Community Involvement
Community Involvement
We are proud to be part of a community that looks out for one another. In that spirit, University Catering finds opportunities to share our time and talents with community organizations.
Here are a couple of recent community events University Catering has been involved with:
Kashi Demonstrations
Intern Chefs Greg DeMarco and Justin Johnson teamed up with Operation Frontline and Kashi to put on healthy cooking demonstrations at the Kashi booth during this year’s Ann Arbor Art Fair. Justin and Greg gave three 20-minute cooking demonstrations on how to cook healthy and flavorful food while using Kashi food products. The cooking demonstrations were an opportunity for the intern chefs to demonstrate their food knowledge and public speaking skills and teaching to large groups of people. This also helped to bring attention to the University Unions Catering department and to help showcase some of the Unions’ cooking talents. Both of the interns, Operation Frontline and Kashi were excited to have had this opportunity to work together. Operation Frontline and Kashi said that Greg and Justin were very talented and the audience enjoyed their presentation. “It was very obvious that they are passionate about cooking,” said Denise from Operation Frontline.
Save-A-Heart
The Michigan League was honored to be selected as the host site for the 16th annual Save-A-Heart celebration, held on Friday, November 7th, 2008 in support of the University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The Save-a-Heart program helps patients and their families by raising funds for travel and lodging.
The event included strolling buffets, wine tasting and a silent auction. University Unions chefs teamed up to create a spectacular Mediterranean display featuring Lemon Mascarpone Dates wrapped in Prosciutto, Peppadews stuffed with Feta, Kalamata Olives and Pine nuts, Panna Cotta Spoons and Candied Fig Bouchees filled with Rosemary Goat Cheese.
The benefit was attended by approximately 500 guests who came to enjoy the food, music, camaraderie and silent auction. This year’s event raised in excess of $75,000.00. University Catering is proud to offer support for this worthy cause and is looking forward to hosting the 17th Annual Save-a Heart Celebration on November 13th, 2009.
Michigan Healthy Community
The Unions chefs were honored to be requested by the Healthy Choice committee to help promote Quick and Tasty Meals
by conducting cooking demonstrations for the University staff this past March. The cooking demos are part of an effort to teach the University staff how easy it is to cook and eat balanced and healthy meals at home. This is one of Mary Sue Coleman’s visions for the Michigan Healthy Community to promote healthy living.
The Chefs demonstrated three recipes: Chicken Puttanesca Italia, Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash, and Spicy Chicken, Mango and Rice Salad with Snap Peas.
There were three demonstrations on the Ann Arbor campus, and one on both the Flint and Dearborn campuses. The demonstrations were done in an open format where the participants were able to ask questions as the chefs prepared the entrees
The chefs were able to give helpful cooking, shopping, and storage tips. Nutritional information was provided by Stacy Witthoff, RD, Wellness Coordinator for the Michigan Healthy Community. At the end of the Healthy Cooking demonstrations, attendees were treated to samples of the presented items that were prepared. The feedback from the University staff has been very positive with many comments requesting that we do more of the Good Choices cooking demonstrations in the future. The Unions Chefs look forward to helping to fulfill this healthy vision for the University.
Operation Frontline
University Catering chef, Tom Kulczynski, recently helped put on cooking and nutrition classes in conjunction with Operation Frontline at the Full Circle Community Center in Ypsilanti. Tom joined Gleaners Community Food Bank and U–M Healthy Choice/M Fit staff in presenting nutrition education, safe food handling and budgeting to low-income people. At the end of the six week program the students
took part in graduation ceremony involving a Jeopardy–style game to test their new found knowledge of affordable, nutritious and delicious meal choices. They also had the opportunity to sample food prepared by Chef Tom!