When Chris Kotolski was a culinary student in Phoenix, Ariz., his apartment complex proved to be just as much of a place for learning as the culinary school. What existed there was a true community that welcomed that student from Wisconsin and opened the door to what would become his signature dish, Chicken Curry. It’s a real favorite now, one that he reprises at least once a month at Hickory Hill Academy in Madison, Wis.
“My apartment complex had a lot of families that traded off making a type of curry every week, and I was always welcomed to join in the meals,” Kotolski says. Flash forward to fall of 2023, when he developed the recipe to fit the standards required for school meals. Since then, kids ask for the curry all the time.
“The recipe has truly stayed the same to keep allergens and consistency in the menu item,” he says, adding that while Indian food is growing in popularity, curry is still not quite a household name in many homes of the Midwest…