AVON, Ohio -- Students at Avon Middle School had a lot to "taco" 'bout during a recent cooking demonstration.
The students enjoyed a culinary treat when television celebrity chef Jonathan Zaragoza took over the school's kitchen.
Working with Avon Local Schools Executive Chef Jorge Rodriguez, Zaragoza prepared authentic Mexican recipes for school lunch, including pork carnitas, brisket tacos, spiced mangos and jicama guacamole.
Zaragoza hosted the demo Nov. 19 with the support of Chartwells K12, which strives to bring fun and healthy eating to school cafeterias.
Celebrity chef Jonathan Zaragoza prepares Mexican food for students at Avon Middle School.Photo Courtesy of Chartwells K12
The cooking demo highlighted flavors from Global Eats, a program from Chartwells K12 that invites students on a journey to explore cuisines from around the world.
Avon Schools Director of Dining Services Nancy Mazzeo-Gripp said the event was a huge success.
"About 900 students took part -- the whole middle school -- and each of them got to get a plate to try the items," she said.
"The administration joined in as well to enjoy what we served in the cafeteria.
Celebrity chef Jonathan Zaragoza prepared authentic Mexican recipes for lunch at Avon Middle School, including pork carnitas, brisket tacos, spiced mangos and jicama guacamole.Photo Courtesy of Chartwells K12
"The students actually absolutely loved it. They were so excited to try everything, and some were coming back to ask for seconds," she said.
"It was definitely a great day and great event. It is good to encourage students to try different things and come out of their normal comfort zones."
Zaragoza has appeared on several television food shows and is known for showcasing the cuisine of his home country of Mexico.
Mazzeo-Gripp said this was the first time the school has hosted such a large event like this, but together with Rodriguez, the duo are keen to engage children with their food and improve the offerings available.
"Jorge has a teaching cart and we go round the school and do things like this on a smaller scale," she said. "We will plan a small menu to teach children about different flavors.
"Jorge welcomed Chef Jonathan into his kitchen, and they worked well together creating different foods that the children may not normally get and show them what can be made with different ingredients."
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