New story: "Redesigning an Old Recipe – the School Lunch"
New story: "Redesigning an Old Recipe – the School Lunch"
Stereotypical school lunch fare — think fish sticks and frozen "pizza" — has been the butt of jokes for decades. It's an industry ripe for change, and Chef Joan Gallagher is at the vanguard.
Dear Friends,
Our stories on craft (and the values of craftsmanship) often take us to unexpected places. This week’s short feature is no exception: Joan Gallagher, an accomplished Bay Area chef, brought her science background and Michelin-star-restaurant training into one of the most mundane food-service environments imaginable — the school lunchroom. In the process, she changed not just the way students eat at school, but also their understanding of food that’s both healthy and delicious, thereby stoking their appetites for more. As our author puts it: “Sometimes, a movement can be summarized by one person — someone who takes hold of an industry, and turns it into a craft.”
I hope you’ll enjoy reading our latest Field Notes story, "Redesigning an Old Recipe: the School Lunch," written by Jeff Greenwald.
In other news, we’re working on several new elements of what we publish that we’re excited to roll out to you soon, as part of our our first reader-supported features here on Substack. This won’t change our regular weekly stories or our magazine archives, which have always been available free of charge and free of ads, and will remain so. We’re simply adding another layer of rich, unique content that we hope our readers will be inspired to support. More on all of this very soon.
Our Spring issue, which is about “The Future of Craftsmanship,” will continue through the end of May. Each Friday until then, as is our custom, we will drelease a feature story, short article, mini-documentary, photo essay, or podcast that relates to our mission — to “create a world built to last.” Along with stories that speak to each issue’s theme, we always have works on other topics, so please, stay tuned.
In the meantime, I hope you'll always find something intriguing to read, watch, or listen to within our pages. We welcome your thoughts via email, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Thank you for reading and sharing our stories, for donating to our cause when you can, and for being such a loyal part of the Craftsmanship community.
Be well,
Todd Oppenheimer
Editor & Publisher, Craftsmanship Quarterly
Spring 2023: The Future of Craftsmanship
Look at almost anything you own of real quality, and you immediately see its maker's commitment to beauty, functionality, and longevity. Those values, which in our mind define works of craftsmanship, are being aggressively tested these days, as more and more material goods exhibit shoddy workmanship, and are not made to last. The trash this creates not only damages our environment, it also erodes the principles of excellence that advance us, both individually and collectively. In this issue, we introduce you to some brave souls and organizations that are fighting to preserve, and expand, the intelligence in our hands.