Riverhead Culinary Students Cook Up Thanksgiving For Needy

RIVERHEAD, NY — Families who may have gone without on Thanksgiving Day enjoyed a delicious meal thanks to some caring college students and community members.

Suffolk County Community College's Culinary Arts students and faculty said they were proud offer their assistance to Community Action of Southold Town, or CAST, of Greenport, and, in turn, the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church, by cooking and preparing close to 200 meals for those less fortunate in the local community.

SCCC Dean Dave Bergen, a Cutchogue resident, connected Chef Laureen Gauthier, academic chair of the culinary program with Cathy Demeroto, executive director of CAST, who "worked together to make this great event happen," Bergen said.

Close to 30 students and various culinary and dietetic technology faculty gathered in the culinary kitchen on East Main Street in Riverhead Wednesday morning to prepare the traditional Thanksgiving dinners.

The event has become an annual undertaking for the college’s culinary program and its students.

This was the first year Suffolk's culinary program has worked with CAST, a not-for-profit that has worked in Southold Town since 1965 to help low-income residents meet basic needs in the areas of nutrition, employment, energy, and education.

Thanksgiving marked the ninth year Suffolk County Community College students and faculty have volunteered culinary expertise to support the holiday cooking.

"We celebrate Thanksgiving by cooking and sharing our favorite foods, being with the ones we love and giving thanks for all that we have. Our college and students, faculty and staff enjoy giving back to our community," said Suffolk County Community College President Dr. Shaun L. McKay.

Sudents and faculty chefs from the college’s culinary program prepared the meal with ingredients provided by CAST, including more than 20 turkeys, 100 lbs. of mashed potatoes, 50 lbs. of sweet potatoes, 80 lbs. of stuffing; 25 lbs. of assorted vegetables, more than 5 gallons of gravy, and 20 each of apple and pumpkin pies.

The Clinton Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, located on Third Street in Greenport, worked in collaboration with CAST, providing a place for individuals to eat dinner together or distributing the meals for others to take home and enjoy on Thanksgiving.

Patch courtesy photo.