NEW YORK, October 18, 2024—CulinArt chefs recently celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at independent schools with foods that not only tasted good but taught students lessons in both culture and culinary creativity.
Gerardo Calderon, who guides menu development for CulinArt in the Northeast, made appearances Archbishop Molloy High School (Queens), Keio Academy (Westchester), and Kellenberg Memorial High School (Long Island).
At each, he conducted pop-up Chef’s Tables that featured foods from his native Puerto Rico that helped inspire him to pursue a career in culinary arts. One event offered Pork Pernil with Arroz con Gandules and Mofongo (mashed plaintains), while two others featured Flautas (chicken or potato) with sides such as Mexican Red Rice and Mexican Street Corn.
Student moving through the serving line were intrigued at Calderon’s offerings, with many asking about the foods, ingredients, and his cooking techniques. “For example,” he told them, “the key to making a great pernil is time—time to marinate the pork, and more time to cook it on low heat.” As for Gandules, also known as Pigeon Peas, they are very common in Caribbean island nations, he says, but not well-known in the U.S.
Whether the peas or other items were familiar or not, it made no matter—lines for Calderon’s pop-up Chef’s Tables were filled with students embracing the festive atmosphere, complete with Spanish music playing in the dining area.
A similar event took place just outside the New York State capital. At Emma Willard School, in Troy, N.Y., just east of Albany, Director of Dining Services Ana Russo menued the same items as Calderon did for a Hispanic Heritage Month dinner that also offered Peruvian Roasted Chicken and Potaje de Alubias Pintas (Spanish pinto bean stew). “The meal was one part of a festival, put on by the school’s Latine Affinity Club, during which students learned salsa dancing, sampled guacamole at a CulinArt PopUp Café, and participated in trivia and other activities to learn and celebrate the Hispanic culture,” Russo said.
