Providing Life-Changing Opportunities with Cooking up Change + Washburne

October 26, 2017 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign

Cooking up Change is about challenging high school culinary students to create delicious meals that their friends will enjoy, but it’s also about providing students with life-changing opportunities. One of the many ways Cooking up Change does this is with the support of Washburne Culinary Institute.

Washburne has been a supporter of Cooking up Change since the beginning—more than a decade ago. Washburne has also donated more than $250,000 in scholarships to winning students. Executive Dean Marshall Shafkowitz, who has also served as a judge, recognizes that the futures of the culinary and hospitality industries lay in the hands of these students.

He also understands why a competition like Cooking up Change is so important. “I believe that this competition helps to drive change with how school lunches are approached by including students in their design,” says Marshall. “The more we involve the students in creating meals that are inspired by them or their cultural background the better chance their peers will eat at school.”

We’re so grateful for the tremendous support of Washburne and the amazing opportunities they’ve provided to Cooking up Change student chefs for more than a decade. More than 750 students chefs from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have participated and more than 3.6 million student-designed meals have been served to CPS students. Thank you, Washburne!

If you’re in Chicago, join us on Nov. 16 to see just how meaningful this experience is. You’ll be able to chat with the student chefs, taste their incredible food and celebrate with us as we announce the winners. If you’re not in Chicago, you can still support Cooking up Change by making a donation and purchasing grand raffle tickets.

And thank you to all our supporters, including Chicago Presenting Sponsor, Aramark; Heroes, Aetna and Sammons Financial Group; Champion Sponsor School Health Corporation; Culinary Scholarship sponsor, Washburne Culinary Institute; Official beverage partner, Goose Island; Official Education Partner, Chicago Public Schools CTE Culinary Arts Program. We’d also like to thank our National Sponsors: Gold Supporter, Newman’s Own Foundation; Official Travel Partner, Southwest; Official Culinary Partner, James Beard Foundation; and National Silver level sponsor, American Federation of Teachers.