Students of Junior and Senior High recently had the chance to sample Caribbean cuisine as part of the Global Eats program hosted by Chartwells School Dining Services.

Poplar Bluff’s longtime food vendor presented the budding program designed to celebrate cultural heritages on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 15-16, serving Jamaican jerk chicken thighs and Puerto Rican sofrito rice.

“It’s here in Poplar Bluff for the first time, and two years in Chartwells,” said Kevin Merizalde, R-I executive chef. “Over the years, they’ve been adding more cuisines to take kids around the world into new places with different flavors.”

Offering a range of seasonings such as hot, spicy, sweet and tangy, the Caribbean is the latest subregion incorporated into Global Eats in addition to China, India, Italy and Mexico. Merizalde said he chose to start with the North Atlantic islands because some of the other countries are already represented on the cafeteria menu. He may experiment with Indian food early next calendar year.

From Merizalde’s previous experience in the restaurant industry, he was exposed to authentic foods from around the world while helping to develop recipes and consulting on menus in New York City. “Mediterranean, Greek, Indian, Caribbean – I know a little bit about quite a few cuisines,” he said.

Born in Ecuador, Merizalde shared how he was in preliminary talks with a vice president of Chartwells over the summer during a conference in South Carolina about possibly assisting the company in incorporating his culture into the Global Eats program, while following guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture.

“Chef Kevin has taught us a lot in the year he’s been here,” said Tammy Thomas, PBHS kitchen manager. Working under Merizalde, she noted, her team led by head cook Knox Ober has doubled the size of the High School create line. “Our main menu helps bring students away from the pizza and burgers, and things they like to eat every day,” Thomas continued.

Some of the students made a meal out of the sampling, returning to the station for upward of four helpings, Merizalde joked. Juniors Gage Miller and John Moore agreed they would vote for the chicken and rice to be added to the regular menu. “It’s definitely pretty good,” John said. Gage suggested: “It just needs a sauce.”

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Cutline: Students line up for second helpings as (left to right) Austin Robertson, Kevin Merizalde and Tammy Thomas of Chartwells man the Global Eats station during lunch service on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at PBHS.