Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability in the Kitchen

The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.

— Zeno

As you open the doors to Founders Hall, you are met with the entrancing smells coming from the kitchen. Not many know about the efforts that Sage Dining Services is taking to enhance sustainability in the St. Andrew's kitchen. Food Service Director Kelly Massett and Executive Chef Ray Strawley have been working to make the food we eat part of a 100-mile diet. Over the past three years, they have been able to ensure that about 50% of St. Andrew's meals are grown or produced within 100 miles from the School. St. Andrew's has developed connections with local farmers and even corporations to establish a steady train of products coming to St. Andrew's from local areas. Many of us have seen the amazing samples of this 100-mile diet during Sustainable Friday lunches, where we have experienced:

  • Sausage from Helen's Sausage House
  • Diversity of Produce from Filasky's – corn, peppers, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, strawberries and watermelons
  • Specialty breads from Shiloh Farms
  • Apples from Fifer's Orchards
  • Pork and free-range chickens from Vannoy Livestock
  • Ice cream from Woodside Dairy

St. Andrew's enjoys local products on a daily basis; all of our bread comes from Chesapeake Field in Chestertown, Maryland. We have communicated with our major distributor, Sysco, to make sure that the majority of our supplies are coming from local sources to help minimize the time the food spends on the road. This helps reduce our Carbon footprint while also improving the taste and quality of meals at St. Andrew's.

The kitchen now buys biodegradable plates and bowls from a company called Recyclaholics, where all of the products are made from natural products like corn, for special events like alumni barbeques and Parents Weekend events. The best thing about these products is that after they are used, they can be composted in own organic garden.


St. Andrew's continues to seek outs ways of making a positive impact on our local economy, help reduce our Carbon footprint and make the food more healthy enjoyable for everyone in the community.