Cooking up Careers: Chef Ann Foundation’s Healthy School Food Pathway Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Chef Ann Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping schools take action so that every child has daily access to fresh, healthy school food. Founded by Chef Ann Cooper, a recognized trailblazer in the realm of school food reform, the foundation provides training and resources to enable schools to create healthier food choices. In California, the foundation has spearheaded a pioneering initiative by launching a registered apprenticeship program and workforce learning series for scratch-cooked food operators, known as the Healthy School Food Pathway (HSFP) Program.

Partnering with California Community Colleges, this program gives California community college students, school food operators, and displaced workers an exciting opportunity to receive education and paid hands-on experience in operating healthy K-12 school meal programs. The HSFP Pre-Apprenticeship Program is a 7-week program that includes School Food Institute courses, virtual learning sessions, and on-the-job learning. Aligning with California’s Universal Meal Program, the HSFP Pre-Apprenticeship plays a vital role in fostering equitable culinary career pathways, bridging workforce gaps, and championing the state's commitment to providing nutritious, scratched-cooked wholesome school meals.

If you would like to stay updated on this program's progress, you can subscribe to their blog for updates, where they will keep you informed on their next phase of the program, which will kick off this fall!

October 2023