Culinary Students Serve at Senior Center

Chef Fred Ortiz works with students in the kitchen providing multiple meals per day. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen

 

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
LAPS

Often we hear about the athletes, the mathletes and the like, but how often do we hear about the youth that do good things to benefit their fellow man all for education and an opportunity to serve?

Recently Los Alamos High School teacher Louise Majorey took her Culinary 2 class to the Betty Ehart Senior Center (BESC) to bring the classroom learning to the community as students worked with Chef Michael Mason and Chef Fred Ortiz.

“We let them know that our seniors really count on these meals,” said Pauline Powell Schneider, executive director of Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization (LARSO). “It is important that they are healthy, safe and appealing meals, whether we serve them here on in their homes,” she said.

The local chefs prepare a plethora of food daily to provide meals to many senior citizens throughout the community. The meal served at the BESC allows seniors to enjoy a daily lunch interaction with friends, occasionally hearing a guest speaker, a musical melody or just food and friendship.

The staff at the BESC also manages the Home Delivered Meals program for those seniors who are too frail or financially challenged to attend the community gathering.

“How wonderful for Pauline Powell Schneider and her chefs to allow our students to participate in a local meal planning activity,” LAHS Principal, Dr. Debbie Belew-Nyquist said. “The collaboration of students experiencing an opportunity to take the classroom education and implement it for such a valued population in our community is gratifying.”

The team of Shelby Hollis, Gabe Rau and Hannah Stafford enjoyed how the cooks stayed so busy and the size of the senior center itself. They also enjoyed hearing Chef Michael Mason speak about his work.

They trio worked to plate cake and cobbler using the fancy plastic wrap machine. They hope to have the opportunity to serve our community seniors again in the future.

To learn more about the Senior Center Meal Programs, call 505.662.8920.

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