The young man was on top of the world.  He had just landed a job at a restaurant in the Rogers Centre.  His interview had gone perfectly, all because of the skills he acquired at the YMCA Food Services Training Program.

“He was thrilled at how well the interview had gone,” says Barb Williams, General Manager of YMCA Essential Skills, recalling her conversation with the recent graduate.  “He was asked about fundamental skills he had just learned, such as preparing a soup stock, de-boning a chicken… He told me they were very impressed.” 

Each year, the Food Services Training Program at 42 Charles Street trains about 60 people in the essentials of food preparation and hospitality, and then works with them to find employment.  The program has an impressive success rate, with 70% to 80% of graduates finding work in the hospitality field.

Serving Seniors, Feeding Kids
Students arrive at the YMCA Food Services Training Program ready to work hard.  The course is rigorous, and taught by professional  Red Seal-certified chefs in the YMCA’s full industrial kitchen.  Participants rotate through a variety of food-service stations, learning essential skills as they prepare meals.

The YMCA Food Services Training Program produces about 8000 meals each month.  Of these, about 1000 meals are prepared for Meals on Wheels, an essential public service delivering nutritious meals to seniors. The delicious meals receive many compliments.

The YMCA Food Services program also serves thirteen YMCA Child Care Centres, offering lunches that provide one-third of the daily nutrition needed for each child.

Catering to the Community
Catering is another important way that YMCA hospitality students hone their skills while serving the community.

Within the YMCA of Greater Toronto, many events take place that require catered meals. Local businesses have also discovered the YMCA as a source of great food for special events.

“They hear about us through word-of-mouth,” Barb Williams says, “and once they’ve tried us they tend to come back.  Catering provides an opportunity for our chefs to really show their stuff.”

The YMCA Café
Of course, you don’t have to hold a special event to enjoy a delicious YMCA-prepared meal.  The Café at 42 Charles Street is ready to serve you throughout the work week, with a delicious menu that changes each day.  You can enjoy Thai food on Tuesday, Ethiopian cuisine on Wednesday, curry dishes on Thursday and much more.

A Second Harvest Kitchen
The YMCA of Greater Toronto is proud to be a Second Harvest kitchen.  This mutually beneficial partnership began two years ago when Second Harvest approached our Association.

With so many meals being prepared each day in our kitchen, the YMCA is able to provide surplus food for Second Harvest to distribute to people in need.  Second Harvest also drops off fresh or frozen food to the YMCA to be used in cooking classes. 

Thanks to the daily pick-up and drop-off of Second Harvest food, fewer people go hungry in our community, and YMCA Food Services students get a great education in menu planning and recipe creation.

Cooking up Success Since 1984
The YMCA Food Services Training Program has been operating since 1984, and is continually refining its “recipe” to better serve students and the community.

Over time, as funding becomes available, the program will expand to provide training for as many as 100 people each year.  In the meantime, today’s YMCA hospitality students are making meals, landing jobs, and tasting new success in life.

For more information about the YMCA Food Services Training Program and catering for your event contact Kelvin Ramjattan at (416) 928-3362 x 2087.