Metz Culinary Management is expanding its monthly “Elite Ingredient” concept across its partner accounts, bringing a fresh, engaging approach to nutrition into dining programs nationwide.
Developed and piloted at Lebanon Valley College, Elite Ingredient highlights a single whole food each month, selected for its unique health and performance benefits. Now, Metz is scaling the initiative to reach a broader audience across higher education, K–12, healthcare, and corporate dining environments.
The concept is rooted in the idea of “functional foods” that may support immune function, mental health, athletic performance, and long-term wellness. By presenting these foods in both familiar and unexpected ways, the program encourages guests to expand their preferences while gaining a deeper understanding of how nutrition supports overall health.
The program is the brainchild of Morgan Walker, MS, RD, LDN, who manages Sports Nutrition and Wellness for Metz Culinary Management at Lebanon Valley College. “Our goal was to help students see how the foods they choose can support everything from mental health to athletic performance, while making that learning process interactive and enjoyable,” she said.
At Lebanon Valley College, the program is fully integrated into the dining experience. The featured ingredient appears across multiple stations several times per week, with culinary teams encouraged to incorporate ingredients into both sweet and savory dishes.
In addition to menu integration, the program includes monthly tabling events where guests can engage directly with on-site nutrition staff, learn about the featured ingredient, and sample new recipes. Many of these recipes are later incorporated into regular menu cycles based on guest feedback.
“We’ve seen students become more curious and more intentional about their food choices,” Walker added. “They’ll stop and point out when they’re eating the ingredient of the month, and many look forward to the tabling events.”
As the Elite Ingredient program expands, Metz is adapting the model to suit the needs of each partner environment—whether supporting student wellness, patient nutrition, or workplace dining—while maintaining its core focus on education, engagement, and culinary creativity.
By combining nutrition expertise, hands-on learning, and menu innovation, Metz Culinary Management is demonstrating how dining programs can play a meaningful role in shaping healthier habits, one ingredient at a time.