GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Railroad Street Youth Project (RSYP) will hold its annual Culinary Apprenticeship Dinner on Saturday, May 17 at 5:30pm at 52 Castle Street in Great Barrington.

 

The event will celebrate the accomplishments of local youth and RSYP's 25th anniversary. The evening will feature a five-course meal prepared by participants in the Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Program. The Railroad Street Youth Student Empowerment (RYSE) Scholarship will also be awarded, and a special award will be presented to Smitty Pignatelli, former State Representative and longtime supporter of RSYP.

 

Created by and for South County youth in 2000, in response to a crisis of opioid-related deaths among their peers, RSYP has grown from a small, grassroots organization into a regional authority on youth empowerment. Its services and programs have evolved over the years to meet the changing needs of local young people.

 

The annual Culinary Dinner is the culmination of one of RSYP's signature programs: the Apprenticeship Program. Launched in 2006 to support growing interest in the culinary field among the community's young people, the program involves eight-week apprenticeships led by local professional chefs. Youth gain real-world work experience and develop skills in teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and communication.

 

At this year's event, six young, aspiring culinary professionals—Romaih Morales, Naomi Palestino, Sophia Sanchez, Sebastion Ortiz Mielke, Lila Daigle, and Everett Burns—will prepare a special five-course menu for their families, friends, and the community. They'll be working under the guidance of mentor-chefs Zee Vassos of No.10 and Kevin Kelly of After Hours.

 

"The role that RSYP plays in empowering youth is really what sets them apart from other youth services," Vassos said. "The first questions I always ask my group of young chefs are ‘What do you want out of this? What are some of the things you want to learn?' This is why RSYP is so important in the community: because it gives young people a chance to be heard. It provides a safe place where opportunities can affect change."

 

Kelly agreed.

 

"My personal experience growing up in the Berkshires made me want to inspire young people to recognize local opportunities for experiential education," he says. "With education funding being cut left and right, it's incredibly important to provide access to programs like this, and the greatest impact I have seen is the number of returning students," he said. "There is clearly something here that is engaging and attractive for these young adults."

 

"The young chefs are the driving force behind the dinner," addedVassos. "They have professional chefs there to help them, and a professional catering staff to serve the food, but this is really a chance for them to showcase their talents."

 

"It was a great learning experience," said culinary apprentice Lila Daigle about her experience in the program. "It helped me broaden my cooking skills and working together with and around different people on different projects taught me a lot about multitasking."

 

The event will also recognize Emilia Sarmiento, this year's recipient of the RYSE Scholarship. This $20,000 annual scholarship is awarded as part of the Railroad Street Youth Student Empowerment (RYSE) Program, which provides an opportunity for students to explore their options after high school in a safe and supportive space. The scholarship can be used over the next four years to assist with tuition at a state or private college or university, a community college or vocational school, a focused curriculum for a gap year, or any GED program.

 

Emilia graduated from Monument Mountain High School in 2022 and is currently following her passion for culinary arts at her job at No Comply Foods in Great Barrington, a restaurant owned by former Prairie Whale chef Stephen Browning and his wife Julie.

 

"To me, RYSE is an empowering program for youth to explore the different aspects of life that shape us into adults," she said. "It expanded my view on my future goals. RYSE helped me achieve a plan for my future and catapulted me into a career I'm very passionate about."

 

Finally, a special award will be presented to Smitty Pignatelli in recognition of his dedicated support of young people in the Berkshires. Over his 21 years as State Representative, Smitty has been a longtime champion and advocate for young people at the local, regional and state levels.

 

"Smitty has always been a strong ally of youth," said Executive Director Ananda Timpane. "Like the Apprenticeship Program and RSYE, Smitty is a perfect example of the great things that can happen when adults and young people work together to achieve a goal."