- news
- blogs
- newsletters
-
February is American Heart Month, so it’s the perfect time to talk about heart disease and how you c
Ryan Whitcomb, RD, CDN @ Tuesday, 12 February 2013 -
“Sto Lat!” For as long as I can remember, these two little words have made their way into almost eve
Leslie Fazin @ Tuesday, 29 January 2013 -
With winter now in full swing, so is cold and flu season. Everyone seems to have their own immune-bo
Laura Binder @ Monday, 14 January 2013
- General
- School Nutrition
- Residential & Healthcare
- Corporate Dining
- Prepared Meals
- Emergency Dining
Flags are flying at half-mast at Whitsons’ corporate headquarters as we remember those lost or injured in the explosions at the Boston Marathon. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families and our hearts go out to the Boston community, our team members, customers, colleagues and friends. We are here to support you with anything you may need. Read More358
Whitsons School Nutrition has issued a statement apologizing to the students and the school community and we are in the process of conducting a full investigation. Please be assured that the individuals responsible for this were acting on their own and not under the direction of Whitsons School Nutrition. Whitsons’ standard operating procedure is to follow the district’s policy on handling unpaid meal...Read More1574
In an effort to continue their environmental initiatives, Stryker has recently unveiled their latest initiative: a High Volume Organic Waste Decomposition System, also known as “Audrey”, after the character from “The Little Shop of Horrors”. Audrey turns the organic waste produced in the cafeteria into non-potable water, which is then discharged into the sewage system and processed in a water...Read More1470
Chef Kim Reynolds, Whitsons School Nutrition’s Travelling Chef, visits elementary schools in New England inviting children to join her “Culinary Adventure,” kid-friendly tastings of delicious and innovative fruit and vegetable recipes. This unique nutrition education program was especially designed to introduce K-6 students to new items and flavors and to promote fruits and vegetables in a fun and...Read More953
The New Britain Commission on Persons with Disabilities and the Commission on Youth and Family Services recognized Jeffrey Taddeo in a special awards ceremony, honoring him with the prestigious title of Manager of the Year! Sharon Beloin-Saavedra, President of the Board of Education, nominated Jeffrey for the award, acknowledging his extensive and incredible work with students in New Britain’s CLIMB...Read More1084
A month after Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Northeast, there are some communities that are still suffering the negative impacts of this natural disaster. Hurricane Sandy destroyed homes and disrupted lives in many areas of New Jersey and New York. Recovery is underway, but some of these residents are currently living in a precarious situation, in homes without power or heat. In these communities, the...Read More1349
When Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast, Whitsons Emergency Dining was already busy preparing thousands of meals to be distributed in the areas affected by the storm. Through our partners, humanitarian organizations and local government, we have been providing nutritious meals to several affected areas immediately after the storm hit.
Whitsons partnered with the American Red Cross to...Read More1701
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, was created to address the childhood obesity epidemic prevailing in our country. The focus of this program is to inspire children to eat healthier foods and maintain an active lifestyle, and more importantly, teach them why they need to eat healthy and remain active.
In...Read More761
Every year, the Society for Foodservice Management (SFM), the national association serving the needs and interests of executives in the onsite foodservice industry, recognizes members that have gone “above and beyond” to serve the association and better the industry. One of these honors is the Spirit Award. This recognition is presented to an individual who consistently demonstrates the...Read More1517
The Whitsons Family Foundation was created to provide financial assistance to Whitsons team members and their immediate families undergoing financial hardships and grants for college education. It’s been a year since the foundation was created, and we are pleased to report that up to date we have provided approximately $21,000 in assistance. Donations also continue to increase!
This...Read More4017
Whitsons School Nutrition has issued a statement apologizing to the students and the school community and we are in the process of conducting a full investigation. Please be assured that the individuals responsible for this were acting on their own and not under the direction of Whitsons School Nutrition. Whitsons’ standard operating procedure is to follow the district’s policy on handling unpaid meal...Read More1574
Solid waste is one of the biggest environmental problems we have in America. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Facts and Figures for 2010, the average American discards about 4.43 Lbs. of garbage every day. This number includes the solid waste produced in school cafeterias too; just think about all the disposable trays, cups and silverware we use every day in dining operations.
As...Read More125
Chef Kim Reynolds, Whitsons School Nutrition’s Travelling Chef, visits elementary schools in New England inviting children to join her “Culinary Adventure,” kid-friendly tastings of delicious and innovative fruit and vegetable recipes. This unique nutrition education program was especially designed to introduce K-6 students to new items and flavors and to promote fruits and vegetables in a fun and...Read More953
On November 14th and November 28th, Whitsons School Nutrition hosted a Parents’ Night. Hundreds of parents and students visited the high school cafeteria in the evening, from 6:00 PM to 8:00PM. On November 14th, the high school staff opened the cafeteria doors with pride during Parent Teacher Night.
