CIA, NRA Collaborate on Healthy Kids Event

White House Chef Sam Kass, celebrity chefs Rick Bayless, Joyce Goldstein and Suvir Saran and USDA Deputy Under Secretary Janey Thornton were among the 200 invitation-only participants and presenters at the Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids conference at the Culinary Institute of America San Antonio campus in May.

The event, presented by the CIA in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association, brought together a group of over 150 key thought leaders in child nutrition to discuss how the health of children and young people could be improved through “food education, culinary strategy and flavor insight.”

Among the celebrity chefs at the conference were Joyce Goldstein (top), Suvir Saran (above) and Rick Bayless (at. l.).

The event was designed as the launching pad for a larger initiative focused on improving the quality and flavor of food and drink offered in schools, commercial restaurants and at home, the organization says.

“The CIA has the capacity to use its wide reach and influence in the foodservice sector to move the critical issues of childhood obesity and school lunch programs to a larger audience,” says CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan. “We already have many alumni such as Jorge Collazo in New York and Ann Cooper in Boulder making huge strides in these areas. By convening Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids, we are creating a unique forum for professionals of differing opinions to work through these complicated and critical issues.”

For more extensive coverage of the event, as well as video excerpts of various demonstrations and presentations, go to food-management.com.

The high-powered roster of presenters at the CIA’s Healthy Kids event included (l. to r.) Sodexo Education Sector President/COO Lorna Donatone; Dr. David Ludwig of Children’s Hospital Boston; New Haven School Food Executive Director Timothy Cipriano; USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Janey Thornton; CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan; and White House Chef Sam Kass.