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January 2013 I Volume 3

512,000+ 512,000+ 512,000+ Student Meal Forms Processed

1,200+ 1,200+ 1,200+ Kitchens

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of Contents

Our goal of serving safe, nutritious and delicious meals to our students relies on teamwork. We have over 1,200 kitchens that prepare meals for our growing program. Having staff members that work together and communicate effectively is the foundation for a well run kitchen, especially with the challenges presented to us at each school. Every day our dedicated Cooks in Charge conduct a "Morning Meeting" with their team members. It is an opportunity for the leaders in our kitchens to take a few moments to review the day's service, including the menu, portion sizes, offer vs. serve and scheduling changes. Thank you to all of our Cooks for successfully implementing this essential communication tool! Five of our Cooks in Charge, along with their kitchen staff, are highlighted in the next few pages at their recent meetings. I hope that everyone is having a good school year thus far, and as always, thank you for your continued service to the SchoolFood program and children of New York City!

Tracy Cashin - Director of Operations

Menu of the Day...

Field Trips...

800,000+ 800,000+ 800,000+ Meals Served Daily

Feed your mind

The Best Way The Best Way The Best Way

to Start Your Dayto Start Your Dayto Start Your Day

The Best Way to Start Your Day 1

A Note from our CEO 2

Morning Meeting Checklist 2

Culinary Concepts 3

NYC Wins Challenge! 4

Letter of Thanks 5

In Memoriam 5

Dates & Deadlines 5

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ManhattanManhattanManhattan

I would like to acknowledge Ms. Veronica Caveness, Cook-in-

Charge at PS 207, District 3, for her diligence and dedication in

conducting a detailed morning meeting with her staff daily.

Ms. Caveness ensures that the daily menu and managers'

directives, indicated in the Cook's Book, are reviewed with all

kitchen staff. She also utilizes the morning meeting to discuss

production issues and/or concerns and receive feedback from

her staff regarding prior day production.

Veronica Caveness (SLA/Cook), Linda Smith (SLA/Assistant Cook), Josephine Bailey (SLH), Darlene Harrison (SLH), Tamika Irby (SLH), Ruby Pearson (SLH), Ernestine Mack (SLH), Keith Nelson (Sr. SLH), Ernest Johnson (Sr. SLH)

Brooklyn 2Brooklyn 2Brooklyn 2

Debbie Kelly (Cook), Renee Digiallonardo (Assistant Cook), Sal Mallano (HDP), Gail Ciprello (SLH), Regina Fortini (SLH), Debra Jordan (SLH), Annette Martin (SLH), Saveria Schiavo (SLH)

At IS 24 in District 31, the Morning Meetings have

improved morale and made the menus easier to

understand and implement! The staff looks forward to our

daily meetings so that we can serve the students with the

best ability and added agility.

Morning Meeting ChecklistMorning Meeting ChecklistMorning Meeting Checklist

Review daily menu & portion sizes

Discuss any staff schedule adjustments

Ensure POS accountability is in place

Remind staff that students must take fruit or vegetable component

Inform staff of any trip lunches or service period changes

Review serving line replenishment and salad bar maintenance

Illustrate the importance of teamwork & working together to increase meal participation

Remind staff to be courteous, caring and attentive to the students

A Note from Our CEOA Note from Our CEOA Note from Our CEO

Eric GoldsteinEric GoldsteinEric Goldstein This is a very exciting time to be serving meals to the

children of New York City. As you all know, we have

undergone major changes recently with the new

nutritional standards. I appreciate the hard work that is

going into implementing these changes across the entire

City.

While we may face challenges with respect to the new

standards, we must keep in mind that feeding children

well so that they can learn remains our priority. To do this

we need you to run a cost effective, attractive, delicious

and customer-friendly kitchen. Let’s continue to build on

the good work of past years and serve our schools well!

Let’s have a great month!

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Culinary Concepts Culinary Concepts Culinary Concepts --- The TeamThe TeamThe Team

Brooklyn 1 Brooklyn 1 Brooklyn 1 QueensQueensQueens

Keisha James, Cook-in-Charge at JHS 217 in District 28,

gathers the staff briefly after breakfast service and reviews

the day’s lunch service with them. She reviews the menu

and identifies the appropriate utensils to use for each menu

component. Keisha makes sure that everyone understands

their plan for the day and how to execute it.

Looking for Your StoriesLooking for Your StoriesLooking for Your Stories Send in your funny stories, interesting experiences or

random tidbits in 100 words or less with your name,

school and district to SFNewsletter@Schools.nyc.gov to

feature in our monthly newsletter!

Work seems easier and the staff understands their

assignments. We discuss menu items, portion sizes,

utensils and customer service techniques and the

importance of compliance to the new nutritional

standards. Morning meetings also make the staff

communicate more as a team and get the work done in

a timely manner.

Mr. Adrian Adamson of PS 167 in District 17

conducting his morning staff meeting

Herman Mckie MS, RD and Nutrition Education Coordinator; Martha Miles, Clerical Support; Evelyn Peppas, Data Entry Menu Cost; Gary Cooper, Data Entry Menu Support; Jorge L. Collazo, Executive Chef; Cyrinthia Hill, Office Manager

The Culinary Concepts department designs and

writes all 26 of our menus, verifies the nutrient

and cost compliance of these menus and writes

all cook's books.

