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R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s M o n d a y, M a y 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 6 6 SCHOOLS OFFERING BREAKFAST TO MILLIONS OF U.S. STUDENTS Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation's largest in-school health and wellness program, in conjunction with National School Breakfast Week (March 2-6), launched Fuel Greatness, in an effort to elevate the conversation around good nutrition and physical activity to help ensure a healthy, high-achieving generation of youth. The program focuses on increasing accessi- bility and participation in school break- fast to ensure kids start their day with the fuel they need to help them succeed. Research shows that improved nutri- tion, including daily breakfast, and increased physical activity can lead to improved academic performance. Eating breakfast at school can help kids be more attentive, behave better and achieve high- er test scores, but millions of kids aren't eating this important meal. In a recent national survey, No Kid Hungry's annual 'Hunger in Our Schools' report identified that more than three quarters (76 percent) of educators say that their students come to school hungry. The Food Research and Action Center's (FRAC) School Breakfast Scorecard, published recently, noted that 13.2 million children ate school breakfast each day during the 2013-14 school year, and while participation is increasing, tra- ditional school breakfast programs often encounter a variety of challenges (tight morning scheduling, cafeteria capacity, and fear of students being stigmatized). In order to increase participation and access, many schools are having success with alternative breakfast models. Options like Grab and Go, Breakfast in the Classroom and Second Chance Breakfast can help boost participation by moving breakfast to a time and location that is often more convenient for stu- dents. Teachers are also seeing the bene- fits, with 75 percent of teachers saying that breakfast in the classroom was a pos- itive experience for their students. Fuel Up to Play 60 is playing a key role in helping schools improve or expand their breakfast programs placing an emphasis on sustainable alternative breakfast options. Schools can access resources and apply for funds that can be used to purchase items such as coolers, carts, insulated bags or Grab and Go kiosks. The following are a few of many examples of schools across the country that are implementing new ways to encourage students to eat breakfast: All Schools in West Virginia are implement- ing universal school breakfast via alter- native breakfast models by the end of 2015. The state saw one of the nation's greatest percentage increases in school breakfast participation among low- income children in the 2013-14 school year with an 11.2 percent increase over the previous year, and educators are observing less tardiness, less absences and more attentive students. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, North Carolina, the 18th largest school district in the country, took a bold step for the 2013-14 school year by offering free breakfast to all students via quick and simple programs such as Grab and Go, and Breakfast in the Classroom. More than 7,000 students now start their day with school breakfast and report feel- ing better prepared and focused on their studies. The Woodall District in Tahlequah, Oklahoma served 5,760 more breakfasts during the 2013-14 school year than in the previous year by offering Breakfast in the Classroom, and teachers loved that students were able to enjoy breakfast and start their day off right without cutting into instructional time. "Mobilizing communities to advo- cate for and implement alternative break- fast models in schools nationwide requires collaboration at the local and national level," said Jean Ragalie-Carr, RDN, LDN, President, National Dairy Council. "Fuel Up to Play 60 is making an impact on school breakfast participa- tion through the unwavering support from America's dairy farmers and dairy importers, many powerful partners, and dedicated students, educators, parents and community leaders working together to take action to help youth fuel greatness." WISCONSIN MASTER CHEESEMAKER PROGRAM ANNOUNCES GRADUATES The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker ® program, the nation's only advanced training program of its kind for veteran cheesemakers, has graduated two new and four returning Master Cheesemakers. Wisconsin now has 55 active Masters working in 33 companies across the state. The newest Master Cheesemakers, who were formally certified at a ceremo- ny during the Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference in Madison this week, are Adam Buholzer, of Klondike Cheese Company in Monroe, and Chris Roelli, of Roelli Cheese Haus in Shullsburg. Buholzer is a fourth-generation cheesemaker and one of four Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers in the Buholzer family, including his father, Steve, and uncles, Ron and Dave Buholzer. Adam is now certified as a Master for feta and havarti. Roelli is certified as a Master in ched- dar, the variety on which his family's orig- inal plant was founded. Since re-opening the business in 2006, he