Smith previously worked with the Gary, Indiana and Chicago Public Schools food service systems. She joined the district amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has had a challenging first year. Those challenges have included scrambling as vendors didn’t deliver the expected food on that day’s school menus and dealing with the district’s own staffing shortages.
She hopes those challenges will fade as next year approaches. Smith wants to bring in a variety of initiatives, from scratch cooking to using fresh products grown at schools. The district recently hired a dietitian and is currently seeking an executive chef.
“We are going to make some stuff that really will give people something to talk about,” Smith said.
Smith recently spoke to the Cap Times about what’s on the menu at Madison’s schools.