Executive Chef Scott Bicknell came to the Academy last year after having serving as Executive Chef and Assistant Food Service Director at Elms College in Chicopee and Springfield College with Aramark, the nation’s top-ranked foodservice company, since 2001. Scott, a 1987 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, was the Executive Chef at Lennox House Restaurant, the Sheraton Tara Framingham, and various restaurants and hotels throughout Massachusetts. He has been an American Culinary Federation member since 1990 and received certification by Servesafe in 2006 in nutrition management.
In the course of his career, Scott has developed employee-training programs in proper food handling, cooking technique, nutrition, professional demeanor, and sanitation. His innovative menu planning has brought a variety of interesting choices to the dining hall. He enjoys planning theme meals, and he actively invites suggestions from his staff and the faculty and students at the Academy.
Buy locally is Scott’s motto, and all dairy and produce items are purchased though local providers. He also believes that portion management encourages the development of healthy eating habits. He says, “Choosing smaller portions of a variety of nutritional foods is better for you.” Smaller “batch” cooking keeps the food fresh and the nutrients in. The stations in Lak Dining Hall promote that philosophy.
Generally, you have five or six choices on the hot food line, including a vegetarian option and sushi rice. There’s pasta and sauce, a deli bar with a panini option for sandwiches, a salad bar that rivals that of any area restaurant, a cold cereal option, two soups, a gourmet salad or pasta choice at the Action Station, and dessert choices, with ice cream served once or twice a week. And that’s just for lunch! At dinner, there are carving and wok stations, in addition to the various entrée options.
Scott is concerned about sustainability at WMA, and has deputized Ellen Moriarty-Lehn to be in charge of recycling in the kitchen and dining hall, which is part of the school-wide recycling program. School garbage is recycled as well through a local farm.
WMA DINING SERVICES FACT SHEET
Saturated Fats and Trans Fats o What are they? o What is their impact on our health? o We can help you make the right nutritional choices.
Our goal - understanding and satisfying our students and faculty o We believe that consumers should make smart decisions about the foods included in a healthy eating plan. o We offer a wide range of appetizing choices to encourage those decisions. o We are working to provide consumers with the most helpful and healthful information possible.
The role of fat in a healthy eating plan o Supply the body with energy o Provide the building blocks for cell membranes o Help key systems in the body function properly o Help the body absorb certain nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K
“Good” fats and “bad” fats Good Fats Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are beneficial forms of fat that promote heart health. When included in a balanced diet, these fats help lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a daily total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from foods containing polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.
Liquid oils such as corn, soybean, sesame and sunflower typically contain polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are usually found in olive and canola oil.
Bad Fats Saturated fats and trans fats can increase blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
Typically solid at room temperature, saturated fats are found mainly in meat, poultry, butter, whole milk and coconut, palm and palm kernel oils.
According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, Americans should limit their intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fats.
Trans fats Trans fats are also known as hydrogenated fats. While trans fats are found naturally in some foods, the major source in the diet is partially hydrogenated oil. Examples of foods that may contain trans fats are cookies, crackers, muffins, potato chips, stick margarine, some salad dressings, tortillas and taco shells, candy and gum, hot and cold cereals and breakfast bars, peanut butter and many fryer oils. Trans fats have been shown to have a similar effect on the body as saturated fats.
Typical American consumption of trans fats According to the FDA, in 1994-96 Americans consumed on average 5.6 grams of trans fat per day, or approximately 2.6% of total daily calories.
Most of that trans fat came from foods that contained partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. About one-fifth (1.2 g) of the trans fat came from natural sources, especially beef and milk products. A little more occurs naturally in vegetable oils and forms when vegetable oils are purified.
Trans fats in the news Beginning in January 2006, trans fat information was required by the FDA to be included on food packaging.
This requirement applies to food manufacturers and packaged products, not food service providers or restaurant menus. Currently, posting nutritional information on menu items is voluntary.
The labeling is meant to inform consumers that trans fats are present in the packaged products, as a component of the total fat content. This labeling regulation has spurred many food companies to reformulate their products to reduce or eliminate the use of partially hydrogenated oils.
Some new products are now available in the marketplace labeled “zero grams trans fats”. (Note: A product may contain up to 0.5g trans fats per serving and still be considered a “zero grams trans fat” product.)
Some of these products may still be high in saturated fat, calories, or added sugars so consumers need to evaluate more information than just the levels of saturated and trans fats.
Take control Individual intake depends on food choices. By selecting foods carefully, consumers can minimize consumption of saturated and trans fats. Ingredients on packaged food labels are listed in order of predominance, so consumers can avoid foods in which partially hydrogenated oil is one of the first few ingredients on the label.
Education is the key to addressing consumer concerns about trans fats o Education of WMA Dining Services employees o Edudation of Faculty o Education of Students
WMA Dining Services reduction of the amount of trans fats in the foods served o Most of the WMA Dining Services’ recipes use fresh ingredients, not commercially packaged products. o We seek to use fresh healthy ingredients that do not have hydrogenated oils in our recipes. o We do recognize that many of the fried products and many prepared oils, shortenings, margarines and other products do contain trans fats that may be a concern to our students and faculty. o We use trans fat-free oil in our fryer.
Director of Food Services
