Metz Culinary Management debuts new pop-ups and culinary competition for K-12 students
This fall, the foodservice provider is introducing a handful of new programing for its K-12 accounts, including a dumpling and drumsticks-themed pop up, a chef culinary competition, and a high school-focused beverage pop up, Sip and Savor.
“The goal of the boot camp is to make sure our lead cooks have a strong foundation, from food safety and recipes to presentation and batch cooking, so they're prepared to do their jobs well every day.”
This back-to-school season, Metz Culinary Management is welcoming students back to the cafeteria with a handful of new and returning K-12 culinary experiences.
This fall, students will enjoy new pop-ups, including Drumsticks, Dumplings and Dips: Drum Up Some Flavor, which will coincide with National Dumpling Day and offer chicken drumsticks and dumplings with a selection of sauces.
At select high schools, the foodservice provider is also introducing Sip and Savor, a beverage initiative that will offer students a variety of specialty beverages, including flavored iced coffees, refreshers, boba teas and lemonades.
"A big focus for us this year is bringing more culinary experiences directly into our schools," said Adam Carlson, K-12 division chef for Metz Culinary Management. "Pop-ups give students something unexpected to look forward to, while giving our chefs a chance to interact with them and introduce foods they might not ordinarily try."
In addition, the foodservice provider is hosting a new culinary competition this fall. Starting this month, three chefs in each participating region will visit each another’s schools for a series of head-to-head cook-offs. Students will vote for their favorite and the winning recipe will be announced later this year.
In addition to the new pop-ups and culinary competition, Metz is bringing back its Food Truck-inspired Street Eats program with a handful of new recipes such as loaded chicken Caesar waffle fries and birria ramen bowls.
The foodservice provider is also bringing back its Apple Fest, Back-to-School Carnival, sushi pop-up program, and its nutrition education program, Nutritious Friends.
"We want students to be excited about what's happening in their cafeteria," said Erin Dougherty, marketing manager for Metz Culinary Management. "That means bringing back programs they already enjoy, but also continuing to introduce new flavors, new experiences, and new reasons for them to engage with their school dining program."
Metz cooks will also participate in a new culinary boot camp this fall. The Lead Cook Boot Camp combines hands-on kitchen instruction with training in food safety, allergen awareness, recipe preparation and conversion, presentation standards, and daily batch planning.
Metz piloted the one-day boot camp at Erie Public Schools in Erie, Pennsylvania with 10 lead cooks and plans to expand the training program to additional operations.
"There's a lot that goes into producing a quality meal consistently in a school environment," Carlson said in a statement. "The goal of the boot camp is to make sure our lead cooks have a strong foundation, from food safety and recipes to presentation and batch cooking, so they're prepared to do their jobs well every day."