By: Helena Stallings, Culinary Arts Student
One of the greatest aspects of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is their dedication to being an active member in their community. On Saturday June 21st, Executive Chef Graham Mitchell and 6 student volunteers catered a fundraiser dinner for the Temple Grandin School and S.T.E.P.S Foundation, as well as a sub-organization for S.T.E.P.S called Horses Mending Hearts. The dinner was held at the S.T.E.P.S Sanctuary Ranch in Longmont, Colorado and while event goers watched horse demonstrations, listened to live music and participated in a silent auction, the Escoffier crew fired up a couple of grills and got to work. The menu consisted of marinated flank steak, bbq chicken, corn on the cob, coleslaw, roasted veggies and more cookies and brownies than anyone knew what to do with.
The Temple Grandin School provides education, support and real world skills to children suffering from Aspergers Syndrome and similar disorders. The S.T.E.P.S Foundation (support, train, empower, protect and sustain) along with Horses Mending Hearts, are pairing abused animals with abused humans to aid in both of their healing processes. On a personal level, this fundraiser was much more than a simple catering job. The event was an opportunity to see the community reaching out and helping those in need. It was heart warming to see the children interacting with the horses and the mutual respect and confidence that was generated. For me and the entire Escoffier Culinary Crew it was an honor to be invited and a memory that will not be forgotten.
