CulinArt rolls into Rhode Island’s Wheeler School - CulinArt Group

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CulinArt rolls into Rhode Island’s Wheeler School

PROVIDENCE, R.I., August 31, 2022—The Wheeler School has partnered with CulinArt Group to provide dining services for its 800-plus students in four schools (preschool through grade 12). Facilities comprise The Purple Cow Café and The Lion’s Den Market, with Victoria “Torri” Hieber leading the CulinArt staff as director of dining services. The opening is one of 10 in the independent school market for CulinArt this fall, including three in New England (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine).

[left to right in photo above: Dorothy Vallee, Chef Kate Nealis, Bertrand Caruthers, Louise Brochu, JC Mobriant, Director Torri Hieber]

Hieber joins CulinArt from Mitchell College, in New London, Conn., where she was director of dining services. Before that she served as associate director of food and nutrition at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, in Elk Grove Village, Ill., and also ran catering for corporate and sports events, including a private party for the owner of the Chicago Blackhawks. Here, Hieber shares more information about what’s in store for one of CulinArt’s newest clients and its students.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR WHEELER SCHOOL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR NEW DINING EXPERIENCE?

HIEBER: We strive to provide a perfect balance of quality, taste, and nutrition with our chef-created menus, locally sourced ingredients, and assistance of registered dietitians. School-aged kids have a more diverse palate than ever before, and we aim to deliver their favorite dishes along with future favorites. Our weekly menus will be posted on the Wheeler website for all to see, as well as in the cafe.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE CULINART TEAM AT WHEELER?

HIEBER: My role as director of dining services is to lead the amazing team, execute flawless events, and bring a high-quality dining program to Wheeler. I have brought on Chef Kate Nealis, who has more than 20 years of experience in restaurants and the foodservice industry, most recently as the owner of the successful food truck, Noble Knots. Kate’s passion is in sustainable food, locally sourced ingredients, and educating others on an attainable healthy lifestyle. Rounding out the team are more cooks from a range of backgrounds and other foodservice professionals who will serve and assist students daily.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND SUSTAINABILITY ARE CENTRAL TO THE CULINART APPROACH. HOW WILL THE DAILY MENU OFFERINGS REFLECT THESE IMPORTANT AREAS? 

HIEBER: Our daily menus will consist of multiple stations meant to nourish students and keep them focused in class with offerings like chicken parmigiana and rosemary turkey, empanadas, street tacos, ramen bowls, and other popular dishes. For these dishes, we source our produce locally and work with companies that are actively reducing waste. Speaking of waste, we have a program entitled “Waste Not” in which we measure our waste daily. This program helps us recognize our habits and make a lasting impact for our future.

WHAT ARE YOU AND YOUR TEAM MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR? 

HIEBER: I am personally looking forward to making an impact in the day-to-day lives of everyone that eats here. No matter what their food preferences are, I want everyone to genuinely enjoy the food they are choosing to eat. And that’s just it—choices. This isn’t your typical “school lunch.” We provide options that are nutritious AND delicious, and I could not be more excited to introduce this to the Wheeler community this year.

As far as my team goes, they are excited to bring their very distinct culinary backgrounds together to execute a menu that Wheeler has never seen. My team takes a lot of pride in their skills, and they are ready to show off.

WHAT SORT OF INPUT WILL STUDENTS HAVE ON WHAT DINING SERVICES OFFERS?

HIEBER: I recently met with the Student Senate to receive initial ideas from them, and it was extremely informative. I plan to meet with student groups in a regular cadence to ensure we are keeping up with current trends and their voices are heard. Feedback is critical to success, and I welcome it with open arms.

We are here for the community. From everyday meals to pop-up events with our new smoker, and special events to welcome new families, we will be here. I have a passion for community and family, and I look forward to integrating our CulinArt family into the Wheeler family.

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  • August 30, 2022
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    What our clients are saying

    “What a wonderful dinner we had tonight for our international families. The food was delicious and well presented as well.”

    “Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

    “Thank you and your staff for all the care and thought you give CSW adults and students. You approach events with such care and elegance- I don’t know how you do it! Especially day after day. Please thank all your staff for their wonderful work and kind manner with all of us. Here is to a great year!”

    “Many, and I do mean many, thanks for a great Parents Weekend.  I heard from so many happy parents and you all work very hard to make it happen.  In gratitude and kindness…”

    “We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

    “With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

    “I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

    “I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

    “Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

    “I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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