On Jan. 19 and 20, Lake County restaurants and organizations in the business of food service (think senior centers) had the opportunity to participate in a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) workshop.Funded by North Coast Opportunities’ (NCO) Partnerships to Improve Community Health, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention community health grant, this training was a collaborative effort between Hope Rising, the Health Leadership Network, and NCO. The training was designed to help Lake County residents shift menus toward food that is better for people striving to manage and prevent chronic diseases.
The CIA is the world’s premiere culinary college. As quoted by Craig Claiborne in The New York Times, “Almost every profession has an outstanding training ground. The military has West Point, music has Juilliard, and the culinary arts has The Institute.”
With four campus locations, we are fortunate to have a nearby campus in St. Helena. Visiting from the New York campus, Chef Brad Barnes led the two-day workshop titled “Operationalizing Menus of Change.” Barnes is the director of CIA Consulting, serves as a chair on the Certified Master Chef Committee, and was a coach for three years at the Culinary Olympics.
“Menus of Change” is a groundbreaking initiative from the CIA and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that examines issues of obesity, diabetes and healthcare costs; the sourcing and production of our food; and the challenge of feeding our growing population. The aim is to create a collaborative network among our nation’s chefs, nutrition and environmental scientists, farm and fishery experts, food service executives and policy makers.
The purpose of this workshop was to bring local food service owners and chefs together in an effort to create a healthier and more delicious dining experience in Lake County. Participants spent a day engaging in conversation about making healthy changes for the better without affecting the bottom line, or possibly improving it. Participants spent the second day of the workshop creating real plans for change in their own businesses.
Participating restaurants included Judy’s Junction, The Boathouse, Park Place, Running Creek Casino and Twin Pines Casino. The Highlands Senior Service Center attended as well.
The underlying message was that restaurants don’t have to completely change their atmosphere or menu; there are subtle changes that can be made for the better with the customer’s health in mind.
Would you notice if your fried egg was cooked in a healthier oil, such as avocado oil, rather than the standard canola or vegetable oil? Most likely not. Barnes encourages restaurateurs to sneak in healthy upgrades.
Being sneaky in a way that benefits the receiving party is an endearing concept. It is also how change is created — by starting small. Some of Barnes’ suggestions in the workshop were simple, like using canned tomatoes with lower sodium, or using quinoa as breadcrumbs or in the batter for fried foods (hint: grind uncooked quinoa in a coffee grinder and use it instead of bread crumbs).
Some of the restaurateurs came up with their own great ideas, such as spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles as a pasta alternative. One owner plans to offer smoothie samples to assess whether or not they will become a permanent menu item.
These subtle changes can be made on an individual level, too. Firstly, while dining out, don’t feel shy about asking for a healthy upgrade if it’s important to you. If you want to request your food be cooked in a healthier oil, do so. This shows chefs that their customers care about their health, which helps support and encourage them to join the movement for healthier eating experiences.
When asked what his number one piece of advice is to home cooks, Chef Barnes said, “plan ahead.”
Home cooks can also implement easy changes into the food experience. It’s helpful to have the support of loved ones, but even if they aren’t on board yet, the idea is to sneak in small changes. This is an opportunity to get creative — anything from using a minimally processed salt, like pink Himalayan or sea salt, to chopping up greens and adding them to your egg scramble or pasta dish. These easy upgrades are worth trying. Maybe your family won’t notice diced parsley or low sodium stewed tomatoes in their hamburger patty.
Change has been a strong theme in Lake County, and it’s no surprise that this community is truly rising from the ashes. On a larger scale, trends around the world are moving toward more health conscious eating. People want optimal quality of life, and changing the way we experience food plays a big role.
This workshop is just one ingredient in the effort to create an overall healthier, happier Lake County. You too can become a leader in the effort toward healthy and delicious food experiences by creating some small changes of your own.
