Steve Duprey modeled his Concord Community Holiday Dinner after Louie Smirnioudis’s annual Thanksgiving feast.
Smirnioudis, the late owner of the Windmill Restaurant, opened his doors for years to those in need on turkey day. And Duprey thought that same group of people would be looking for a hot meal on Christmas.
“I admired what he did on Thanksgiving,” said Duprey.
With the Friendly Kitchen closed on Christmas, Duprey put together the inaugural free dinner five years ago at the Grappone Conference Center, and the attendance showed there was a need.
“This gives them a day off,” said Duprey of the volunteers at the Friendly Kitchen.
Almost 200 people came to the first dinner, and the numbers have reached as many as 300. So tomorrow, when many people are sitting down with their families for a traditional Christmas dinner, Duprey and his band of volunteers will be participating in their own holiday tradition.
“It’s just a wonderful chance for us to give back to the community,” said Duprey. “We’re just honored to be a part of it. It’s another great way to help out.”
And for the record, if Duprey’s volunteers did form a band, it would be more like the size of a symphony orchestra, since close to 100 people help in the preparations, serving and clean up. It is the definition of a team effort.
“We find that everybody probably has a couple hours they can give,” said Duprey. “There are a lot of people who like to help. We have families who have been volunteering every year because they find it to be a very meaningful part of their Christmas.”
The dinner service begins at 1 p.m. and runs until 3 p.m. and those who don’t have a way to get to the Grappone Center are in luck. There will be free bus transportation to and from the dinner, beginning at 1 p.m. There are two routes: one for the Heights area, which includes 10 different stops starting at Alton Woods and finishing at Delta Dental; and another route geared toward the downtown area that begins at the State House and loops back to Franklin via South Street with another 12 stops. Bus stop information is posted at all the stops and on city buses, as well as with many social service organizations.
“We wouldn’t be able to do it without the support we get from Concord Area Transit,” said Duprey.
Courtyard’s Executive Chef Trish Taylor likes to change the menu from year to year. She has been cooking for the holiday dinner since the beginning, and this year she is pulling out all the stops. A pork loin carving station, slow roasted pot roast and chicken marsala highlight the menu and go along with sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, Spanish rice and steamed vegetables. There will also be a soup and salad station, featuring New England corn chowder, biscuits and a healthy dose of desserts.
“It’s a buffet with more choices than you can imagine,” said Duprey. “And people are very appreciative and very grateful.”
Just after Thanksgiving, the planning begins for the dinner. With that many people to feed, there is a lot of things that need to be decided. Especially with such an extravagant meal.
The preparations began on Sunday by readying the banquet room with linens, glasses and silverware, and continued on Monday with a full day of food prep. Taylor will arrive at 5 a.m. on Christmas day to begin cooking the meal, and spends much of the day making sure there is enough food to go around.
“Because it’s a buffet, we’re not sure how many people are going to show up,” said Taylor. “We want to have enough food for at least 350 people.”
And plenty of leftovers.
“We always pack up any leftovers,” said Duprey. “We have a number of people who will have friends that can’t make it, so all the leftovers are used.”
Once the meal is served and everyone is full, the volunteers spend a few hours cleaning up before heading off to their own families.
“I always feel great when I leave and go home to my family dinner,” said Taylor.
