A lesson in giving: culinary students prepare holiday meals for the community
Dec. 19, 2025
In the final week of the semester, when exams are winding down and the holidays are just around the corner, Georgian College’s second-year Culinary Management students turned their attention outward. Instead of focusing only on the upcoming break, they focused on the community.
From Monday to Thursday, students spent their class time preparing the individual parts of a Christmas meal. Turkey, vegetables, stuffing, gravy and dessert were each tackled in stages. On Friday, everything came together, with students working side by side on an assembly line to package more than 300 festive turkey dinners. The meals were delivered to The Busby Centre and the Elizabeth Fry Society Simcoe Muskoka, helping ensure people who are unhoused could enjoy a warm holiday meal.
“Students learn a great deal through the preparation, but knowing these meals will help people enjoy a Christmas dinner adds another layer. It shows them why their work matters.”
Chef Dave Mottershall
It’s a tradition rooted in learning, and shaped by the spirit of the season.
The community meal initiative has been part of Georgian’s culinary program for more than 20 years, but this year it became part of the curriculum so every second-year Culinary Management student could take part.
Program coordinator and chef Philip Leach says that change strengthened both the learning experience and the sense of connection students feel.
“This gives students a chance to use what they’ve learned in a way that really matters,” Leach said. “Especially during the holidays, they can see how food brings comfort and connection beyond the kitchen.”
By the final Friday of the semester, the kitchens are busy, focused and full of energy, with everyone working toward the same goal.
Over the week, students prepared:
- 300 pounds of turkey,
- 32 litres of gravy,
- 40 loaves of bread,
- 50 pounds of onions, and
- 150 pounds of vegetables.
Much of the food was donated by community partners, turning the experience into a large-scale, real-world learning opportunity. Georgian’s grateful to its sponsors for helping make this meaningful learning experience happen:
- Central Supply Solutions,
- Stewart Foodservice Inc,
- A.J. Lanzarotta Wholesale Fruit & Vegetables Ltd.,
- The Butcher Shoppe, and
- Gordon Food Service.
For student Samir Achahan, the timing and purpose made the experience especially meaningful.
“This time of year is all about giving and helping the community,” he said. “Of all the things we could be doing with our time and with the food, this felt like the nicest thing we could do, to give back to everyone else and it feels really motivating to do my best.”
Chef Dave Mottershall says experiences like this help students understand the value of their work.
“Students learn a great deal through the preparation,” he said. “But knowing these meals will help people enjoy a Christmas dinner adds another layer. It shows them why their work matters.”
The semester came to a close in the kitchen as the final meals we’re packaged for delivery. For Georgian’s culinary students, it was a reminder that the skills they’re learning can make a real difference, especially during the holidays.