From Spaghetti to Penne, with enough different flavour combinations to make your stomach leap for joy, the menu was bountiful at the UHC Hub of Opportunities' fourth annual Pastabilities Luncheon at the Ciociaro Club.
More than 1,000 people turned up Monday for a chance to grab their choice of pasta from 27 different vendors, all of whom brought their best dishes.
"They want to be here, it's amazing," said June Muir, the CEO of the UHC Hub of Opportunities. "And I think they want to be here because they know they're going to sit down, have a lunch, and give back to the community at the same time."
For $20, each guest gets to try three types of pasta, enjoy camaraderie and support the UHC, which pours 100 percent of proceeds back into the UHC Food Bank, Community Kitchen and Plentiful Harvest Food Rescue Program.
"We know how expensive food is right now, and so people know that we need the help, and they're here to support, because it's your neighbour, your friends, maybe your coworkers that are utilizing a food bank today or needing some sort of help," Muir said.
"It's really helpful to host events like this and once they get known, people come and they want to help the community. And it feels great today to see all these people here, I just can't thank them enough," Muir added.
The event is run in partnership with Culinary Federation Windsor, where chefs team up with students and community members to dish it all out.
Evelyn Rollo, a Grade 11 student at Kennedy Collegiate, was one of those students.
"It's a lot of fun. I'm meeting a lot of great people, and it seems great for the future," said Rollo, who is part of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) where she studies the culinary arts and tourism at the UHC's Community Kitchen, alongside Chef Adelina Sisti-DeBlasis.
"I've been having a lot of fun in the class. It's great. I'm learning lots of new things," Rollo said. "It's just a great life skill to know the culinary arts."
Sisti-DeBlasis said planning for the event starts in June, incorporating local restaurants, the Culinary Federation as well as students from OYAP, School within a College (SWAC), and the Dual Credit program, all coming together for this one-day celebrating community and delicious food.
"Everybody here has donated time, staff and food. 100% of the proceeds goes back into the community," Sisti-DeBlasis said. "That's to fight hunger, and right now, food insecurity is at its highest, and our food initiatives are here to take care of the community."
The event always happens around International Chef's Day and Chef's Week because it represents chefs working with youth.
"And what better way to bring in the youth into hospitality and show what an amazing trade we have by having people come in and do this and work, network with the other restaurants that they probably would have never had that opportunity to do."
