Centerplate is cooking up Thanksgiving turkeys to feed the homeless in Pasadena

For the seventh year in a row, Centerplate is preparing 250 turkeys to support Union Station Homeless Services’ Dinner in the Park, taking place from Nov. 19-20 in Pasadena, Calif. The Thanksgiving event feeds up to 1,000 people.

This year’s turkey prep will be led by Jon Dubrick, Centerplate’s new regional executive chef who oversees the creation of food offerings at the Pasadena Convention Center and Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Diners at the Pasadena Convention Center fill their plates with mashed potatoes, turkey and other Thanksgiving staples at the 2019 Union Station Homeless Services' Dinner. Photograph courtesy of Centerplate.

COVID-19 restrictions will impact the way the dinner is orchestrated this time around. Instead of hundreds of people gathering in the park, some dinners and dinner kits with all the fixings will be handed out in advance, while smaller, private dinners will be held on Thanksgiving day at multiple centers serving the homeless.

“It has been an honor for the Pasadena Convention Center and Centerplate to donate resources in order to help make Union Station Homeless Services Dinner in the Park a success,” Michael Ross, CEO of the Pasadena Center Operating Company said in a statement. “We are grateful for the services and meals they offer and are pleased to participate, for the seventh time, in such a giving cause especially during this difficult time.”

Related:Centerplate redirects its food supply as coronavirus shuts down its venues