TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Thanksgiving is Chef Erik Olson's favorite meal to cook. As a long-time banquet chef, he's no stranger to whipping up a turkey dinner and its traditional sides for a large group of guests.
This is, however, his first year making the spread as Kitchen Manager for the Salvation Army's Tucson Hospitality House. They're expecting around 800 people this year.
"You don’t want to run out of food," Olson said. "So, you want to make sure that you prep enough. Right now, I’ve prepped 270 pounds of bird—of turkey.”
He started preparing those 270 pounds about a month in advance, roasting around 18 turkeys each week, freezing the meat and using the carcasses to make the stuffing and gravy.
That way, on the day of, Olson can focus on the sides.
"I’ll make the stuffing the night before, [and] have it all in pans ready to go, so when we get in here Thursday morning, we’re off to the races."
Olson heads a three-person brigade in the Hospitality House kitchen. They're carving out time to prepare for Thanksgiving while keeping up with their regular three-meal a day services at Salvation Army, but Olson says it's worth it.
“I think Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year," he said. "It’s about being thankful and being grateful. It’s about family and friends."
The Salvation Army Hospitality House is opening its doors for the annual Thanksgiving meal on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.. The meal is completely free to guests and their families.
Check out the menu here.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
