The Nutrition Services Division (NSD), in collaboration with the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), is hosting free, in-person, half-day, hands-on, culinary trainings for school food service staff in various locations throughout California. In addition to the previously announced dates and locations, we are pleased to offer one additional training opportunity August 14, 2025, in Oakland. To register for this training, or any of the others listed, access the job aid in the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) LMS ILT 001.
This training, Mediterranean Menus of Flavor, will provide hands-on culinary experiences using ingredients and flavors commonly found in the Mediterranean region.
The training is limited to two staff members per School Food Authority (SFA) due to the class size restraints of 24 participants.
Dates and Locations
| Locations | City and County | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Union School District Central Kitchen | Lakeside, San Diego | July 31, 2025 |
| Florin High School | Elk Grove, Sacramento | August 5, 2025 |
| Kelly F. Blanton Education Center | Bakersfield, Kern | August 7, 2025 |
| Rutherford B. Gaston Middle School, Cafeteria Kitchen | Fresno, Fresno | August 12, 2025 |
| The Center Teaching Kitchen | Oakland, Alameda | August 14, 2025 |
Time
The training will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Training Interest
You may indicate your interest for one of the training sessions on or before Monday, June 16, 2025 by searching CDE-ICN Menus of Flavor: Mediterranean on the NSD Learning Site. You must have an account to access this link.
Refer to the Job Aid titled, LMS ILT 001-Interest Casting Job Aid for Instructor Led Training, from CNIPS Download Forms Section for directions on how to submit your interest.
NSD Learning Site
The NSD Learning Site is available to Child Nutrition Program (CNP) operators. SFAs must complete a self-registration process to set up an account in the Learning Management System (LMS) before taking any training courses. For help completing the self-registration process, download the LMS Reg 001-LMS account Self-Registration Access for CNP Operators Job Aid located in the CNIPS Download Forms Section. If you need assistance or have questions regarding registration, please contact NSDLearning@cde.ca.gov.
Registration Confirmation
The NSD staff will notify you by Monday, June 23, 2025, if you are registered for the training, or if you have been placed on a wait list.
Course Description
This workshop provides the foundational steps to prepare healthful and flavorful recipes from the Mediterranean region, including chef demonstrations and hands-on culinary experiences. During each training, participants will identify basic culinary skills for preparing school meals and apply the skills to prepare meals. Culinary teams will prepare two recipes each for a total of twelve recipes and will evaluate the recipes and consider how to integrate them into their school meal menus.
Recipes include Hummus, Tabbouleh, Baba Ghanoush, Melon Mint Salad, Greek-Style Tzatziki, Lebanese-Inspired Mujaddara, Middle Eastern-Inspired Chicken Shawarma, Mediterranean-Style Cucumber Salad, Whole Grain Pita Croutons, Chicken Kofta Meatballs, Moroccan-Inspired Harissa Yogurt Sauce, Mediterranean-Inspired Chickpea Salad.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the benefits of farm to school programs.
- Recognize the types and benefits of foods and flavor profiles commonly found in Mediterranean cuisine.
- Apply healthy preparation techniques for vegetables, fruits, meats/meat alternates, and whole grains using common ingredients found in Mediterranean cuisine.
- Evaluate the quality and usability of prepared Mediterranean-inspired recipes.
- Identify how the Mediterranean-inspired recipes can be used in school meal programs.
Professional Standards Crediting
- Professional Credit Hours: 4 hours
- Key Area: Operations (2000)
- Training Topic: Food Production (2100), Serving Food (2200), Purchasing (2400), Food Safety and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Training (2600)
- Learning Objectives: Understand and effectively prepare food using a standardized recipe (2110); Develop culinary skills necessary for school meal preparation (2130); Properly use and care for equipment (2140); Serve food to maintain quality and appearance standards (2230); Practice general food and safety procedures (2260); Develop product specifications to best meet menu requirements (2410) Practice Federal, State and local food safety regulations and guidance (2630)
Reasonable Accommodation
Pursuant to state and federal statutes, individuals with a disability may request reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in this training. Please contact the California Department of Education (CDE) at least ten days before the event you plan to attend to request accommodations.
Questions
The NSD hopes to offer additional training locations in the future. If you are interested in hosting one of these trainings at your school kitchen or have questions regarding these trainings, please contact Farm2School@cde.ca.gov.