Mark Day, owner of the caterer and event-planning business Mark Day Company, admits he had some selfish reasons for doing a cooking demonstration Monday at George Watts Montessori Magnet School.

He grew up on a farm and loved the experience. By cooking dishes using herbs and vegetables grown by the young students at the school's garden, he hoped to convey some of the joys of a farm-to-table life.

"It's half about walking down memory lane for me," Mark admitted with a chuckle on a drizzly afternoon.

But he thinks he made an impression. The kids were engaged as Mark demonstrated some cooking techniques - for instance, chopping a cabbage and some green onions; with parental supervision, of course - and talked about the importance of eating locally.

Hands shot in the air and eyes lit up when Mark asked how many kids had helped tend the garden. They were thrilled to be eating the fruits of their own labor.

Mark, along with chefs John Mapel and Steve Fugikawa, prepared cheesy polenta, cabbage in a mushroom risotto with Watts-grown flat-leaf parsley and green onions, pork seasoned with Watts-grown garlic, sweet potatoes, a biscuit and a brownie.

Watts parent Joy Brewster, who volunteered to help serve the lunch, said it was important for the kids "to actually see food they've grown in their garden can be really delicious."

For his part, Mark said, "If one kid can go home and talk their parents into putting a tomato plant out on their deck, this will have been worth it."

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