Press
Pilot Light is making headlines! Explore the latest news, stories, and media coverage highlighting our work to bring Food Education to students and communities.
Pilot Light’s Feed Your Mind Gala Unites Top Chefs to Support Food Education Nationwide
Modern Luxury – 5.22.25
ARCHIVE
- Weekend Reading: Food Education Standards
Food Politics by Marion Nestle – 2.6.2026 - Weekend Interview Quote Match
Blue Book Services – 2.13.2026 - 2026 36 Under 36 | Chella Bluth-Rosenberg
The Detroit Jewish News – 2.16.2026 - Charity Shuck Off Brings Gus’, Bar Bambi, Radicle, Delilah’s + MORE Together at The Publican for ONE NIGHT ONLY, April 8th
Chicago Food Magazine – 3.23.2026
- Monteverde Celebrates Its 10th Birthday With Specials All Year
Chicago Magazine – 2.19.2025 - Pilot Light’s Feed Your Mind Gala Unites Top Chefs To Support Food Education Nationwide
Modern Luxury by Serena Thakkar – 5.22.2025 - Ray Elementary School students teamed with chefs to hold end of year farmers market
CBS Chicago – 5.31.2025 - From the Farm: Decatur teachers take lead in ag education training program
WCIA by Stu Ellis – 6.19.2025 - Bronx Students Explore Farming Firsthand
NY Beef Council by Chrissy Claudio – 7.03.2025 - Pilot Light Unveils Updated Food Education Standards to Transform How Students Learn Through Food
Yahoo Finance – 7.14.2025 - Pilot Light Unveils Updated Food Education Standards to Transform How Students Learn Through Food
GlobalNewswire – 7.14.2025 - Feeding Futures brings the farm to the classroom
Herald Review by Valerie Wells – 7.25.2025 - Sail Over to Burrito Beach for big bites
GoPride Chicago by Jerry Nunn – 8.13.2025 - Burrito Beach turns 30 with chef treats
Axios Chicago by Monica Eng – 8.19.2025 - What’s at Stake for School Food Literacy Programs
CivilEats by Hannah Wallace – 9.17.2025 - Food Education with Alex DeSorbo-Quinn – Educator Forever Podcast Episode
Interview with Lily Jones – 10.15.2025 - LISTEN: Sarah Pritts talks Ag Academy programming for students at Montessori Academy for Peace
NowDecatur Podcast – 10.7.2025 - Weekend Interview: Alex DeSorbo-Quinn and Pilot Light
BlueBook – 11.14.2025
- Emeril Lagasse Foundation Announces $650,000 in Grants this Fall
NewOrleans.com – 12.18.2024 - Experts discuss how early education and healthy habits can transform children’s diets
ThePacker.com – 10.21.2024 - Indian as Apple Pie Founder Anupy Singla on the Pilot Light Feed Your Mind Gala & Samosa Puff Recipe
WGN Chicago – 10.21.2024 - SAVOR Openings, Antoni Porowski and a New Lincoln Park Spot
Windy City Times – 10.27.2024 - 9 Creative Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes: Make the Most of Your Feast at Home
Rent.Blog – 10.29.2024 - Sustainability on menu: High school academy in Northampton recognized for garden, other ‘green’ efforts
Daily Hampshire Gazette – 06.04.2024 - First Bites Bash Kicks Off Chicago Restaurant Week
Chicago Business – 1.23.2024 - Chicago Chefs Team Up with Paul Kahan for Oyster Shuck Off
Chicago Food Magazine – 2.1.2024
- HEC Academy students add nutrition education to their weekly schedule
Collaborative for Educational Services, Collaborative.org – 9.23.2023 - Organizations Leading the Way to Healthier School Food in the USA
Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center – 9.29.2023 - Why Food Education Should Be on the Menu in U.S. Schools
Medium.com Article by Shilpa Gadhok, See Good Strategy Group – 5.8.2023 - Chicago Chefs Gather to Celebrate “The Breakfast Queen”
Chicago Defender – 4.28.2024 - Pilot Light: Non-Profit Uses Cooking To Help Kids Make Better Food Choices
