Juan Sedano

Please share a little of your K-12 school nutrition journey.

I have been in the food business for 20 years, but came to the child nutrition program at Rialto Unified School District because I wanted a little more family time. Now, I really enjoy working with children. They are brutally honest and so funny! My favorite job responsibility is recipe development—I love the challenge and going to school sites to see how the students enjoy new items.

I’ve been a member of SNA a little over a year, and the 2022 Annual National Conference in Orlando was my first national meeting. I got so much out of the courses that were offered and the location was great.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I was born and raised in California—actually in Rialto. In all honesty, I love it here and don’t see myself living anywhere else. But I do love to travel and hope to visit Rome one day.

If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do instead?

I’d spend more time with my lovely wife! With our careers, we are incredibly busy, so any extra time would be used to be together and enjoy life a little more.

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

“Back to the Future,” with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. It is just a timeless masterpiece. There’s so much attention to detail! I could watch it over and over. I recently showed it to my 7-year-old nephews, and they love it now, too!

If you choose a magical or super power, what would it be?

Teleportation. A lot of time is wasted in getting from one point to another. Being able to teleport would free up a lot of time—and be really cool.

What do you do to cheer yourself up on a bad day?

I play video games. Nothing de-stresses me more! “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” is my all-time favorite.

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?

Although I work with food for my job, I still enjoy cooking for my family on my days off. In particular, I love to grill and smoke meat. There’s nothing like seeing the look on people’s faces when they enjoy something you’ve made for them.

How would you spend a big lottery jackpot?

Initially, I wouldn’t buy anything. I’d pay off our mortgage, the car loan, etc. Then, I would probably buy an RV or a trailer and go camping!

What was the strangest food you’ve ever tried?

Escargot—snails. I was in the Bahamas on a cruise, and it was offered on the ship. I actually liked it! I thought it tasted kind of like steak, but more chewy.

If you couldn’t work in school nutrition, what would be your next dream job?

I would probably own a coffee shop. It’s a world that has always fascinated me—and coffee is so popular across the globe that it would probably be a very secure business!