has emerged as an award-winning producer of artisanal Wisconsin originals, including Dunbarton Blue, Little Mountain and Red Rock. Like Buholzer, Roelli is a fourth-generation Wisconsin cheesemaker. Joining the new Masters in the 2015 graduating class are veteran Masters who completed the program again to earn cer- tification for additional cheese varieties. They are Ken Heiman, Nasonville Dairy, Marshfield, Wisconsin, now certified for cheddar and asiago, as well as feta and Monterey Jack; Mike Matucheski, Sartori Company, Antigo, Wisconsin, now certi- fied for fontina and romano, as well as parmesan and asiago; Duane Petersen, Arla Foods USA Inc., Kaukauna, Wisconsin, now certified for havarti, as well as gouda and edam; and Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy Inc., Brodhead, Wisconsin, now certified for cheddar, as well as brick, farmer's cheese, havarti, muenster and specialty Swiss. "It's exciting to see the ranks of Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers contin- ue to grow and for this unique program to have such a sustained, positive impact on cheesemaking in Wisconsin," says James Robson, CEO of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). "Each year's class takes the advanced training, expertise and insights they gain back to their plants and to the teams that they work with and mentor every day. The bar on product quality and innovation within those companies, large and small, just keeps rising." Established in 1994 through a joint partnership of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, University of Wisconsin-Extension and Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker program is the most formalized, advanced training program in the nation. Patterned after European programs, it is administered by the Center for Dairy Research and fund- ed by Wisconsin dairy producers, through WMMB. Applicants must be active, licensed Wisconsin cheesemakers with at least 10 years of experience in a Quality Assured Plant. Cheesemakers can earn certification in up to two cheese varieties each time they enroll in the three-year program and must have been making those varieties as a licensed cheesemaker for a minimum of five years prior to entering the program. Once certi- fied, they're entitled to use the distinctive Master's Mark ® on their product labels and in other marketing materials. OPENTABLE APP FOR APPLE WATCH NOW AVAILABLE OpenTable has released its app experi- ence for Apple Watch. "We're excited to be one of the first apps available for Apple Watch and eager to continue to build upon this foundation," said Jocelyn Mangan, Senior Vice President of Product Management at OpenTable. "Our Apple Watch app is a natural extension of our popular iPhone app and Pay with OpenTable feature, and it offers an innovative and convenient way for din- ers to engage with OpenTable while they're on the go." At a glance, the OpenTable app for Apple Watch reminds diners of their upcoming reservation, shows them how to get there and keeps them on time with an elegant countdown interface. The app also notifies diners when they're dining at a participating Pay with OpenTable restaurant and prompts them to view and pay their check with a couple of taps of their OpenTable app for iPhone, which is integrated with Apple Pay. Diners can get OpenTable for Apple Watch on the App Store or in the Apple Watch App on iPhone; find out more information on the OpenTable blog. SEATTLE GOURMET FOODS DELIGHTS WITH DILETTANTE CHOCOLATES Seattle Gourmet Foods is a food manu- facturer based out of Kent, Washington. Growing both organically and through acquisition, today it is comprised of 11 different brands found in retailers across the country. SGF's portfolio is comprised of a diverse mix of products that includes chocolate, breath mints, bakery items, jams, sauces, soups and dry mixes. Dilettante Chocolates ® is the most recognizable of the Seattle Gourmet Foods brands. Founded in 1976 by Dana Davenport, Dilettante continues a family tradition in chocolate and confections that dates back three gen- erations to the late 19th century. For close to 40 years, Dilettante Chocolates® has maintained the impeccable quality of handmade truf- fles, chocolate covered fruits and nuts, TruffleCremes ® , sauces, biscotti and molded chocolate that they are known for around the world. For 2015, Dilettante Chocolates ® has a new selection of Easter-themed chocolate molds. Available in five dif- ferent sizes (1.75-ounce to 40-ounce) and various shapes, all of the molds are hand-decorated and made with the finest quality chocolate. Each size is packaged in a decorated cellophane bag with colored bow (excluding 40- ounce size). In addition to the various Easter rab- bit molds, Dilettante offers a line of gift baskets made of chocolate that contain handmade truffles, foil-wrapped choco- late eggs in 7-ounce bags or 5-pound bulk and several lines of gift boxes con- taining a variety of handmade chocolates. The shelf life is 12 months for all molds and foiled chocolates and 6 months for truffles. For more information on the brands that Seattle Gourmet Foods manufactures or on Dilettante Chocolates ® and its prod- ucts, visit www.seattlegourmetfoods.com, email sales@seattlegourmetfods.com, or call 800.800.9490.