Culinary Students and Local Chefs Team Up for School Menus
A Cava-style bowl with rice, Mediterranean chicken, mixed veggies and Korean BBQ sauce. And don’t forget the chicken recipe is from Chef Aziz of Prince Lebanese Grill.
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 Bowie High School 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 second-annual A Taste of Arlington ISD – July 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Sam Houston 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:
- Chicken Teriyaki Bowl (Arlington High School)
- Chicken Pot Pie Croissant (Seguin High School)
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders & Dill Dip (Seguin High School)
- Cava Bowl (Bowie High School)
- Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla (Sam Houston High School)
- BBQ Sauce with Chicken Nuggets (Smokin’ Ferrets, the CTC’s BBQ team)
- Vegetable Alfredo Lasagna (Martin High School)
- Hashbrown Scramble Bowl (Martin High School)
- Beef Kabob Wrap (Chef Aziz, Prince Lebanese Grill – Martin HS alum)
- Chicken Street Tacos (Chef Jaun, Taqueria Saltillo – Sam Houston HS alum)
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.