Culinary Students and Local Chefs Team Up for School Menus
Stuffed pork peppers, chicken teriyaki hoagie, and Korean fried chicken.
Does that sound like a school cafeteria lunch to you?
It is in Arlington ISD. And not only is it on the menu – it was created by Arlington ISD culinary students.
In fact, Arlington ISD culinary students are putting lots of their own dishes on school cafeteria menus, and they’re giving you a chance to try some of them.
Join us for the third-annual A Taste of Arlington ISD – July 23 from 5-7 p.m. at Seguin High School – and sample the amazing mouth-watering creations our high school culinary students have been cooking up. Plus, you’ll get to sample food from our great community partners like Prince Lebanese Grill and Taqueria Saltillo, both owned by Arlington ISD grads.
Sign up for A Taste of Arlington ISD here.
Here’s what’s on the tasing menu:
- Stuffed Pork Peppers (Bowie)
- Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Croissant (Bowie)
- Grilled Chicken Chef Salad with Pita (Sam Houston)
- Sweet Heat KPOP Chicken (Martin)
- Chicken Teriyaki Hoagie (Martin)
- Cheesy Buffalo Mac Wrap (Seguin)
- Korean Fried Chicken with Garlic Noodles (AHS)
- Breakfast Quesadilla (AHS)
- Sunrise Sausage Bowl (Lamar)
- Al Pastor Pork Nachos (Saltillo)
- Beef Kabob (Prince Lebanese)
- Chicken Shawarma Wrap (Prince Lebanese)
The Taste event is part of a program – By Students 4 Students – that started several years ago when Bowie High School’s culinary students first put together a meal for the school menu. The program has blossomed since then, with community partners like Prince Lebanese Grill getting on board and putting Prince-inspired food in district cafeterias. Now, most Arlington ISD high schools participate, and culinary students from across the district create menu items for their school cafeterias that they know their fellow students will love.
“It’s a truly student-driven menu,” said Arlington ISD executive director of food and nutrition services David Lewis. “This really is the full circle.”
The By Students 4 Students program is a year-long process. It starts with taste-testing basic ingredients across elementary and junior high campuses, gathering data from hundreds of students to determine what makes the cut. From there, those ingredients are passed to the district’s high school culinary programs, where students are challenged to transform them into menu-ready meals while meeting strict USDA guidelines.
“We’re not just looking at taste,” Lewis added. “We’re determining how easy it is to replicate these dishes across 76 campuses and making sure everything meets USDA regulations.”
Students showcased their items for district staff last spring, and now the Taste of Arlington is the first chance for the public to get to sample the food.
Make your taste buds happy and sign up now for A Taste of Arlington ISD.
A Taste of Arlington ISD is free, but during the event, we will be accepting donations to support our mission of providing meals to all students, regardless of financial situation. Your generosity helps us nourish bodies and fuel futures. You can also donate now here.