Cooking Teacher for a Day

From left, students Angel Gutierrez, Melvin Carter, instructor Andrea Bergquist-Zamir, Carrie Pierre, Lewil Rodriquez, Martha Nunez and Dominique Icart.

As a non-professional in the kitchen,  I was happy to be invited to guest teach my second Japanese food cooking class at the West Side Campaign Against Hunger (WSCAH) recently. Chef Andrea Bergquist-Zamir has headed the Chef Training Program at the supermarket-style food pantry since May 2013, and has transformed it into a serious career training opportunity for WSCAH clients, many of whom face challenges ranging from lack of housing and documentation to mental illness. For some students, just getting to WSCAH or finding adequate childcare are major hurdles to overcome.

The first time I guest taught was in February. We made ozoni, the traditional rice cake soup served on New Year's morning (read my Saveur article on it here) and chirashizushi, a sushi rice dish scattered with various vegetable and other mix-ins Since the students loved both dishes, and they worked well in the class, we decided to repeat the same dishes even though ozoni is not exactly a dish for summer.

Once again, I found the students an impressive bunch: enthusiastic, eager to learn, and determined to get the dishes right. They were also once again adventurous in their tastes, and they delighted in eating the dishes we made. One student, Awilda Santana, exclaimed to me, "We're so lucky to be here now, at this time in food, when so much is happening." I couldn't agree more. Santana, as she is known by her classmates, also insisted on giving me her beautiful apron (which another WSCAH client had made by hand) and her chef's hat.

Student Awilda Santanna

Chef Andrea, who opted out of a high-powered career as executive chef of Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster and Merkato 55 to teach at WSCAH,  is proud that graduates of her classes have landed jobs in a wide variety of restaurants and kitchens, from Shake Shack and Whole Foods to Lucy's Whey, The Filling Station and Hot Bread Kitchen, to name just a few. Connecting with people and giving joy and hope through the food of one's heritage is a powerful feeling, and I felt grateful for the opportunity to do so. Now I'm just hoping I get invited back!

Bagging Bread, Stocking Shelves: Volunteering at the West Side Campaign Against Hunger

Pantry Masters Kerry Reid, Haydeth and Ruth Tavira.

Last week I dusted off my bread bagging and shelf-stocking skills and put them to work for a good cause, The West Side Campaign Against Hunger.

Instead of handing out pre-packed bags of groceries this worthy organization runs a supermarket-style food pantry that puts the emphasis on self-determination and dignity. Shoppers push carts through well-stocked aisles, dividing their choices evenly among eight food categories, their allotments based on family size.

No sloppy air pockets or ugly knots here. 

Serving between 200 and 300 families (averaging three to four members) a day, you can imagine how much food WSCAH goes through. My my son and I bagged giant bin after bin of beautiful bread donations collected by the food rescue organization City Harvest. Eli's Manhattan delivers their leftover bread directly, and Lincoln Square Synagogue congregation members deliver remaindered Orwasher's products.

Our supervisors were Pantry Managers Haydeth Tavira and Kerry Reid. Haydeth's seven-year old daughter Ruth was our demanding taskmaster, calling out any bread bags tied sloppily, or with too much air left in them ("They won't stay fresh like that!"). I worked in a bakery at one point in my life,  but no one there ever took quality control as seriously as this spunky, glasses-wearing little Latina girl did. The next day, alas, Ruth wasn't at WSCAH. Haydeth told us she had worked so hard the day before that she was at home sleeping. No doubt keeping on top of our sloppy work did her in.

Shoppers figure out how much of each type of food
they're allowed  on a point system.

Some of our fellow volunteers were also pantry shoppers; one of the smart things about the way the pantry works is that it is run as a customer cooperative. Helping out more than 25 hours a week at the pantry will earn you an extra food allotment.

Our other job was re-stocking continually emptying shelves with yogurt, coconut water, cereals, grain and fresh fruits and vegetables donated by local CSAs. Stewart Desmond, WSCAH's executive director proudly told us that in June the pantry received a Best Practices Award from the state's health department for providing healthy foods way above and behind required levels. You'll find plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables here, and no prepared foods, or foods high in salt and sugar.

WSCAH also offers a full range of social services, from helping clients arrange health care, identifying educational and job training opportunities, providing advice on financial matters and helping navigate New York's public housing system. The organization even offers exercise classes, nutrition workshops and chefs training classes.

The sobering news is that despite improvements in the job market and economy, an increasing number of New Yorkers are in need of WSCAH's services. When I wrote about the food pantry a little over a year ago in this post its resources were being stretched to the limit due to a 40 percent increase in demand over the previous two years. Now, says Desmond, "After a dip earlier this year we are rising again toward our highest [demand] level ever," which he says may reflect the economy's last quarter dip.