"Kids like this soup because it's mild-tasting," says Bill Telepan, executive chef for Wellness in the Schools, whose own New York City restaurant received a Michelin Star in 2014. "Once you have them on board, you can add other veggies or beans to the soup."
Often served with roasted plantains and beans, it's the most popular lunch choice at P.S. 145 in New York City. "The kids like that we give it to them in whole pieces rather than taking it off the bone," says Wellness in the Schools chef Katie Cook.
When Telepan's daughter was a toddler, she went through a picky phase, always asking for pasta with butter. "I developed this recipe as an alternative," he says. "She's 14 now, and she still says it's her favorite pasta of all time—so I thought other kids would like it too."
Another cafeteria favorite is this sammie that often tastes like pizza.
