Culinary Students Serve Up ‘Bangin’ Burritos’

A new collaboration between Chartwells, the school district’s food service provider, and Newtown High School culinary students has the school serving up new food options at its Bangin’ Burrito Bar.

“It just clicked,” said Dan Shields, Chartwells foodservice director for Newtown School District. “It really came together quickly.”

Mr Shields said the idea was inspired when the new wing of the high school was about to be opened, with the new culinary space near the new cafetorium.

Students participating in the program, Mr Shields said, are benefiting by gaining experience through serving food. He also said the Bangin’ Burrito Bar provides new menu options for faculty and students.

The “bangin’ burritos” are served at the school twice each week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Chartwells provides the food served at the new bar, and the students provide the service, according to Mr Shields.

Jill Patterson, RD, Chartwells’ resident dietitian, also said the students are learning about how to prepare delicious recipes that are nutritious and meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for school meals, which include offering foods from the grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and meat and beans food groups. 

Brian Neumeyer, the school’s chef instructor, said, “We are going to make the burritos very healthy by including brown rice and only using whole wheat or spinach wraps. All burritos will be served with a side salad. We are going to use an original recipe for our dressing that uses no oil.”

A new sign was also created to point students in the direction of the new serving station. Chartwells cafeteria chef manager for the high school, Joel Marcoux, was also involved in starting the new menu option at the school, according to Ms Patterson.