Chef Kent Getzin Consulting

03/26/2026

Chilaquiles?! You know what that is, right? 🤤 Now this is gonna be fun!

You might’ve seen in my recent post where I described testing a
Combi- Oven version of Chilaquiles for a recipe development project I’m doing through Team Nutrition with the state of Washington.

The combi-oven version turned out great, and we had a 92% acceptance rate at Yakima High School where we tested it with about 120 students.

Then Melanie from Wright Elementary School District in Santa Rosa, CA responded to my post saying that her kids would love Chilaquiles, but they don’t have a Combi oven.

Just so happens I wanted to write a recipe that would work in the convection oven!

So, I reached out and asked her if I gave her the recipe, (and some coaching if she needed it) if she’d be willing to test the Convection Oven version and share her results!

Guess what’s happening tomorrow?!
… and she said she’d share pictures and her experience!

Follow along and Share! It’s going to be fun, educational, and delicious!

03/26/2026

Spring is the time of year when many districts begin planning for summer training and fall menus. If improving meal quality is on your radar, now is the time to explore what’s possible!

Learn more about how your district can plan ahead for next year's menus: https://www.chefkentgetzin.com/

03/24/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Working with school food pros like Judi make this job such a pleasure!

03/23/2026

*pinch me* I think I might be dreaming!

Seriously though, I can't believe how lucky I am to work with such incredible people across the country on a joint mission to improve food programs in our schools.

03/19/2026

As an expert in K-12 culinary transformation, a dad, AND [very proud] grandpa, nothing lights my fire more than talking about improving the health of our kids through scratch cooking.

Healthy eating habits start early.

When students are served fresh, flavorful meals made from whole food ingredients, they learn what nourishing food looks and tastes like. Can you imagine what that could mean for our future on a greater scale??

03/17/2026

I'm 3 for 3! Wahoooo!

I have mentioned recently that I've been working on a recipe development project through Team Nutrition! This is a very fun project that requires me to develop five recipes.

Each recipe must:
~ Contain at least one ingredient commonly grown, raised, or caught in Washington State.
~ Incorporate the latest USDA meal pattern changes and flexibilities.
~ Significantly contribute to meeting meal pattern requirements for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) meal patterns.
~ Include all required components of a standardized recipe.
~ Be tested with students and receive at least 85% acceptance.

So the scary part is doing these taste tests with kids!

If 85% of the kids don't give the thumbs up, well then you need to reformulate and retest.

Anyway, I have tested three of my five recipes with kids! And the cool thing is, I am Three for Three!

First Test:
Indian Style Dal (basically a hearty lentil soup)

Second Test:
Avocado Toast with Tofu Scramble

Third Test:
Chilaquiles (a delicious Mexican style egg and tortilla dish mainly served at breakfast)

I want too worried about the Dal as it was so delicious to the people I tested it on prior to the student test. But... it is lentils so I was nervous!

And the survey says: 97% acceptability! Whew!

Oh no... TOFU?! Ok... let's do this thing!

And the survey says: 91% acceptability! Woah, this really blew my mind! I never expected a score that high?
..and finally the Chilaquiles:

93%!!

Anyway, I am so grateful!

Three down and two to go!

03/17/2026

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03/17/2026

Do this! It’s awesome! Everyone must serve fresh fruits and veggies from salad bars to kids in schools! It’s easier than you think! Thanks Chef Ann Foundation!

Two weeks left to apply for a Salad Bars to Schools grant! Schools nationwide can apply to receive equipment, marketing materials, and training to set up a salad bar in their cafeteria.

Salad bars offer schools tools to meet vegetable subgroup requirements, while also allowing students to incorporate fruits, grains, and proteins to create their own reimbursable meals. They serve as a pathway to pivot away from ultraprocessed foods and provide more fresh, whole foods in school meals.

To learn more and apply, visit:https://ow.ly/JypC50YsmTb.

03/12/2026

The biggest shift I see during trainings isn’t just on the trays. It’s in staff confidence. When teams feel capable, everything changes 💪

Loved working with these ladies at Siloam Springs School District !

03/10/2026

Wondering what it actually takes to transition your school's food service program to scratch cooking? Well, we wrote a blog just for you!

Most directors already know that scratch cooking in schools is a better long-term solution, but knowing and implementing are two very different things. We’re posting a 3-part series this month that walks you through what it actually takes to make the switch.

The blog 👉 https://bit.ly/4ry8m1J

03/09/2026

Who needs a dance floor when you've got a kitchen floor 🕺

These are short snippets from a training video for in Phoenix, AZ where I teach how to cook teriyaki chicken & fried rice from scratch in a school food setting. So many good nuggets in here to make the process smoother for staff and yummier for kids!

03/05/2026

Giving students access to fresh fruits and vegetables through salad bars encourages exploration, independence, and healthier choices. Plus, it's fun!

It also requires thoughtful planning behind the scenes to ensure:
✅️ safe service
✅️ manageable prep
✅️ minimal waste.

When done well, salad bars become a super valuable tool for improving nutrition and student participation.