Nunavut Arctic College

The student-run initiative complements the program’s emphasis on volunteerism, encouraging students to make positive contributions to their communities.

“The Meals on wheels for Elders program was started to show our students different concepts in which food preparation services can make effective contributions in our communities,” said the program’s instructor, Chef Andy Poisson.

For the last few years, residents of Cambridge Bay have been preparing and selling hot lunch buffets at the Community Learning Centre. “The rest of the community usually enjoys our hot lunch buffets, but most Elders can’t make it out and miss out on these great meals,” he said. “This is our way to give back to them.”

Poisson says it’s not always about profit, but giving back. “Elders are the foundations of our communities,” he said. “The students felt that to do this was to show respect to the Elders and to be active in supporting the community in a different way.”

Six students are currently participating with the program, making sure meals are prepared properly, that they go out on time, and are of the best possible quality they can produce.

Student Jimmy Naulalik is one of the participants. “Definitely, everyone enjoys a hot, nutritious lunch,” he said, recognizing the importance of including the Elders. “We realized when we were doing the lunch services for the community, there weren’t many elders that were able to come enjoy these lunches. It gives a great sense of joy when contributing to the community and hearing the good responses we’ve been getting.”

Naulalik says the students are doing this “to give a little something back to the Elders who are not very mobile.” It’s also an opportunity to learn and gain experience. He says that students learn to provide day-to-day lunch services and understand the work that goes into preparing for events like the meals on wheels program.

Chef Poisson said the Meals on Wheels for Elders program is also a way to expose Elders to different foods and cooking methods that can be applied to country food. It also assists them to better understand how to prepare and eat a well-balanced meal.

And the meals are well-received. Elder David Kaniak was “very thankful” for the meals produced by the students. Also agreement were Cambridge Bay Elders Paul and Bessie Omilgoitok, who said they were “very thankful to the college and Culinary Arts Program for thinking of the Elders.”

Chef Poisson and his students hope their Meals on Wheels program will continue on after the current students have graduated.

“I hope the students next year get the same experience,” said Jimmy Naulalik. “Because it’s fun, and you learn from it.”

The Arctic College Culinary Arts Certificate Program provides students with the practical skills and knowledge needed to enter the culinary profession as trained cooks. Designed to assist aspiring cooks with the essentials, the program covers all aspects of food preparation, presentation and service at national standards. The program also prepares students to progress into an apprenticeship program.

The program will focus on developing basic cooking skills and practical kitchen experience and will be supplemented with introductory level theory to support these skills. The development of positive work habits will be emphasized. Graduates of the program have found employment in mining camps, industrial camp kitchens, tourism camps or community hotels.

For more information on the Culinary Arts Program, visit your local Arctic College campus or community learning centre. You can also visit the College’s web site at www.arcticcollege.ca or call them toll-free at 1-866-988-7222.