NORFOLK, Va. — A cafeteria worker at a school in Norfolk is spicing up the kitchen in a unique way.
Chef Christian Williams is combining his love of food and art to the students' delight at Sewells Point Elementary School.
“I wanted to do something that related to school nutrition and the kids’ diets," Williams said.
Williams approached the cafeteria manager this summer with an idea to personalize the lunchroom.
“He said I want to decorate the walls some, and I said sure. I said I would love that," said Cafeteria Manager Donna Webster. "They’re very colorful. They bring joy to their faces. They light up when they see them. They smile.”
Williams spent the summer painting three different pieces of art for the school, inspired by healthy foods. He hopes the artwork, in turn, will inspire children to make healthy choices in the lunch line.
“This one over here is called 'Strong Bone.' That one is 'Fruits and Vegs,' and that one down there is called 'Strawberry Mimi,'" he said. “This one took me all summer because I intricately did each one, fruit and vegetable, by hand. Each one took me one day to do.”
Christian discovered his love for both cooking and painting in college. Now, it's in Sewells Point that he fulfills both passions and leaves the cafeteria a little brighter than before.
“We only get a few minutes with them and those few minutes will impact their day, with a smile or remembering their name," Williams said.