Mayor Adams Announces First-Ever Chef’s Council to Improve Nutrition in New York City Schools

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David Banks recently announced the introduction of the city’s first-ever Chef’s Council in partnership with the nonprofit Wellness in the Schools (WITS). The Council will develop, test, and implement new recipes in New York City elementary schools, providing students with a variety of healthy, delicious, and plant-based meals.

“Teaching students at a young age to eat healthy, nutritious meals is critical to setting them up for success,” said Mayor Adams. “The new Chefs Council will develop delicious, nutritious, culturally relevant meals for schools with direct input from students and parents. Through this partnership with WITS and our tremendous staff of school food workers, we will take school meals to the next level.”

Chaired by Rachael Ray, the Council includes celebrated chefs, culinary industry professionals, and food activists. They will create hundreds of recipes that will be tested across New York City. After receiving feedback from students and parents, successful recipes will be introduced and the chefs will train school cooks to implement the recipes. Schools will use monthly seasonal menus and offer a variety of options for all students.

“As the parent of two elementary school children, I know firsthand that providing healthier food choices is only half the battle,” said Kate MacKenzie, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy. “Convincing them to try something new is the real challenge, and I look forward to student feedback on the new recipes this incredible group of chefs will be cooking up! Thank you to Mayor Adams for leading by example, to Chancellor Banks, and all of the dedicated school food service workers who are doing the hard work to make sure our students are nourished for success.”

The Chef’s Council is currently implemented in 38 schools across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, serving thousands of children. It will expand to all DOE schools by the 2023-2024 school year. 

The full list of Chef’s Council members is below:

• Rachael Ray, Chefs Council chair, television personality, author, and philanthropist
• Zoe Adjonyoh, chef, author, and media personality
• Kenneth Collins, chef, Kemited Kitchen
• Ricardo Diaz, chef and registered dietitian nutritionist, Wellness in the Schools
• Tyler Harvey, senior director of research and development, Sakara
• JJ Johnson, chef and television host
• Anup Joshi, chief culinary officer, Green Top Farms
• Anita Lo, chef and restaurateur
• Grace Ramirez, chef, activist, author, and television personality
• Chef Anthony T. Solano, founder and owner of ZoJu, an Afro-Latino Vegan Restaurant
• Bill Telepan, executive chef and board, Ember, Wellness in the Schools/Bon Appetit Culinary Director for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Marion Williams, national program director, Wellness in the Schools

About Wellness in the Schools

Founded in 2005, Wellness in the Schools is a national nonprofit that teaches kids healthy habits to learn and live better through partnerships with school districts to provide nutrition and fitness education, healthy scratch-cooked meals, and active recess periods. WITS chefs reimagine menus and educate students and families through hands-on culinary and nutrition education to improve student outcomes, drive systemic, long-term change, and shift school cultures to turn the tide on the childhood obesity epidemic.

Related Content:

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• New York Public Schools to Host Vegan-Only Fridays in Cafeterias
• California Schools Consider Plant-Based Meals
• Billie Eilish Shows Support for Plant-Based School Meals on Capitol Hill

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