Community dinners are coming back to Maple Ridge Secondary School.
Students in the school's culinary program will be cooking up freshly made meals at a fraction of the price they would cost in a restaurant.
Chef Trevor Randle said the last dinner held was at the end of May in 2023 and the pressure from both students and the community to bring the meals back again this year was enormous.
The community dinners first started at the school around 12 to 13 years ago, said Randle, to give students real-life experience in preparing and serving a meal to paying customers outside the school.
"Right away the support from the community was incredible," he said.
Students are learning to cook different products that they don't use every day at the school for different meals and the community can get a gourmet meal for an amazing price.
"It's just one of those perfect win-win situations," he noted.
Dinners are take-out only and a reservation must be made ahead of time. Pick-up will be between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Thursday starting Oct. 3.
Each meal is $15, cash, debit, and credit is accepted.
The first dinner will include house-made focaccia bread, tossed salad with a house dressing, roasted chicken with pan gravy, herb-roasted potatoes, fresh vegetables, and a double chocolate brownie.
"This is not a money-making expedition," explained Randle. "It's for students to gain some real experience."
And for the community to see the amazing things youth are doing, he said. Especially when people only hear about the one per cent of youth that take part in things that are not so positive, he said.
In fact, the dinners depend on his students volunteering for the dinners after school. There is a signup sheet, not to make sure there are enough people to hold the dinner, but to limit the amount of volunteers. Students are just really eager, Randle said.
Dinners will not be held on a holiday or a Pro D Day, but they will let people know well in advance. They will run the dinners right until the end of May.
Money goes back into the program, directly back to the students in the form of scholarships, culinary competitions, and field trips for the students.
To reserve a meal call 604-463-4175, extension 1037.
Access will be through the front doors of the school.
For more information or to see the weekly menus go to: https://secondary.sd42.ca/mrss/, click on 'About Us' and then 'Community Dinner'.