Revere High School students got an up-close look at where their meals come from as Chartwells K12 brought its Discovery Kitchen program to the cafeteria with a special “Seed to Table” themed event. The initiative, part of Chartwells’ monthly nutrition-education series, aims to spark curiosity about healthy eating by introducing students to fresh, local ingredients—and the stories behind them.
The recent event transformed the cafeteria into a hands-on tasting space, where students sampled seasonal produce, explored how fruits and vegetables travel from farm to plate, and learned about the school’s expanding hydroponic garden program. The highlight of the day was a cranberry apple spinach salad prepared with locally sourced ingredients, which quickly became a crowd favorite.
“Students are already asking for the salad to be added to our regular menu rotation,” said Chartwells chef Amy Cook, who leads the culinary efforts in partnership with Executive Chef Reece LaVacca. Cook helped select the featured ingredients and oversaw the demonstrations that gave students the chance to try flavor combinations they might not encounter at home.
Unlike some states where farm-to-school programs operate strictly through grant funding, Chartwells’ collaboration with local farms in Massachusetts and Connecticut is built into its existing foodservice partnerships. The company currently sources from a network of regional growers, including Little Leaf Farms in Devens, Galenski Farms in Deerfield, Mountain Orchard in Granville, and Cecareli and Defrancesco Farms in Northford, Connecticut. These farms supply the leafy greens, apples, cranberries, and other seasonal produce for Discovery Kitchen events and for daily menu offerings across the district.
Revere Public Schools Director of Dining and Nutritional Services Martha Franklin said planning begins months in advance as the team considers what foods will be in season, what can be grown in the school’s hydroponic system, and what dishes are most likely to appeal to students.
“We work as a team to decide what to grow and how the items will be distributed to the kitchens and menu items,” she noted.
Franklin added that Chartwells’ Discovery Kitchen is designed to be a recurring educational experience, though not every monthly event will follow the same format or feature local produce. The goal, she said, is to strike a balance between nutrition education, culinary exploration, and student engagement. Themes change each month, allowing the program to incorporate global flavors, special celebrations, or seasonal ingredients.
“The Seed to Table theme is all about connecting students to the growing process,” said Franklin. “In addition to tastings, the event included activity sheets and lessons on how to start simple tomato and basil plants at home—part of Chartwells’ effort to make healthy habits accessible beyond the school walls.”
The company also introduced the school’s 2025–2026 hydroponic garden system, which will allow students to grow herbs and leafy greens right on campus.
“We want to serve as local and healthy for our students and the Revere community,” said Franklin. “Our goal is to introduce items they can share enthusiasm for at school and at home.”
Principal Christopher Bowen said the event aligns perfectly with the school’s commitment to promoting wellness and giving students real-world learning experiences. He praised Chartwells for bringing creativity into the cafeteria and for helping students build meaningful connections with the food they eat.
“Events like this help students see the bigger picture behind what they’re served each day,” Bowen said. “It sparks curiosity, conversation, and a better understanding of how nutrition fits into their lives.”
Students moved from table to table throughout the lunch periods, sampling produce, asking questions about farming, and debating which vegetables they most wanted to see grown in the new hydroponic setup. Many gravitated toward the salad station, where the combination of crisp greens, sweet apples, tart cranberries, and a light, house-made dressing struck the perfect balance of seasonal flavors.
With enthusiastic student feedback and growing interest in future tastings, Chartwells plans to continue bringing Discovery Kitchen events to Revere High throughout the school year. While each month’s experience will look a little different—with some focusing on cultural foods, others on kitchen skills, or sustainability—the goal remains the same: to make healthy eating exciting, engaging, and rooted in community.
As Cook put it, “If students walk away inspired to try something new, we’ve done our job.”