Cafeteria

My name is Lester Allen, and I am a native of Augusta, Georgia. I am a Regional Executive Chef with over 20 years of culinary experience. The last five years focused on child nutrition, where my roles have been Chef Manager, District Chef, and Assistant Food Service Director. I am fluent in many cuisines, but my favorites are Cajun-Creole and Italian. I discovered my culinary gift as a teenager when I began to cook for my family after school due to my mother and father working long hours. I attended the Art Institute of Atlanta, where I got my first glimpse into the professional world of food. I graduated from the Culinary Tech Center, located in New York City. My expertise has been sought after by school districts, marine vessels, country clubs, private assisted-living homes, and healthcare institutions across the Southeast, Northeast, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy follows the USDA National School Lunch Program (NSLP) guidelines to provide nutritious meals that support student health and academic success. Research has demonstrated that school lunches are typically more nutritious than packed lunches, as meals from home are shown to contain higher calories, sodium, saturated fat, and sugar. School lunches emphasize components like whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables while creating a nutritionally sound meal.