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Freda Butcher, 80, and (right) Linda Hamilton, 70, volunteer in the kitchen at the Chugiak Senior Center. They baked more than 450 cookies, which they sold at the centerŐs holiday bazaar. The ladies are also interested in helping with the new catering program.
Star Photo by Jill Fankhauser
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Anyone who has been around Chugiak-Eagle River any length of time knows the good cookin' of Chugiak resident Ethel Breese. She's made cookies for the Christmas tree lighting in Chief Alex Park, the Merry Merchant Munch spread for the Alaska Star and catered weddings and other functions for huge crowds.
As food services director at the Chugiak Senior Center, Breese has been focused on lunches and special events at the senior center. Now she's mixing in a catering operation at the facility's 120-seat dining room. (Ethel Breese is the mother of Star reporter Darrell Breese)
“It's something new we are able to offer the community that we haven't in the past — to have private parties here in the facility,” Breese said.
The center's executive director, Linda Hendrickson, has enjoyed Breese's cooking for a long time. She especially enjoys the hors d'oeuvres — they go “above and beyond,” she said.
Since Breese had an interest in expanding the kitchen to offer special event catering, Hendrickson and the center's board of directors were happy to move forward. The board hasn't set any financial or budgetary goals yet, Hendrickson said. They are just going to see how it goes for now.
“Basically since we have room to have events here É we decided to go ahead and do events here,” Breese said. “We'll be doing everything from hors d'oeuvres or finger-food types to a full-course meal.”
The center's most recent catered event was Sunday for a crowd of 105 from the Thunderbird Falls Home Owners Association. They paid $25 per person and were treated to a meal that included prime rib, chicken cordon bleu, a full salad bar, potato dish, four vegetables, four different types of homemade cheesecake, plus a strawberry-filled cake and a lemon-filled cake.
Breese and Hendrickson hope that these catered events will draw people to the center, as well as help fundraise for the senior programs and its kitchen, Breese said.
“It's also good PR because a lot of people don't even realize we're out here,” Hendrickson said.
There aren't very many places to host a wedding or large dinner in Chugiak-Eagle River besides local restaurants, Breese said. With a new patio, gardens and large dining room, the center offers a new place for people to rent for their special functions like weddings or other big functions, Breese said.
“We'll cater to what they want - and I tell them the price it will cost to do that,” Breese said.
The center also has a large room above the dining room that is perfect for childcare, Breese said. The Thunderbird Falls group rented that room and provided caretakers for the children.
Breese said they have rented out the conference room and provided catering, such as a continental breakfast for meetings.
The new catering operation won't affect the senior center's residents, Breese said, because they only serve lunch in the dining room Monday through Friday, and she will book around their own special events such as high tea, holiday bazaars and once-a-month birthday dinners.
A couple of the residents, Linda Hamilton, 70, and Freda Butcher, 80, have taken an interest in the catering. They baked more than 450 cookies for the holiday bazaar held Saturday and have volunteered to help with the other catered events. The ladies are learning about presentation and how to concoct large meals for a crowd.
“They love participating and putting things together,” Breese said.
Besides raising extra dollars for the senior center's programs, Breese enjoys catering and sharing good food with the community.
“It's just fun,” she said.
