No more sloppy joes

First Lady Michelle Obama has thrown down the gauntlet, and RMU alumna JoAnn Bohonik has picked it up.

Dubbed the “Chefs Move to Schools Campaign,” the First Lady has called on chefs nationwide to partner with local schools to promote healthy eating to children. Chefs are asked to work with school dieticians, teachers, and cafeteria staff to teach students the benefits of eating healthy foods by presenting fruits and vegetables in fun and appealing ways to student appetites.

Bohonik, who attended the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute before enrolling at Robert Morris University, has been working as a personal chef preparing meals in individual client homes. She is a member of the United States Personal Chef Association and the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Her involvement in these organizations and her experience as a personal chef garnered an invitation to take part in “Chefs Move to Schools”, which kicked off in Washington, D.C.

At the kickoff for the campaign, 500 chefs from 37 different states were in attendance. This included celebrity chefs such as Rachael Ray, Tom Colicchio, and Cat Cora. The chefs-in-schools program comes on the heels of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign, which called on local students in Washington to help grow and harvest vegetables in the White House kitchen garden.

Bohonik lives in West Middlesex, Pa., and has not yet been assigned a local school to adopt, but is looking forward to finding out in the coming weeks. She earned her bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism Management in December 2009, and is currently enrolled in Youngstown State University’s Dietician Program, which she will conclude in the spring.

“RMU taught me to have patience and confidence in myself and in time everything will work out,” said Bohonik.