Lake Bluff Students, Inovasi Chef Put Garden Veggies to Work

• See the Photo Gallery from teacher Katie O'Brien's class.

Down on the farm at is just outside a classroom window.

The first grade classes recently tasted fresh vegetables grown from seeds they planted last spring as kindergartners. The veggies sat atop pizza the first graders put together themselves in class Sept. 28 with help from a master – chef John des Rosiers of .

The pizza garden project began two years ago as part of a school-wide enrichment model, according to Frances Zale, enrichment specialist for

“The garden serves as an outdoor classroom and a ‘real world connection’ bridging science studies in kindergarten and first grade,” Zale said in an e-mail.

Zale added the garden was initially funded by a grant with the Alliance for Excellence, and has moved to self-sufficiency through sale of the vegetables and herbs at school-wide farmer's markets run by students.

Des Rosiers participated in the project from the start, and enjoys the opportunity to educate students on healthy eating and the importance of fresh ingredients in an age when everything comes packaged.

“The more we can teach kids to eat better and understand where food comes from, the better,” des Rosiers said. “The more excited they become about it, the more it becomes a discussion point at home.”

Lake Bluff first grade teacher Katie O’Brien’s class was more than ready to make its pizzas Sept. 28. The students were broken up into groups and each given pizza dough to knead and roll into the circular pizza shape.

As he moves from group to group assisting their efforts, des Rosiers was peppered with questions from the students.

“It was really cool,” he said. “They were asking why we used certain ingredients. A lot of good beginning stuff.”

Students used a variety of toppings from the garden, including tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, carrots and herbs. The veggies were tended to over the summer by a group of volunteer parents and students who watered and weeded the garden.

Last week also included making the tomato sauce for the pizzas with des Rosiers; first graders acting as tour guides for kindergarten students touring the outdoor garden, and sharing their baked piazzas with the kindergartners.

des Rosiers said he plans to participate in more projects during the school year, and help the school with its garden layout at the restaurant’s expense.

“This is just the beginning,” des Rosiers said. “We want to be involved teaching the kids more about healthy eating.”