EP #53 Revolutionary Food Engagement at Spice Field Kitchen, with Steve Baker

The moment you meet Steve Baker you know he was born to teach. He's the COO and lead educator at Spice Field Kitchen, the nonprofit arm of Spice Hospitality Group, the innovative company that brought us memorable and engaging concepts including Spice in Gordon Square, Keep The Change Kitchen, Plated Landscape dinners and, coming soon, Boom's Pizza.  Owner Ben Bebenroth and his family live on Spice Acres in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and use this real life natural ecosystem to teach local agriculture to kids (and others) through Spice Field Kitchen, a 501(c)3 organization cultivating connection between nutrient-dense foods, sustainable agricultural practices and health and wellness. Steve creates engaging experiences with the land through immersive tours on the farm and in an outdoor classroom adjacent to a bountiful learning garden. Online, there are even more resources that educate and celebrate Ohio agriculture including Local Lessons for Growing Minds, an engaging curriculum to connect students with the source of healthy, nutrient-dense food. I talk to Steve about the farm tour experience, how kids react to immersion in nature and why lessons like this have huge impact the way kids think about their food choices.