A new member has joined NYC nonprofit WhyHunger’s Summer Meals Rock project. Chef Aaron Sanchez of Chopped and the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service teamed up yesterday to serve 50 NYC-area kids lunch, as well as teach them how to create delicious and nutritious meals at home. Demonstrating how to cook a nutritious meal of flatbread, pureed beans, pico de gallo and vegetables, Sanchez debuted these recipes for the kids before adding the flatbread to the Summer Food Services menu for the day. The first "Chef Ambassador" of this particular project, Sanchez visited IS 347, located in his neighborhood of Bushwick, and shared a lesson in nutrition with the kids, with the hopes of helping them to continue healthy eating practices long after school finishes for the summer.

"I live in Bushwick and see kids playing at the neighborhood parks,” said Sanchez. "It's so important for them to have a place to come during the summer months where they can have a good meal. Initiatives like this ensure that kids always have access to a good meal.”

Not one to relax after a long day in the lunchroom, Sanchez made time for a quick stop at The Latin Kitchen and Latina offices to talk about this partnership. Ever the crowd-pleaser, he also flexed his tats, talked about the opening of his latest restaurant Paloma, and shared his thoughts on Latin American foods moving from the "Hispanic aisle" to the mainstream in grocery stores. Like many before us, we applaud the multi-tasking, multi-talented Chef!