Celebrity chef brings fresh flavors to Jackson High School cafeteria

JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) - Kids are known for being picky eaters, but Jackson School District is hoping to change that. The district is bringing in chefs from all over the country to encourage students to try new foods.

Traveling chef Chris Murray visited Jackson High School with the goal of mixing things up in the lunchroom Thursday.

“I travel around the world and come back to recreate the food that I’ve eaten to give the kids a new, fresh flavor and learn culture through food,” said Murray.

Murray’s mission is to stress the importance of nutritious meals and stepping out of your food comfort zone.

“Everything here is fresh, not out of a box. We have fresh peppers, fresh mangos, fresh pineapples, and the pork belly has been roasting for three and a half hours so it’s tender as can be,” Murray said. “The goal is always to get the kids to eat fresh and quality foods.”

Jackson High School Student Cassandra Coburn said she enjoys the change of menu.

“I want to expand my horizons to figure out what I like and don’t like,” Coburn said. “I don’t want to be confined to Mac N Cheese and Chicken Tenders.”

Chef Murray’s goal is to bring his experience of food and culture to schools around the country. He will be at Jackson Middle School from 10 a.m. to noon Friday.

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