On November 28th, during the high school’s annual Open House, parents had the opportunity to...Read More292
The New Britain Commission on Persons with Disabilities and the Commission on Youth and Family Services recognized Jeffrey Taddeo in a special awards ceremony, honoring him with the prestigious title of Manager of the Year! Sharon Beloin-Saavedra, President of the Board of Education, nominated Jeffrey for the award, acknowledging his extensive and incredible work with students in New Britain’s CLIMB...Read More1084
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, was created to address the childhood obesity epidemic prevailing in our country. The focus of this program is to inspire children to eat healthier foods and maintain an active lifestyle, and more importantly, teach them why they need to eat healthy and remain active.
In...Read More761
Whitsons partners with many local farmers and vendors to provide the freshest produce straight from farm to fork. We are taking a step further and have also partnered with some of our clients to create on-site gardens. This is a great opportunity to not only provide great quality produce, but also to also create an additional classroom environment and new learning opportunities for the...Read More899
The USDA established the HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) to recognize schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that create healthier school environments by providing nutrition education, nutritious food and beverage choices, physical education and opportunities for physical activity. This initiative is a main component in First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign, an...Read More1563
Chef Rich Sandmann had the opportunity to share his vast knowledge with a high school student, Andrew, from West Haven, CT. For three weeks, Andrew, who will be attending the Culinary Arts Program at Johnson & Wales University in the fall, worked directly with Chef Sandmann at various schools in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Andrew had the chance to observe firsthand the everyday...Read More631
On May 18th Ledyard High School hosted a very special “Guest Chef Day”, featuring fresh products sourced from local farms and businesses. This initiative was possible thanks to the partnership between Ledyard High School’s Agri-Science & Technology Program (Vo-Ag) and Whitsons School Nutrition.
Chef Rich Sandmann from Whitsons School Nutrition created a wholesome menu using ingredients...Read More758
Every year the School Nutrition Association (SNA) conducts a National Leadership Program that gathers school nutrition future leaders from all over the country. These leaders are especially selected by the SNA’s state chapters based on their strong leadership potential, commitment to a career in school nutrition and their deep interest in contributing to the long term growth and development of their...Read More1375
Purchasing local products supports the local economy and the community while reducing the amount of fuel used to deliver the products to its final destination. In a school setting, purchasing local products also provides the children with a positive example of what can be done to encourage environmental conservation.
As of this month, Attleboro Public Schools will be sourcing milk...Read More848
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it was very difficult for our team members in the Tristate area to commute to and from work. However, these difficulties did not prevent them from providing the best service possible to our clients.
At Carnegie East House, this was not the exception! Our team worked around the clock to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents — some staying...Read More450
During emergency disasters, our chefs and managers ensure we continue assisting the dining needs of our customers during these stressful times. The residents at SCO Sea Cliff experienced the dedication of our team during Hurricane Sandy.
Chef Fred Hakimi went the extra mile to put the needs of his residents above his own. Both during and after the storm, Chef Hakimi took special...Read More466
On July 31st, the residents of Carnegie East House enjoyed a wonderful play. This play, called “Ladies’ Night”, was created by Scott Gordon, Carnegie’s Activities Director, who also performed all the music for the play. The performers were all very acclaimed by the residents and the family members that attended this event.
Carnegie residents and visitors also enjoyed a very special tea...Read More663
We always strive to live our mission of enhancing life one meal at a time through our words, our services and our actions each and every day. Receiving “Thank You” letters recognizing these efforts is more than we can ever ask:
Our client at SCO Sea Cliff thanks Chef Fred Hakimi for being a valuable member of their family: “June is usually a very busy month with the end of the school year....Read More663
During Hurricane Irene, several of the Carnegie East House food service team members stayed at the facility in order to continue assisting the dining needs of the Carnegie East residents during this stressful time. Valerie Barnett, Manuel Piedra, Jancis De la Cruz, Rushonn Jackson, Sol Lacerda, Alize Conde, Minnie Grant, Imani McDonald and Melissa Clemente maintained a positive outlook and...Read More645
As part of the Good Shepherd Wellness Initiative, every Wednesday throughout February, students and staff at Good Shepherd Services (GSS) received cooking demos and seminars. Guest chefs Emanuel Montalvo, Sharlene Bejarano, Shanay Mason and Peter Bellisario took center stage at GSS’s cooking demos, while District Manager, Mark Kirn, led the nutritional seminars. All were aimed at increasing...Read More770
At Estee Lauder cafes, being green comes first! The cafeterias are committed to environmental conservation and strive to become “greener” operations every day. They have banned the use of Styrofoam trays; instead, they use a combination of reusable and paper trays. Recycled paper napkins are used instead of regular paper ones. Furthermore, they have recently replaced all of their cleaners with...Read More91
Reducing the solid waste produced in every day operations is a number one priority at Stryker. Styrofoam trays are made of polystyrene, a petroleum-based product which stays around for centuries, taking up lots of landfill space. Furthermore, solid waste adds a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. For these reasons, last fall, Stryker made the switch to biodegradable...Read More89
In an effort to continue their environmental initiatives, Stryker has recently unveiled their latest initiative: a High Volume Organic Waste Decomposition System, also known as “Audrey”, after the character from “The Little Shop of Horrors”. Audrey turns the organic waste produced in the cafeteria into non-potable water, which is then discharged into the sewage system and processed in a water...Read More1470
Wonderful things have been happening at our Estee Lauder locations!
