SOHO Club Cooking Class at Wegmans

Written by Linda, SOHO Founder & Executive Director

On a rainy fall afternoon, Wegmans Carlyle-Alexandria hosted 13 SOHO Club girls and their mentors for a free cooking class. Chef Jonathan and his sous chef Virginia were terrific instructors and hosts.

The Menu:

● Juicy pan-seared chicken with garlic and parsley finishing butter.

● Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and potatoes, seasoned and roasted to perfection, with just the right amount of crispiness.

General Manager Mike provided an overview of his nearly 20-year career with Wegmans and described a variety of careers available with the company He also shared many benefits of working for Wegmans, which include free language classes and discounted tickets to places like Disney World.

Wegmans' core values embody five keys to their success, values that are also embraced at SOHO: high standards; respect; caring; make a difference; empower.

Chef Jonathan, who did an extraordinary job of planning and executing the event, engaged the group throughout the 2 and 1/2 hour class. He gave a tour of the store and kitchen, and shared information about food safety and how to maximize flavor as girls seasoned their dishes.

With rain in the forecast for the rest of the weekend and thanks to the generosity of SOHO’s donors, the event ended with a surprise for each girl - all of the ingredients to take home and prepare the same meal for their families. Chef Jonathan and Virginia added fresh baked cookies and chocolate bars, compliments of Wegmans.

We are grateful to Wegmans for providing this terrific educational opportunity and look forward to returning again in the future with another group of girls and mentors.

We couldn’t do events like these without our committed volunteers who regularly take time from their busy schedules to transport girls and engage with them throughout each activity to maximize their learning experiences.

Below are a few things overheard from the SOHO during the class:

“This is really fun!”

“This lunch is delicious.”

“Wegmans is great.”

“I’ve never liked cooked vegetables, but I love these.”

“I’m going to work here one day.”