What We Do
We provide technical assistance and coaching to implement scratch-cooking programs that support a local food system and serve fresher food within budget.
Our Services
Foodservice Assessments
Assessments offer a comprehensive snapshot of the current reality through an onsite visit and data analysis. During an assessment, we review processes, procedures, and systems to identify the gaps in the current operation and uncover inefficiencies where costs can be reduced and quality improved.
Full Implementation Projects
We collaborate with institutions to train existing cooks to make food from scratch with fresh and local ingredients using money and time that already exist in the system. We listen to stakeholder voices and utilize data to guide project decisions. Our project roadmap follows a gradual implementation model, allowing staff the time to receive coaching and training for scratch cooking to steadily impact the menu without causing overwhelm.
Online Learning Platform
Our comprehensive, self-paced virtual training course consisting of 11 chapters, 75+ video modules, and recipes guides learners through a scratch-cooking program transition. Our program includes a Community Hub that allows participants to share menus, recipes, challenges, and successes, creating a collaborative community of schools focused on serving better food to their students.
Specialized Trainings
Our standalone training offerings provide the opportunity for foodservice leads, cooks, and school administration to build capacity through intensive, hands-on experience. We offer trainings on a variety topics that are all designed to support your school or district serve better food to students. Current trainings offerings include:
1-Day Scratch-Cooked Breakfast & Baking Training
1-Day Scratch-Cooked Lunch Training
1-Day Leadership for Kitchen Leads
2-Day Knead to Lead: Scratch-Cooked Breakfast and Baking Training for Foodservice Directors and Kitchen Leads
4-Day Summer Training Institute
“The training provided by Chef Greg and his team was top-notch.”
— Kent Froebe, Superintendent
A Focus on Leadership
We understand that change is hard. In order to effect change, strong leadership at all levels of the organization is essential. We focus on leadership development and coaching of all staff to empower them to take pride in their work and embrace the challenges that come along with implementing a new program that serves better food to students.
Data to Guide Projects
We track and report on data to identify areas of focus, guide next steps, and ensure program success based on benchmarks and goals set at the start of the project. We track and report on data in three keys areas:
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We track local food as a percent of total purchases and total dollars spent. We focus on local food because it is fresher and benefits the local economy. Institutions can play a big role in supporting the local food system by providing consistent demand at scale.
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We track scratch-cooking as a percent of monthly menu items. By increasing scratch-cooked menu items, we are also ensuring the use of more fresh ingredients as well as a decrease in processed components and heat-and-serve meals.
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We ensure cost-neutrality by implementing overproduction tracking, monitoring food and labor cost per meal, and calculating meals per labor hour. We assert that the time and money for scratch cooking already exist in the system. Through kitchen efficiencies and waste reduction, it is possible to serve better food at no additional cost to the program.