GISD Takes Lunch to the Next Level with Taher

School is back in session at Groesbeck ISD, and while students are settling into new classrooms and routines, the cafeteria ladies are adjusting to a new menu and approach to cooking, working with Taher- a food service management company (FSMC) hired by the district in April 2024.
Superintendent Anthony Figueroa knows good food- a scroll through his Facebook page will showcase a variety of homemade meals that he enjoys creating and sharing with his family. When he joined GISD a year and a half ago, he began exploring options to improve food choices for students, creating a Food Advisory Council with students from second through eleventh grade to determine what they like and what FMSCs could best meet the district’s needs. He wants GISD to succeed in all areas, and the cafeteria is one that can have a lasting impact.
“Just like in academics and extracurriculars, our cafeteria should show who we are; we’re all about enthusiasm, being strategic, being creative and innovative,” Figueroa said. “When we look at this program, we have around 60% of our kids that qualify for free and reduced lunch, but only half of them are participating. With Taher, we’re going to offer four choices instead of two, and more variety.”
Beyond just more options, Taher helps facilitate food choices that open the door to other cultures and countries. Executive Chef and Owner of the company, Bruce Taher is famous for his Paella, a rice dish with seafood, spices, and vegetables that originated in Spain, and he cooks his recipe for schools every chance he gets.
Southern Regional Chef for Taher, Josh Lankton, is in district all week, teaching child nutrition employees various cooking skills and helping prep the meals that will be served.
“I cover the southern region- Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. I travel around to all the school districts we have, and 25 of Taher’s traveling chefs will be coming through Groesbeck (throughout the year), doing different displays and specialties that they really excel in,” Lankton said. “I cook a lot of different stuff but I tend to gravitate to food items that I had as a kid. I had a very authentic background with being half Korean and half Hawaiian, so I gravitate toward my Filipino foods and Korean foods.”
Figueroa is also excited about introducing students to foods that they’ve never had or even heard of before, intending to set them on a trajectory of trying new and fresh foods throughout their lives.
“It’s not just about the kids that we’re serving right now, but what are they going to be eating 20, 30 years from now? Are they going to be stuck on processed foods because they’re familiar or are they willing to try new things, seek out healthier options?” Figueroa said. “When an avocado costs the same amount as a double cheeseburger, you can’t afford it. But when we provide healthier menu choices for these kids, it opens up so many possibilities for their futures.”
Lankton also sees food as a vehicle for a more fulfilling life, a way to learn about and appreciate other cultures.
“I love sharing that food is more than just meat and potatoes, especially here in the South because that’s what everyone thinks, and in Texas, just BBQ,” Lankton said. “But no, we love things with flavor, sweet, spicy, something that’s going to activate your palate and also teach the culture that’s behind that. Food can hold so many memories with it that we carry on throughout our years.”
As a member of Taher’s Chef Council, Lankton travels to various countries for menu inspiration with some of his coworkers, providing students with authentic food options they may otherwise never be exposed to.
“We went to Slovenia and Croatia in April, so we’ve done a taste test and now we’re all trying to create recipes for our menus,” Lankton said. “We focus on street foods because you’re getting authentic, fast, and innovative foods, and that’s what you need in a cafeteria.”
Glancing at a menu from any campus is bound to make you hungry (all are available on the school’s website https://groesbeckisdtx.sites.thrillshare.com/o/gisd/page/menus ). With four entree options every day, students have the chance to try something new, or enjoy a favorite food. For example, the lunch options at Enge-Washington on Aug. 29 are chicken potstickers & chicken fried rice; cheeseburger on a bun; crispy chicken sandwich with Harvest Cheddar Sunchips and steamed green beans; or Asian chicken salad with carrot sticks and diced pears.
Beyond his hope of increasing participation, Figueroa also recognizes the important role that lunch ladies play in many students’ lives.
“We want as many kids going through that line as possible, not JUST to get a hot meal, but for the relationships as well,” Figueroa said. “These cafeteria ladies are enthusiastic and proud of what they’re cooking and serving, so we are excited for kids to have a caring, loving adult encouraging them to try new foods from the menu. We don’t want to miss opportunities to connect with kids.”