NBC Chicago Today – Aired 1.31.2023 - New food education program encourages CPS students to be ‘SnackTime Explorers’
NPR WBEZ’s Reset Broadcast Interview with Sasha-Ann Simmons & Pilot Light’s Eileen Torpy – Aired 2.16.2023 - Pilot Light chefs work with educators on food education
FarmWeekNow.com – 1.21.2023 - Chicago Public Schools Selected for New SnackTime Explorers Toolkit, Bringing Food Education to the Classroom
PerishableNews.com – 2.10.2023 - DNO Produce’s FRESHEALTH Partners With Pilot Light to Launch SnackTime Explorers Program; Alex DiNovo and Eileen Torpy Comment
AndNowUKnow.com by Melissa De Leon Chavez – 2.10.2023 - Chicago public schools start produce passport program
Blue Book Services – 2.13.2023 - Allegretti’s Super Bowl Twins Born In Chicago + SnackTime Explorers
Patch.com by Kaytlyn Mroz – 2.13.2023 - Modern Luxury’s Charity & Social Datebook 2023: Matthias Merges & Pilot Light’s 2023 Feed Your Mind Gala
Modern Luxury Print Edition – March, 2023 - Legendary Chef Alice Waters Discusses Slow Food, Seasonal Eating and Reawakening Kids’ Senses at Exec Club of Chicago Event
Better Chicago by Julie Chernoff – 3.13.2023
- Feed Your Passion presented by Edward Jones
Food Network - Food Network Spotlights How a Chicago Chef Uses Food to Teach School Kids
Eater Chicago – 08.03.2022 - 28 Organizations Transforming Chicago’s Food System
foodtank August, 2022 - Pilot Light: Collaborating with Educators To Teach Students About Food
USDA Blog – 10.19.2022 - How Chef Matthias Merges Of Folkart Management and Pilot Light Is Helping To Promote Healthy Eating
Medium Interview With Martita Mestey – 7.3.2022 - Pilot Light puts food in context for young eaters
Local Food Forum – 4.28.2022 - “Partnerships for a Better Tomorrow”
Urban School Food Alliance Blog – 1.19.2022 - “Shucking Oysters for a Good Cause” feat. Paul Kahan
WGN by Kristina Miller – 1.26.2022
- Free K-12 Resources to Help with Remote and Blended Learning in 2021
The Journal by Dian Schaffhauser – 2.8.2021 - Announcing FOOD THOUGHTS – Videos from WTTW and Pilot Light for Kids and Families
Pilot Light and WTTW – 10.11.2021 - Chicago Chefs Team Up with WTTW on Animated Series ‘Food Thoughts’ to Encourage Healthy Discussions About Food
Better Magazine by David Hammond – 10.18.2021 - #LoveLocal: Time Out Chicago Celebrates local shops, food, and culture
Time Out Chicago by Zach Long – 11.3.2021 - Free K-12 Resources to Help with Remote and Blended Learning in 2022
The Journal by Dian Schaffhauser – 11.18.2021 - Pilot Light Food Education Standards come to DC Classrooms through FoodPrints
FoodPrints Blog by Beth Bacon – 12.3.2021
- Pilot Light Launches First-Ever Free Online Library for K-12 Grade Food Education Lesson Plans
PRNewswire – 1.7.2020 - Chicago’s 2020 James Beard Award Finalists (feat. Jason Hammel)
WTTW by Daniel Hautzinger – 5.4.2020 - Chicago’s By-Hospitality, For Hospitality Relief Fund
Chicago Magazine by Hannah Edgar – 5.11.2020 - The Chicago Reader presents Reader Recipes: Chicago Cooks and Drinks at Home
Chicago Reader – 5.26.2020 - 14 Ways to Volunteer in Chicago for Every Kind of Person
Thrillist by Max Plenke – 6.3.2020 - Pilot Light – Shining a Light on Food Education”
Big Schmear podcast by Beth Schenker feat. Executive Director Alex DeSorbo-Quinn and Food Education Support Manager Caitlin Arens – 6.9.2020 - Pilot Light and Urban School Food Alliance Team Up for Food Education Initiative to Promote Good Health and Nutrition
Pilot Light and Urban School Food Alliance – 10.13.2020