After several years spent in prestigious gastronomic establishments, chef Ann Cooper, nicknamed the “Renegade Lunch Lady”, has devoted her career to revolutionizing school food in the United States. Tired of industrial menus, she puts her talents as a chef at the service of children, advocating healthy, local and homemade cuisine. Her goal: to ensure that every pupil has access to fresh food every day, regardless of social background, and to limit sugar consumption. This means not only making meals, but also providing comprehensive nutritional education. Her commitment is evident both in the field and with public institutions. In 2009, she founded the Chef Ann Foundation in response to the malnutrition and obesity affecting America’s children.
Foundation
Chef Ann Foundation
The Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) was created in 2009 by chef Ann Cooper, who believes that healthy school food is not only a solution to nutrition and health concerns, but also to social, educational and environmental issues. Its aim is to enable as many students as possible, whatever their social background, to have access to “home-cooked”, fresh, fiber-rich food, free from processed foods and added sugar, in order to promote their overall well-being.
To achieve this, the Chef Ann Foundation trains school food service professionals (School Food Institute), on-site assessments, online resources (The Lunch Box). It installs Salad Barsto Schools in schools, so that every child has access to fresh fruit and vegetables every day. It funds various programs to support schools in this transition to healthy eating.
