Baltimore City Public Schools Food and Nutrition Director Tony Geraci Speaks at SU October 6

SALISBURY, MD---Tony Geraci, the new director of food and nutrition for Baltimore City Public Schools, shares his plan to transform the way his school system feeds its students 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 6, in SU’s Teacher Education and Technology Center, room 153.

Geraci’s lecture is part of the Chesapeake Bay studies course taught at SU by renowned environmental writer Tom Horton. Geraci’s focus is on nutrition, locally grown food and vocational training in the hospitality industry for the children of Baltimore. Since his arrival, the Baltimore school system has begun buying food from local farms and turning city-owned land into community gardens where students help to grow and harvest the food they will eat. Participation in the school breakfast program has increased from 8,500 meals served per day to more than 35,000.

Geraci is a native of New Orleans and a third-generation restaurateur who apprenticed with four-star hotels and restaurants throughout the United States.  More recently, he has worked with food service directors throughout the country to streamline their operations for purchasing, introduce local products to their menus and incorporate vocational training.

He was also featured in the film Angry Moms, a documentary about the national school lunch program. His New Hampshire program was cited as a “Best Practices” example of one of the most innovative approaches to school nutrition in the nation.

Geraci’s work has been featured in Gourmet magazine, The Atlantic, Urbanite and The Washington Post and on The Diane Rehm Show and the Food Network, among others.

Admission is free and the public is invited. For information call 410-543-6030.