Don Bosco and Local Chefs Start Culinary Program for Teens

A press release from Cafe Alma: 

Chef Palomino of Bistro Latino in Greenwich, Ct., hosted a pre-launch event to celebrate the recent opening of Café Alma (translation- Cafe Soul) at the Don Bosco Community Center in Port Chester NY.

Attendees included local Greenwich residents and supporters from the Brunswick School in CT.  The event was held to gain support for the opening and preview the upcoming Fall fundraiser for the school.  Fr. Richard Alejunas, who heads up the effort at Don Bosco, was on hand to present the latest developments of the program. 

“We have begun classes with our first group of local teens, and we are pleased to have them here tonight to help with this fantastic event,” explained Alejunas. 

The program targets teens 14-19 and consists of a 10-class curriculum ranging from basic knife skills to full culinary training.  Local Chefs from around the community offer their expertise and will be among those hiring graduates from the program to staff their teams.  

Chef Rafael Palomino of Bistro Latino in Greenwich and Sonora Restaurant in Port Chester is spearheading the training and development of the students. Class size is limited to 12 students per session to keep the student-chef ratio to a level that allows for one-on-one attention.

“We began this effort in 2010 to provide meaningful job training to our youth in the Port Chester community,” explains Ann Heekin event chair for the program.  “Through the generosity of the local community, we have a solid culinary curriculum in place and a waiting list of students for the program.”

The program’s main fundraiser will be held on Thursday, November 7, 2013 at the Apawamis Club in Rye, NY.  Everyone is welcome.  Tickets are available by calling MK Event Studio at 203-298-4722 or by emailing Nyssa@mkeventstudio.com.  

The upcoming fundraiser will feature cooking demonstrations by the students, an auction, live music and top culinary fare from the participating local chefs and restaurants in the area.  All proceeds will go to benefit the Don Bosco Culinary Program – Café Alma. 

Since 1928, the Don Bosco Community Center has been serving young people, the elderly, the poor, and needy and the immigrant community in Portchester.  Café Alma, offers job skills training in the culinary arts for local teens.