinner-2023/

Featuring

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chefs Sandro Lara and Matt Denaro!

“I’m WITS Chef Sandro Lara, and right now I’m working at P.S. 36 and P.S. 108 in Manhattan. I am so excited about working with WITS because I get to learn more about school culture. I come from a small town from Mexico, where schools don’t have cafeteria, and being here and seeing how is actually a school cafeteria is a dream for me. Before WITS I have been working as a chef instructor and also worked in a summer camp. Fun facts about me: it’s hard to choose a favorite food, but I’m a fan of quesadillas with mushrooms and spring mix. I love biking and sometimes bike to my schools. I love learning new languages - Spanish first, English is my second, and I’m learning French as my third! One of my most favorite moments in school is to get to interact with the kids. When I make samples of food, I set up a table and the kids get a surprise to see “The Chef” - if you talk to them, they feel important and heard by the chef. Seeing kids smiling and eating vegetables makes me so happy.”

“I’m Matt, a WITS Chef at P.S. 177 and Edward R. Murros HS in Brooklyn. My "why" for doing this work is the absolute necessity of feeding the children of New York City. Across the city, thousands of children rely on their schools for nutrition. For some, it is their only hot meal they get in a day. Before WITS, I worked in restaurants during and after graduating college and learned a ton from restaurant training. My favorite workout these days is biking to and from the two schools I'm currently stationed in. Outside of work, one of my favorite hobbies is playing on my slowpitch softball team. This week we had our first tasting at P.S. 177 in Brooklyn of the Jollof Cauliflower. So many kids tried the samples and were so happy to have something scratch made. One of the younger students came up to me towards the end of his lunch period and gave me the sweetest hug. I'll remember that warm embrace when days get challenging and frustrating as a reminder of what I'm here for.”

As our organization doubles in size, we are featuring the wonderful new faces of WITS making change every day in schools. Today, meet WITS Chef Patricia Rosa!

“I’m Patricia Rosa and I’m a WITS Chef at P.S. 54 and Wagner High School in Staten Island. I love doing this job for a lot of reasons but I’d say the main one is the children — providing healthier meals for our nations future should be obligated. Knowing that I’m a part of this change and that one day this program will be implemented across all NYC schools truly warms my heart. Before working at WITS I was a line cook for Facebook. While working corporate has its perks, none compare to actually helping shape the future. At home we love cooking with fresh herbs and vegetables, as well as culturally diverse dishes. On most nights you could find me and my family in the kitchen cooking together listening to music. My favorite star moment is my second week back in P.S 54. All the little children were coming back for seconds. The staff and I had to redo the salad bar every period which is amazing. Wholeheartedly fulfilling!”

WITS Chef wardrobe by . Chefs in the Schools is a partnership with and thanks to generous support from the New York Health Foundation.

This is Chefs in the Schools!

The faces (and hearts) behind an incredible partnership with . Our 75 WITS Chefs will be training cooks in all 1200 NYC school buildings over the next two years. Thank you to an incredible Chef Council for developing scratch-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant recipes for NYC kinds to enjoy at lunch.

Proud to together!

This morning we officially launched Chefs in the Schools with Adams, DOE Chancellor, and . Chefs in the School is a Menu Development and Chef Training program in partnership with the Office of Food and Nutrition Services and the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, building upon our 18-year history of working in NYC public schools.

Our WITS Chefs are one month underway in school kitchens across the city, working side-by-side with OFNS kitchen staff to enhance culinary skills and put new scratch-cooked, plant-based, and culturally relevant recipes on the menu thanks to our NYC Chef Council.

We are ready for a school year of ensuring nourishing food for all NYC public school children!