Page 26 - Priorities #52 2012-March/April

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Sustainable Sustenance:
EnS
ter the Priory Kitchen
by Jim Kirkland
Long before anyone ever heard of “Pink Slime” meat filler, Priory’s Head Chef, Peter Agoston, proposed that the food served in the caf- eteria could not only be more nutritious but cost effective—by assuring ingredients were organic and purchased from local farms. In addition, all meals, from cold cuts and pasta to salad dressings and soups, would
be made in-house which gives Peter complete control of sodium, fats and other chemicals introduced daily in the diet of students and staff.
This innovative program has been an evolving process that folds into the sustainability goals of Priory’s Sustainability Coordinator, Hovey Clark. All organic wastes from the kitchen are brought to the garden center and deposited into a compost bin Hovey and his students have built. The intent is to use those waste products to fertilize food grown on the expanding gardens found on the hill above the Middle School area. The compost helps nourish not only the environment, but also the people that study, work and live here. Agoston believes that in the very near future all of the Priory’s organic vegetables and
fruits will be produced on campus.
Agoston has also introduced more international foods to
his menu. “I am trying to expand the kids’ culinary pallets, to give them an education in food as well as their other studies,” he says. So far, the results have been quite positive—save the middle school population. “They would prefer to eat chicken nuggets, pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs 24-7... but they’ll get there. It’s kind of an experiment for them, too.” Agoston concludes, philosophically.
Lately his personal favorite recipes involve Indian cuisine, due to its amazing complexity in the variety of spices and herbs utilized. Agoston sums up his culinary passion with,
“What I love about food is that it is a constantly expanding, evolving science that keeps you open to different cultures.” That’s a pretty tasty science and social studies course.
over the amounts
Top L_R: Kitchen staff Jason Toy and Nate Spears joke around. The kitchen staff are always smiling!
Below: Juliana Szekely serves up great food for everyone.
Top: Peter Ling helps brighten everyone’s day.
Bottom L-R: Maria Garcia-Trejjo and Ruben Zambrano prepare organic locally sourced broccoli.