Meet USA Rice’s K-12 Chef Advisory Board

Back in 2022, USA Rice wanted to increase the industry’s support for the school foodservice operators responsible for feeding America’s youth, and created a chef advisory board to gain insights, monitor K-12 trends, and develop new tools that extend the Federation’s reach into school kitchens across the country.  

USA Rice sought school chefs who were both well versed in all things rice and regarded as industry leaders in the K-12 space. The four-member K-12 Chef Advisory Board (CAB) use their expertise and experience to provide feedback on school foodservice initiatives and present opportunities for rice within K-12 operations. The board also informs school nutrition policy discussions, guides resource creation, collaborates on school recipes, and connects USA Rice to districts nationwide. 

Their guidance has been invaluable in crafting strategic communications and creating resources that speak to all types of school feeding programs, while strengthening the presence of USA Rice within the school foodservice sector. We’re excited for you to meet the school chefs that make up the CAB!

Please allow us to introduce you to:



Bettina Applewhite, RDN, SNS, Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore, Maryland

Bettina Applewhite has a passion for good food and international flavors. She has been working as a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist for more than a decade, and in the field of school nutrition for more than 8 years. She is currently working in the 25th largest school system in the U.S., serving 111,000 students daily at 175 schools and centers. Bettina loves introducing new foods to students, especially vegetables and dishes that may be unfamiliar. This includes creative rice recipes, which Bettina is thrilled to share in the upcoming USA Rice K-12 cookbook. She often works with the system’s culinary students to develop recipes and provide them with skills for sharing their love of cooking healthy meals.

As a certified School Nutrition Specialist, she understands the importance of not only representing your community in your school menu but also introducing new foods in familiar ways. She believes it is important to bring diversity in nutrition through foods as well as through people and food cultures. She encourages people to cook more at home through her blog Bites With Applewhite, and has been featured on Top Chef Amateurs and by AllRecipes as a “Cook to Follow.” She also serves on the School Nutrition Association's Credentialing Board and Public Policy & Legislation Committee. 

Chef Diane Grodek, Austin Independent School District, Austin, Texas

Chef Diane Grodek serves as the Executive Chef for the Austin Independent School District. In that role, she creates new recipes, helps plan menus, maintains kitchen equipment, trains staff, works with students and the community teaching cooking and nutrition classes, and oversees the Catering and Concessions programs. Diane has a keen interest in sustainability and infuses it into all of her work with the district’s food service department. With a passion for cooking, reducing waste, and community involvement, her position as the Executive Chef of a progressive, inclusive school district is her dream job. As a member of the Chef Advisory Board, Diane is excited to share new and diversifying rice-centric recipes, including a sweet rice dish.

Chef Jason Hull, Marin Country Day School, Corte Madera, California

Chef Jason Hull is currently the Director of Food Services/Executive Chef and Director of the Culinary Farm (a seed-to-table program) at Marin Country Day School. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California in 1997, Chef Jason worked at some notable establishments, such as Skywalker Ranch, the Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur, California, and the Brant Point Grill on Nantucket Island.

Chef Jason believes that when you cook from scratch, with ingredients grown seasonally and with respect for the earth and its oceans, and procure food from your local purveyors and foodshed, you are feeding your school community in the most healthy and responsible way.

In 2010, Chef Jason was invited to attend the launch of Chefs Move to Schools, hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama and Chef Sam Kass at the White House. Chef Jason has been a leader in the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kids Collaborative since 2016, and is the current Co-Lead of the Plant Forward working group. As part of the Chef Advisory Board, Jason is most looking forward to developing school-friendly recipes and more plant-forward dishes that highlight U.S.-grown rice. 

Chef Brittany Jones, Houston Independent School District, Houston, Texas

Chef Jones is the Food and Agriculture Literacy Chef for the Houston Independent School District. Growing up Jones enjoyed being inventive with different ingredients and her passion for creativity and food lead her to pursue a Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in Hospitality Management at Howard University in Washington, DC. And then adventured to Miami, Florida to pursue a Culinary Degree from Johnson & Wales University.

In 2014, Chef Jones relocated to Houston, Texas to become part of the Nutrition Services Department with the Houston Independent School District as a Chef Trainer. Quickly, Brittany become known as the Culinary Education Chef where she teaches students, faculty and the Houston community culinary skills and how to prepare healthy dishes. Inr 2020, she fully transitioned to her current role as the Food and Agriculture Literacy Chef. Chef Brittany travels throughout the district bringing culinary education and nutrition lessons to Pre-K through 12th grade as well as our community. She creates curriculum for different programs, lesson plans and new recipes while teaching classes, conducting food demonstrations, and tasting with students, families and staff across the district. Jones is excited to join the USA Rice Advisory Board and work on behalf of a food that brings so many different cultures and people together. 

Rebecca Polson CC, SNS, Minneapolis, MN

Rebecca has nearly 10 years of experience as a chef working in public schools all over the country. She began her career in the foodservice industry in 2011 after graduating from Johnson & Wales University with a culinary arts degree. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in merchandising and business from Florida State University. She is currently a K-12 culinary trainer and chef consultant working with districts, manufacturers, and commodity boards to bring scratch-made, chef-driven healthy meals to schools. She has worked with the School Nutrition Association and the School Nutrition Magazine for four years as a monthly contributor to the Food Focus section of the magazine. With rice being one of Rebecca’s favorite foods thanks to its affordability, versatility, and overall comforting quality, she is thrilled to be a member of the USA Rice Chef Advisory Board.