Neighbors: Roaming Chef program cooks up healthy eating in Flowing Wells

The district program launched Thursday at Laguna Elementary School with about 20 minichefs and their families learning about affordable, healthful cooking while preparing a meal to share as a family.

The Walmart Neighborhood Market at West Ruthrauff Road and North La Cholla Boulevard donated $2,500 to the district so it could roll out the program at eight district schools, including Laguna.

Professional chefs with Southwest Foodservice Excellence, which is Flowing Wells' food-service partner, will visit each school and prepare a healthy meal for about 50 people.

"It's a great little program. We don't see it in a lot of schools. It's great what Walmart and Flowing Wells are doing," said Armando Rodriguez, director of dining services for Southwest Foodservice Excellence.

Chicken teriyaki stir-fry and banana pudding were on the menu at Laguna, 5001 N. Shannon Road.

All the children who attended the program had a hand in preparing the meal.

The littlest chefs dumped a blend of vegetables into a skillet to steam while the older children stirred in the chicken and teriyaki sauce.

They looked the part, too.

White-button up jackets like the ones chefs wear in kitchens went over their T-shirts, and white hats topped their heads.

Their fingers weren't long enough to fill them up, but they wore synthetic gloves, which mostly stayed in place.

The school-age chefs couldn't wait to eat as they watched their peers spread whipped cream over the banana pudding.

"That looks so good," 8-year-old Matthew Courtney said, his eyes fixed on the dessert.

Matthew's sister, Kiarra, enjoyed preparing a meal that her family shared together in Laguna's cafeteria.

"I like that we were able to cook with the people that cook for us at school," she said.

Kiarra, 11, was a fan of the chicken teriyaki.

"It was good," she said. "It had vegetables in it so it was healthy."

Ana Paula Garcia, 11, and her four siblings attended the cooking demonstration with their father, Roberto.

"It was pretty cool. We had a lot of fun," Ana Paula said.

She was satisfied with the finished product.

"All the flavors were delicious."

All for wellness

The Roaming Chef program is just a slice of Flowing Wells' commitment to health and wellness.

The district's 10 schools each have a wellness coordinator to promote health and nutrition among students and staff.

Cafeterias serving K-12 students feature salad and fruit bars at breakfast and lunch.

Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at arivera@azstarnet.com or 807-8430.