LT’s Chefs class hosted a senior citizens Thanksgiving luncheon on Nov. 22. The 24 students from the class started planning the event in October.

“This is my second year in the role of teaching Chef’s class,” Chef class teacher Emily Macek said. “We do it every year. It [involves] senior citizens from the community, [with] about 100 guests that we serve Thanksgiving to.” 

The event is a full-course meal of typical Thanksgiving dinner foods, Macek said. It has also been happening annually for at least the past few decades.

“[The students] search up recipes,” Macek said. “So I [tell] [the students], you’re a mashed potato table. So, find some mashed potato recipes, and then we practice them in class. And we get to eat them and decide, do we like it? Do we not? Do we wanna change something? And that’s how we c[a]me up with the menu.” 

They serve turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and usually a salad as well. However, the recipes change due to them being left up to the students.

“I think the purpose of the event is not only for our chef’s class to get experience cooking and serving,” Macek said. “Because this one is the first time we’re acting as servers, not just a buffet style, but also to welcome members of the community and invite them back each year. I know it’s something we get repeat guests, so they look forward to it. And I do think the guest list switches each year. [For instance], half of the list will come one year and the other half the next year because there [are] so many [senior citizens].” 

The chef students are called out of class for the morning as though it is a field trip. They then stay to heat up food as well as host the event in room 140. There is a kitchenette attached to the room where they heat up the dishes, Macek said.

“[The event] allowed me the experience of working in a restaurant and seeing what I could expect if I were to open my own. All of our guests were extremely grateful and super nice. Overall it was a great experience,” Jax Tamburello 26’, a Chefs student said.

During the event many showed up with an overall turnout of around 100 people.

“When we make [the food] so far in advance, we freeze it, and then we’ll actually thaw it out and reheat it the day of just because it’s so much food for us to prepare in one day,” Macek said.

The event is normally around one to two hours and has a continual guest list normally created by Principal Dr. Jennifer Tyrrell.

“It’s really exciting, and it’s one of my favorite events,” Macek said. “It’s really fancy too. We [use] real plates, real silverware. I dress up. The students are in their chef’s uniform, so they look very official too.”