On Wednesday, December 22, students in Monroe College’s culinary program served gourmet meals to more than three-hundred people at the Part of the Solution (POTS) community kitchen in the Bronx.  It’s the second year in a row that the Monroe culinary program has pitched in with meals for the hungry.

On Wednesday, December 22, students in Monroe College’s culinary program served gourmet meals to more than three-hundred people at the Part of the Solution (POTS) community kitchen in the Bronx. It’s the second year in a row that the Monroe culinary program has pitched in with meals for the hungry.

(left to right) Monroe College culinary students Francisco Volquez, Vanessa de la Rosa, Jodi Ann Robinson, and Mai Ling Sanchez pause during the preparation of holiday meals at the POTS community kitchen.

"It’s all about giving something back," said sophomore culinary student Jillian Gandia, as she served another plate of food. "It’s even more gratifying to know that this food is prepared expertly!"

The menu, devised by Monroe culinary staff and students, featured Tuscany white bean and escarole soup, breast of chicken with mushroom au jus, honey-glazed carrots and rosemary-roasted red potatoes, homemade focaccia bread with herbs, basil, garlic and parmesan, and a dessert of apple shortcake with maple-whipped cream and heart-shaped shortbread cookies.

"Sure it took a lot of work. We prepared the food for two days prior to serving it," said Chef Criag Rutman, the Director of the Monroe College Culinary Program. "But the rewards for our students in learning to serve a variety of clientele are unmatched. We also feel great about doing something charitable during the holiday season."

Comments heard from the POTS clients included "delicious" "spectacular" and "scrumptious". One satisfied customer was heard to exclaim, "This food couldn’t be better!"