Loaves and Fishes and Don College have combined their resources and love of cooking to hone the skills of trainees and hospitality students while also providing meals for local families.
Don College students (pictured in the Loaves and Fishes kitchen) use fresh produce from Loaves and Fishes to make pancake mix and muffins for the school’s free breakfast service, and 200 main meals a week, from pastas and marinated chicken and rice, to casseroles.
The school boasts a state-of-the-art kitchen and an adjoining restaurant with a dry bar and coffee machine, and two qualified chefs leading the hospitality course in Katie Lowther and Jackie Young.
One day a week for the past two weeks, Loaves and Fishes cooks and trainees and Don College students joined together to serve lunch at the school restaurant.
The school also hosted a separate lunch and sold jam to raise about $350 for Loaves and Fishes.
“Pat, Renee and the trainees brought the food and designed the menu and we organised paying customers,” said hospitality teacher Katie Lowther.
“The students also looked after the front-of-house activities including ordering, serving and making drinks.
“It was a celebration of what is an amazing partnership.
“We are also planning to take the kids to the Loaves and Fishes kitchen in Devonport.”
Loaves and Fishes cook, Renee de Bruyn, said the joint lunches were an opportunity to do something different apart from preparing thousands of serves of the same dish.
“Katie and Jackie were so accommodating. The facilities are fantastic and the opportunity to do service is great, not just for the trainees, but also for Pat (who manages the kitchen with Renee) and I,” she said.
“It has been a great partnership which we look forward to continuing with in the new year.”Year 12 student Naomi Terrasi said she enjoyed the buzz of combining with Loaves and Fishes for the pop-up restaurant.
“I love the communication and teamwork and meeting new people,” she said.
“These days help further my studies in the hope of getting a traineeship so I can become a chef.”
By Paul O’Rourke
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