Featured Workforce Initiatives

Nick Dramis felt overworked and passionless after ten years of working in private-sector food service. As a trained chef, he wanted a career where he could make an impact and maintain a work-life balance for his family. Taking a pay cut and adding a commute to gain the required school food experience, Dramis joined Marysville Joint Unified School District and is now the Supervisor of Culinary Operations.

Using skills learned through the HSFP Fellowship program, Dramis made a tasteful impact at the high school level by introducing a smoker into their kitchens. “Incorporating more vegetables in school food has been a regional goal, and traditional equipment only really allows you to serve grilled vegetables,” Dramis shared. He saw the opportunity to use familiar flavor profiles with plant-based options and has shared his best practices with neighboring districts. Dramis is also expanding smoked options into middle schools after hosting several successful events where parents sampled menu offerings.

Randal “RJ” Lane developed a passion for culinary arts as a child but felt the pressure to study at a traditional college. After graduation, he realized there wasn’t a clear career pathway for his area of study and decided to work in the restaurant industry, leading him to own a bakery. After 25 years of 100-hour work weeks and with his own family, he was at a crossroads. Lane decided to try something he described as “fundamentally” different.

Working as District Chef in West Contra Costa Unified School District, Lane has already made positive changes in his region, including adding Combi ovens to create higher quality meals in a shorter time, developing a new recipe library, and is soon to be facilitating the first regional school food convening. “Training is the number one way to [upskill workers], but it can’t be one and done; it has to be constant and consistent,” said Lane. “Chef Ann Foundation is supporting us through their apprenticeship and fellowship models.”

Warren Ryan worked in the hospitality industry for most of his career and faced long hours without the benefits he needed to raise a family. He learned about the family-friendly work schedules, benefits, and opportunities offered within school districts and applied as a chef. Ryan is currently the Assistant Director of Nutrition Services at San Bernardino Unified School District (SBUSD).

Ryan’s capstone project for the HSFP Program enabled him to reimagine the district’s fresh food procurement process, reducing food waste and expanding scratch-cooked menus. They now offer more complex menu items like carne asada burritos, which he made happen by upskilling his employees on different in-house food preparation practices. He has also become a regional change maker by sharing best practices and working with his HSFP cohort to realign job descriptions and training to match industry needs.