When the newly printed menus are delivered to

our field offices and posted in our cafeterias it is

hard to imagine the impressive amount of very

detailed oriented work that occurs prior to

publishing our menus and cooks books.

Our research, development and product testing

in the field add yet another layer to our work.

All of this happens "behind the scenes".

Together with our Chefs, as well as our Garden

To Café Project Manager, Chef Liz Fleischman,

we are proud of the work we do every day in

supporting the field in their continued success!

Keisha James (Cook-in-charge), Mahalia Jackson (SLA), Juan Cuello (Sr. SLH/ HD), Brandon Mendoza (Sr. SLH/ HD Sr.), Leroy Walker (Sr. SLH/ HD), Yvonne Belvy , (SLH) Valerie Duncan (SLH), Fumiyo Noda (SLH), Ana Rodriguez (SLH), Mavis Smith (SLH)

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BronxBronxBronx The Morning Meeting between the cook and her

staff was not a new concept to Elizabeth Santana,

Cook at PS 15 in District 10. Since PS 15 opened in

1995, "Lisa" has held a brief morning meeting each

day with her entire kitchen staff to review the day's

menu, identify the appropriate service utensils and

reinforce correct portion sizes for each meal

component. This practice has become more

relevant with the advent of the "New Nutrition

Standards" and the need for correct

implementation.

Lisa handwrites her kitchen menu board each

morning and sets up a "menu snapshot" display

tray as a visual for the staff. Both are reviewed at

the morning meeting and aid in providing uniform,

attractive and consistent service on each of the

separate service lines in the school.

Elizabeth "Lisa" Santana (Cook), Evelyn Osorio (Assistant Cook), Richard Hagood (Sr. SLH), John Williams (Sr. SLH), Gladys Rivera (SLH), Andrea Glover (SLH), Johnnie Mae Williams (SLH), Flor Morel (SLH), Rafaela Henriquez (SLH), Ruth Kline (SLH), Esperanza Ruiz (SLH), Jimmy Paredes (SFSM)

Solution to last month’s Sudoku: share their success stories for promoting whole grain consumption. The two Grand Prize Winners and 8 runners-up were chosen based on creative whole grain menu offerings and innovative promotional efforts.

“Every school district in the country has been working hard this fall,

to implement major changes in school lunch requirements for more

fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These Whole Grains Challenge

winners demonstrate that school lunches featuring whole grains can

indeed be nutritious, delicious and filling,” said Cynthia Harriman,

Director of Food and Nutrition Strategies for the Whole Grains

Council and Oldways. “These winning schools are inspiring models

for others throughout the country and show how collaboration and

inventiveness can lead to satisfied students in the cafeteria.”

Proving that healthy and great tasting whole grains rule in the cafeteria, the non-profit Oldways and its Whole Grains Council (WGC) announced the winners of the 6th annual Whole Grains Challenge, naming New York City Schools as one of the 10 winners for 2012.

The Whole Grains Challenge aligns with new USDA school food rules and encourages K-12 schools to

NYC Wins the Whole Grains Challenge!NYC Wins the Whole Grains Challenge!NYC Wins the Whole Grains Challenge!

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Want Your Story Here?Want Your Story Here?Want Your Story Here?

In MemoriamIn MemoriamIn Memoriam District 10 mourns the loss of our colleague, SFSM Ricardo

Rodriguez, who passed away on September 15, 2012. Mr.

Ricardo Rodriguez was trained and assigned to District 10

since he was hired in May of 2005. A graduate of Johnson

& Wales, Miami 2000, Ricardo brought a strong culinary

background and flair to the job.

His Cinco de Mayo promotion at PS 226 Annex was one

for the record books! Well-respected, dependable,

affable, Mr. Rodriguez will be long remembered by his

staff, co-workers, and field supervisors for his

spirit and wry sense of humor.

Contact your Manager or Supervisor for more information!

Evelyn Osorio (Assistant Cook), Elizabeth Santana (Cook), Ricardo Rodriguez (SFSM), Claire Freire (ASFSM), Josephine Sullivan (ASFSM)

Interesting FactInteresting FactInteresting Fact SchoolFood served 25,949,934 apples in 2012.

That’s one apple for every person living in the

State of New York!

Dates & DeadlinesDates & DeadlinesDates & Deadlines Newsletter Submission Deadline: January 20th, 2013

End of Winter Recess: January 2nd, 2013

Martin Luther King Day: January 21st, 2013

Mid-Winter Recess: February 18th,

Dear Mr. Andrew Goodman, Mr. Matthew

Jamison, & Ms. Marian Osei-Boateng, On behalf of the Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Neighborhood Association (PLGNA) and the

residents of PLG, we thank you deeply for sharing

information that is so important to our

community.

"Thank You for fighting hunger every day", was a

comment from one of our residents followed by a

round of applause! Continue the good work you're doing for children.

Martin Ruiz PLGNA President

Letter of ThanksLetter of ThanksLetter of Thanks

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