When I had a chance to sit down with one of Chicago's preeminent caterers and chefs, Greg Christian, to talk about his Organic School Project, sure, I came away with a better understanding of the program. But more than that, I realized that his honesty, quiet intensity and openly spiritual outlook make him one of those guys who you just know will get things done.

The Organic School Project (OSP) is a non-profit pilot program in three Chicago schools that encourages kids to develop a more positive relationship with food. Greg's goal for the 3-year program is to decrease childhood obesity, early on-set type II diabetes, asthma and behavioral issues by teaching children in an interactive way about the origins and benefits of what they're eating so they make more mindful decisions.

He hopes to shape what's served in cafeterias and what's taught in classrooms across the country by first making it work here in Chicago. From a big-picture perspective, how will he do that?

"It's not gonna be building and proving a model, it's not gonna be focusing on the outcome, and it's not gonna be thinking that we're right about shit. It's about asking yourself, 'Do you own your piece of the crap going on out there?'" says Greg. Talk about telling it like it is.

And he certainly does own his piece of the crap. But for the record, he also has a model, methodology and a process for evaluating the results of OSP. He’s trying to ignite change in the American school system after all. So while he prefers talking conceptually, he speaks MBA, too.

OSP's three-part model, "Grow. Teach. Feed.," integrates community organic vegetable gardens, classroom education and organic, all-natural meal preparation.

It's hands-on learning with a dedicated staff that includes teachers, nutritionists, gardeners, wellness experts, cafeteria staff, parents and others. Kids have the opportunity to learn menu planning, tend a garden in their school, eat some of its fresh foods during lunchtime, and compost and recycle the waste. They're learning environmental stewardship and discovering the power of more wholesome foods.

So what do those ultimate critics – the kids – think of all this?

"They loooove it. They understand 'sustainability.' And 'green.' Those words are silly, but it's all we have since our language is limiting. They understand where the food comes from and how it's grown. And they remember."

When I asked what switched him on to doing this work, Greg openly discussed his past "habits" that, shall we say, weren't totally legal. "I was completely asleep back then. I just thought my job was to make food taste good. That's a gift I've been given, I can do that part in my sleep. I never thought about where my food came from or where it was going. I had no idea that someone else was not taking care of the 'away.'"

As a chef, he recognized he'd been focusing solely on the outcome – "Here's your food, hope you love it" – instead of the intent, a holistic way of thinking that now keeps him grounded.

Even though Greg's forging a new way ahead that he feels is vital to the well-being of our youth, he praises the National School Lunch Program. "This food system feeds 5 billion meals a year in America, so for Greg Christian to say 'I know what’s right, and they're wrong,' well, the rest of the world would die for this system. So we honor it because most of these kids wouldn't get a meal. We don't talk about [OSP] being healthy. 'Healthy' insults the system. I don't want anyone defending themselves to me."

It's still too early to present their learnings to the USDA and make the case that the OSP model successfully combats youth health epidemics and should be rolled out across the U.S., but there’s no doubt in my mind they’ll get there, if Greg Christian has anything to do with it. And thank God he does.