Following Estee’s Holiday Party last month, our Estee locations (Main, Research Park and JHL) kept the festivities rolling by hosting a very special “Brunch Day” the next day, complete with specialty meals, which included savory bread pudding, an omelet station and a carving station with sliced Virginia ham.
Estee Research...Read More526
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, our team members were called to help distribute food to the victims in the locations affected by the storm.
When the call came, the entire team at UBM rose to the occasion and volunteered to serve the food in one of the Far Rockaway locations. According to Peter Bellisario, Food Service Manager at UBM, “We were touched to be able to help thousands of people...Read More553
It is grilling season, and this August was no exception! Our customers at Estee Research Park and UNFCU enjoyed delicious homemade heart-healthy burgers.
Chef Jose Argueta from Estee Lauder Research Park prepared a made-from-scratch fresh turkey burger that was the star of the meal. UNFCU’s Chef Jose Calderone also served freshly prepared burgers, including a turkey spinach burger, and...Read More1034
Our Estee Lauder locations, Estee Lauder Main, Aramis, JHL and Research, hosted a festive Customer Appreciation Day in May to say “Thank You” to our loyal clientele. The theme of the celebration was “Carnival Day”, and like any carnival, it featured delicious treats such as hot pretzels, popcorn, churros and cotton candy. A DJ kept the music going while a magician entertained the attendants. Fun...Read More1047
The holiday season is that wonderful time of the year when our families get together. Unfortunately, it is also a time where most of our unhealthy eating takes place. With this in mind, UNFCU hosted a talk in which a guest speaker discussed how to make healthy choices when faced with parties, eating out and hosting holiday celebrations. Marlisa Brown, a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes...Read More1071
CAMBA and Whitsons Culinary Group partnered to provide real-life experience to CAMBA’s Food Protection Certification Training students by inviting Whitsons’ food service professionals to participate in the Guest Speaker series. In order to enhance the curriculum of this training program, CAMBA asked Whitsons Culinary Group to collaborate by sending representatives to speak to the students. The goal...Read More813
When the Boston Public Schools went out to bid, the district was interested in finding an innovative new approach to its dining program. By selecting Whitsons as their new provider, our fresh, healthy and nutritious solution was exactly the change they were looking for. What is it about our Boston account that makes it so unique? The service is a blend of two of our strongest niches: school...Read More1598
The Sunday following Christmas, the Northeast was hit with a major snowstorm. Transportation systems were down, with buses suspended and limited train service, but that did not stop Whitsons team members from making sure meals were delivered to Prepared Meals clients as promised. Managers and team members alike came in the night before, and some stayed through the next night, to prepare in advance...Read More818
A month after Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Northeast, there are some communities that are still suffering the negative impacts of this natural disaster. Hurricane Sandy destroyed homes and disrupted lives in many areas of New Jersey and New York. Recovery is underway, but some of these residents are currently living in a precarious situation, in homes without power or heat. In these communities, the...Read More1349
When Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast, Whitsons Emergency Dining was already busy preparing thousands of meals to be distributed in the areas affected by the storm. Through our partners, humanitarian organizations and local government, we have been providing nutritious meals to several affected areas immediately after the storm hit.
Whitsons partnered with the American Red Cross to...Read More1701
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Whitsons partnered with the City School District of Albany to produce over 8000 emergency meals for local residents who lost power in their homes. The City School District of Albany provided access to its Arbor School for the distribution of emergency meals via the National American Red Cross (NARC).Read More847
While most people living on the east coast were preparing for Hurricane Irene and staying inside, Delivered Meals Managers James Corrigan and Gregory Godfroy and their teams were preparing to deliver emergency meals to the Red Cross for people in need. With the help of many other team members, Jim and Greg were ready to take action and drive a truck with more than 5,000 meals 103 miles from Whitsons...Read More785
During an unexpected snowstorm at the end of October, Canton, Connecticut was hit hard with bad weather, turning the community center into a shelter for 8 days. The Whitsons food service team at Canton stepped in to prepare, cook and serve over a thousand hot meals at the shelter for the Canton citizens that lost power during the storm.
Read More831
© 2013 Whitsons Culinary Group