Taking Action

Have you ever seen or witnessed something, or known someone, that has inspired you to take action?

In the fall of 2006, I quit my job as an executive chef of a Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis to launch the non-profit Real Food Initiatives with my wife. We wanted to do something about the obesity epidemic among adults – and especially children – in America. We felt that overweight kids are fighting an uphill battle with a lack of knowledge of food – where it comes from, how to shop for it, how to cook it. So we looked to change our local school food program, with aspirations of someday making a change on the national level.

I was invited into the St. Paul, Minnesota school system to look at their recipes and soon understood just how important the cafeteria cook is. The cook and I worked together and changed 10 recipes to make them healthier. Each day those recipes are served to 55,000 school children in St. Paul. 

When I speak about America’s relationship with food, I try and stay as upbeat and positive as possible because I see it a multi-dimensional opportunity for change. The media has taken a hold of the negative, and I believe that so much can happen with positive thinking and action. What I see as an opportunity – changing the way Americans, especially children, think about food – is daunting.  But I now have an understanding of how public school food service kitchens operate and with determination, I believe that my mantra of “one school at a time” is making an impact.

If I improve one recipe that children eat, that’s impact. If I inspire a school lunch chef to change what they are currently cooking for kids overall, that’s a bigger impact. Until we look at food and how to educate our youth about this vital life skill, we are part of the problem. It is as important as reading, writing and arithmetic.

For me, as a chef, parent and educator, the most urgent and persistent question I ask myself is, “how can I take my gift of cooking and help others?”

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