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Holy Cross Launches 'Woofridges Cooking to Come Together' - A Community Kitchen Initiative

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/12 .. ome-together-a-community-kitchen-initiative.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Wednesday, November 12th 2025 at 13:36 GMT by Her Campus

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Holy Cross Students Gather for “Woofridges Cooking to Come Together”

At the heart of Holy Cross’s vibrant campus life, a new initiative called “Woofridges Cooking to Come Together” has emerged as a standout event that blends culinary creativity with community service. Launched by the college’s culinary program in partnership with local food‑bank partners and a student‑run culinary club, the event was designed to bring together students from diverse academic backgrounds, foster teamwork, and address food insecurity in the surrounding community.

The Vision Behind the Event

The idea for “Woofridges Cooking to Come Together” came from a conversation between the head of the Department of Culinary Arts and a group of students who wanted to explore how their cooking skills could have a tangible impact beyond the campus kitchen. By naming the program after the beloved “Woofridge” building—home to the culinary labs and the college’s popular food‑service kitchen—organizers hoped to create a sense of continuity between the academic experience and real‑world service.

As the program’s co‑chairs, students Emily Zhang (Food Service Management major) and Michael Ortiz (Sustainability Studies major) explained that the project aimed to do three key things:

1. Develop Practical Culinary Skills – Students would learn advanced techniques, inventory management, and recipe adaptation, mirroring the operations of a professional kitchen.
2. Promote Community Engagement – By partnering with the local “Hope Food Bank” and “The Pantry”, the team would provide nutritious meals to families in need.
3. Encourage Cross‑Disciplinary Collaboration – Participants from marketing, finance, and environmental science could contribute, showcasing how varied skill sets enrich a communal project.

How the Event Unfolds

The inaugural gathering was held in the central atrium of Woofridge on September 22nd. Over 100 students signed up, many of them with no prior experience in large‑scale cooking. The program was organized into a three‑phase workflow:

1. Preparation and Planning – In the weeks leading up to the event, participants attended a series of workshops covering menu design, nutritional balance, portion sizing, and waste reduction. Faculty mentors from the culinary department, as well as volunteers from the college’s Service Learning office, guided students through the planning stages.

2. Hands‑On Cooking Session – On the day of the event, the Woofridge kitchen was transformed into a bustling production line. Students worked in rotating stations—sauté, baking, plating, and packaging—under the supervision of culinary professors and professional chefs. The menu featured comfort‑food staples such as turkey‑potato mash, roasted vegetable medleys, and chocolate‑dusted banana muffins, chosen for their affordability and popularity with families.

3. Distribution and Reflection – Completed meals were loaded into refrigerated trucks and delivered to three community partners: the Hope Food Bank, the local senior‑center cafeteria, and a family‑assisted living program. Afterward, students gathered in a debriefing session to evaluate the workflow, discuss challenges (e.g., timing issues and portion control), and highlight lessons learned.

Key Outcomes and Impact

While the event was a logistical feat, its true success lies in the community benefits realized:

• Meals Delivered – The project produced more than 600 meals that were distributed over the course of a single weekend. This directly helped alleviate food scarcity for dozens of families in the Worcester area.
• Skill Development – Students reported a significant improvement in their culinary competence, especially in time‑management and large‑scale food preparation. Several participants expressed interest in pursuing professional culinary careers or food‑service management positions.
• Sustainability Gains – By using locally sourced ingredients and a no‑waste cooking philosophy, the program lowered its environmental footprint. Students recorded a 20% reduction in food waste compared to standard campus dining services.
• Community Partnerships – The collaboration strengthened the ties between Holy Cross and local food‑bank initiatives. Both parties are optimistic about expanding the program to a quarterly or monthly frequency.

In the words of Dean Patricia Collins, the College of the Holy Cross welcomed the event as a “living laboratory that embodies our commitment to service, leadership, and academic excellence.” She noted that such experiential learning aligns with the institution’s mission to produce graduates who are ready to tackle real‑world challenges.

Future Directions

The success of “Woofridges Cooking to Come Together” has sparked discussions about scaling the program. Suggestions include:

• Extended Menu Development – Incorporating seasonal produce and catering to dietary restrictions such as gluten‑free or vegan options.
• Collaborative Grants – Seeking funding from local businesses and philanthropic foundations to expand the scale and frequency of the event.
• Student‑Led Management – Transitioning the project’s leadership to a rotating student council, allowing for fresh ideas and broader student participation.
• Evaluation Metrics – Implementing more rigorous tracking of nutritional impact and recipient satisfaction to refine the program.

Students from the College’s Sustainability Office are already preparing a feasibility study, and faculty in the Food Service Management curriculum are incorporating the program’s best practices into the course syllabus.

Closing Thoughts

“Woofridges Cooking to Come Together” stands as a testament to Holy Cross’s dedication to blending academic rigor with compassionate action. Through hands‑on cooking, strategic partnership, and a shared sense of purpose, students not only honed their culinary skills but also made a lasting, positive imprint on their community. The initiative exemplifies how a campus can transform a single building—Woofridge—into a beacon of service, collaboration, and nourishment. As the program continues to evolve, it is poised to become a staple of Holy Cross’s campus culture and a model for similar institutions across the country.