News from the Hill

The Upper School Nutritional Science course, taught by Mary Capozzi, examines the connection between diet and health through the biology and physiology of human nutrition. Students take an in-depth look at the process of food metabolism and learn the macronutrients and micronutrients requirements needed for human growth, development, and maintenance. In conjunction with Ms. Capozzi’s curriculum, guest lecturer Executive Chef Anthony Ciancio is leading interactive cooking labs this semester.

With more than 20 years in the restaurant industry, Chef Anthony shares stories about his career experiences in Boston and beyond, at-home cooking tips, and the importance of finding balance in every meal. In Chef Anthony's hands-on labs, students are connecting classroom lessons to practice. They are learning to prepare nutrient-dense meals, navigate grocery stores effectively, and develop cooking skills, all while engaging in lively discussions that reinforce their knowledge and promote lifelong healthy habits.

 
In the first lab, students built a balanced salad and learned the role of salad dressings. For a pre-lab work assignment, students created a salad dressing recipe and analyzed the serving size, daily value, and ingredients used. Students enjoyed two salads from Chef Anthony’s demonstration—a lean kale Greek salad and a complex carb farro and spinach salad, created for fueling up before a high intensity workout or game. “I don’t usually like salads, but this was tasty and something I would absolutely eat again,” shared Marissa ’25. After the lab, students were asked to break down the ingredients used in the lab by looking up nutritional labels, finding hidden ingredients, and explaining how these ingredients support a healthy diet. 

In the second lab, Chef Anthony and the students created smoothie bowls. Designed as a pre-workout bowl with natural sugars and carbs for quick energy, the tropical green smoothie bowl included fruits and spinach. Students learned to make a high-protein chocolate smoothie bowl—low in calories but high in protein for muscle recovery. Before class, students were assigned one smoothie bowl ingredient to research and present. Ingredients ranged from fruits and vegetables to honey and seeds. After the sweet treat creation, students analyzed the difference between quick energy and sustained energy. 
 
This semester, Chef Anthony and Ms. Capozzi will continue to share their expertise and assist students to deepen their understanding of textbook concepts and develop culinary skills by engaging directly with food. Students are looking forward to studying pasta substitutes, making no-bake protein energy balls, and learning cuisine and culture through a sushi hand-roll lab.

Thank you to Michael Conlon, Dexter Southfield parent and co-owner of Broadway Restaurant Group, for supporting this opportunity with Chef Anthony.