Harry Weekes

A native of the Wood River Valley, Harry Weekes has been an educator his entire career, and forever convinced of the value of the food system as an educational model. Thankfully, Harry has brought this conviction to fruition through founding The Sage School, a school that teaches children not just the importance of food security through a close partnership with The Hunger Coalition, but also how to produce, process, distribute, and recover food. Here’s how Harry responded when asked about his personal relationship to food:

How did you become interested in food?
My mother owned and operated a bakery, “Starr’s Stuff”, out of our garage when I was growing up, and then in a small kitchen in Ketchum through high school and college.  Obviously, that was critical.  The other way I became interested is that I am not a plant, so I have, since I was born, had to eat.  Food has always been interesting to me.

What’s your definition of “good food”?
I think of this more like a meal—something that is a blend of flavors and colors, where all of the ingredients are recognizable and complementary.

Who is your food hero?
My mother. She is a cooking ninja—able to make a gourmet meal out of whatever she finds in your house, and able to make food quickly that just makes you feel good.

What is your biggest wish for food system change?
That we change the food system to appropriately honor the importance of food in our lives, and the natural world in our food.

What’s your favorite food to cook?
Most recently, I’ve been on an omelette kick.  I like making these, and baking bread.

What’s your end goal or what impact do you hope to have in terms of food?
I hope to reorient our relationship to food and its importance in our student’s lives.