By Sarah E. Murphy
The cafeteria at North Falmouth Elementary School was buzzing even more than usual on Wednesday, October 26, as students were served a lunch prepared especially for them by Boris Villatte, owner of Falmouth’s French bakery, Maison Villatte, accompanied by Head Baker Valentin Pellat.
The special menu for the day featured French bread grilled cheese, cut into a festive pumpkin shape, tomato soup with basil, and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.
The event was the first for Falmouth Public Schools’ Guest Chef Program, which aims to introduce students in the district to new, nutritious recipes, while also introducing them to culinary professionals from the local community.
Michael Ciliberto, Director of Physical Education, Health, and Wellness for Falmouth Public Schools, who also heads the district-wide Wellness Committee, presented the idea to the committee last year. He credited Food Services Program Coordinator Magalie Chbari for enlisting Mr. Villatte, whose son, Jules, is a third-grader at NFE.
“We’re always looking to partner with the community, and we have so many amazing restaurants right here in Falmouth, so we thought this program would be a great way to do that,” Mr. Ciliberto said.
“Magalie is responsible for reaching out to Boris. She really took charge and set up this first event.”
The goal is to bring a different chef to each school in the district.
“The restaurant industry has been hit very hard by Covid, and it also depends on their timing, since some months are much busier for them. We’re hoping the winter will work for them, so that we can bring this experience to all of the students,” he said.
“This event couldn’t have gone any better. I’ve never seen so many kids fired up over soup.”
Lailah Barnes, a second-grader in Cheryl Giardi’s class, illustrated his point with her endorsement.
“Everything is delicious, and it’s really fancy,” she said.
Her classmate, Parker James Arrington, agreed.
“I’m saving my cookie to bring home to my mom,” he said.
Ms. Chbari stressed that all recipes for the Guest Chef Program must adhere to USDA protocol.
“We have very strict guidelines regarding ingredients - not too much sugar or salt - things like that, so when we bring someone in to work with us, we have to make sure we’re still meeting those guidelines,” she said.
Food Services Director Andrea Burnes was pleasantly surprised by the student response. She believes the program is a fun, tangible way to expand students’ palates, by presenting familiar recipes in a different way.
“The reaction from the kids is even more than I anticipated. It’ll be really interesting to see this program introduced to our older students,” she said.
She added that the program also offers a chance for the Falmouth Public Schools kitchen staff to learn new techniques from professionals.
“We have many talented chefs who are also parents to students in our district, so we’d love to collaborate with them, either at their child’s school or one of their choosing,” she said.
Kitchen Staff Sandra Licciardi and Kristina Roderick managed the heavy traffic, assisting Mr. Villatte and Mr. Valentin, as they served every student in Grades 1-4. Mr. Villatte brought paper chef hats featuring the bakery’s logo, which Superintendent Lori Duerr and Principal Rebecca Vieira presented to the children, who wore them proudly.
“You can see the excitement in their eyes when they walk in and realize a professional chef has prepared their lunch for them today,” Ms. Vieira said.
“We feel very lucky to be the first school to host this program.”
Ms. Burnes credited Mr. Villatte and Mr. Pellat for their enthusiasm and willingness to participate.
“They’re taking time out of their busy day to give back to our district,” she said. “We’re extremely grateful to them.”
For their part, they also enjoyed the opportunity.
“Making the children happy was a lot of fun,” Mr. Pellet said.
Mr. Villatte agreed.
“Serving the students lunch was an honor, especially having the chance to be the first Guest Chef,” he said with a smile.
If you are a local chef who would like to participate in the Falmouth Public Schools Guest Chef Program, contact Michael Ciliberto: [email protected].
Maison Villatte Boulangerie and Patisserie is located at 267 Main Street, Falmouth Village.