By Daily Press staff
Fifteen students from Los Angeles schools learned the secret of cooking and eating healthy.
Le Merigot Beach Hotel and Spa earlier this month hosted the American Institute of Wine & Food’s annual “Days of Taste” event, launching its healthy kid’s menu at their restaurant, Cezanne.
Days of Taste was created seven years ago by the New York chapter of AIWF for inner-city school-age children and promotes healthy cooking and eating, along with an introduction into the culinary world and career choices in the hospitality industry. The national, three-day program includes classroom instruction on food and cooking by local chefs, a trip to the Farmer’s Market to learn about fresh produce, and a visit to a restaurant to enjoy a custom meal prepared by the chef. Along with an introduction into the hospitality industry and the culinary world, the children begin with a tour of the kitchen and then experience the new menu to see how the vegetables and fruits they have learned about can be incorporated into a gourmet lunch.
In response to growing concern over childhood obesity, Le Merigot’s Chef Desi has created a more sophisticated and health conscious children’s menu that serves as an alternative to the usual fare of chicken strips and cheeseburgers. With items such as Maryland crab cakes, a half rack of lamb with crispy veggies and New York strip steak, Chef Desi has created a healthier offering for children.
Today, 27 chapters throughout the country participate in the program. The goal of the program is to familiarize underprivileged children with fresh and healthy foods. Other local restaurants that are participating in the program this year include Melisse, Parkway Grill, Newsroom Cafe and Michael’s.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 20, 2003. Read the original PDF.