Chef John

Third-generation Japanese Chef John Sugimura will visit the Marion School District this month, sharing Japanese cuisine and culture with students as part of the “Tasting Japan” tour sponsored by Taher Inc., the company that manages the district’s food service program.

Marion is the second stop of the Tasting Japan tour, which will stop at 16 other districts from Texas to Minnesota. During his visit, Chef John will share with students a full Japanese meal and provide authentic insights into the Japanese culture.

The professionally trained sushi chef will feature karaage-don fried chicken. Karaage-don is Japanese fried chicken that’s juicy, crispy, and bursting with flavor. What makes the fried chicken distinctly Japanese is that soy sauce and sake are used when cooking the chicken. Karaage-don can be found anywhere in Japan, including food stalls, convenience stores, and bento shops (lunch box shops).

“We love being able to provide exciting meal options for our students,” said Victoria Phillips, the district’s assistant director of child nutrition. “Not only will this be some great food for our students, but it will also be a great way to learn about another culture. We are grateful to Chef John for visiting us and grateful to Taher for choosing Marion for this event.”

 With a growing enrollment of nearly 3,900 students, the Marion School District is committed to helping students develop the academic, social, and decision-making skills needed to become productive citizens in the rapidly changing technological world. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.