How many pounds of turkey does it take to feed all the staff at Woodgrove? A: 75 pounds, B: 150 pounds, C: 215 pounds, or D: 275 pounds. If you guessed D, you’re correct! Each year, Woodgrove’s gourmet foods teacher, Mr. Andy Olejer, hosts a special tradition that brings teachers and staff members together through delicious food, community, and gratitude. 

Thanksgiving has always been important for Olejer, with his earliest memory of the holiday being spent in New York with his mother. Olejer discovered his love for cooking in college, where he was inspired to begin to prepare meals in the kitchen of his residence hall, due to his distaste for the dining hall food offered. While being a dean at Harper Park Middle School in Leesburg, VA, Olejer became inspired to switch his position within the education field. Olejer recalled, “I was observing teachers as part of my dean job, and I thought, ‘who’s got the coolest job out there that I would love to do from here on out?’ With my love of food and cooking, I was like, ‘I could be a FACS [Family and Consumer Science] teacher!’” 

Before leaving Harper Park, Olejer began a potluck-style tradition of cooking his coworkers’ turkey and encouraging them to bring other Thanksgiving foods to share together. He decided to continue his tradition when he switched schools and positions, understanding that it was an opportunity for his coworkers to find community in joy, friendship, and delicious food. “When I got [to Woodgrove] and realized I had a whole bunch of classes of kids that could actually learn  how to do a big event like this, It became not just turkeys, it became 275 pounds of turkey —which is what we have for this year—, all the side dishes, and the production of the whole event,” Olejer explained. Olejer has not gone a year without hosting this event since his very first potluck in 2006.

Each year, not only does the size of Olejer’s Thanksgiving event get bigger, but so does the amount of food and months of preparation. Olejer’s menu has expanded to include all of the traditional Thanksgiving foods, including mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, gravy, sweet potato casserole, apple crisp, pumpkin cake, and of course, turkey. Olejer noted, “I also sous vide a bunch of turkey breasts, because most people are always fighting for the white meat. I actually bring in my commercial grade sous vide machine and cook the extra turkey breasts in there so that we have more white meat.” 

Every student in either a culinary or gourmet foods class also has an opportunity to participate in the event. With different blocks being responsible for different dishes, Olejer feels that the inclusion of each student is important, because “a really large part of [the event’ is having kids actually experience working in a school environment and catering a huge event.” Along with the life skills that the regular class curriculums provide, the Thanksgiving feast allows students to experience preparing and putting on an event for hundreds of people.

Woodgrove’s Student Council Association has stepped in to cover the cost of the many pounds of ingredients needed to make the event happen. Olejer sources his ingredients from a few different places, even partnering with Woodgrove’s Gardening Club sponsor, Mrs Erin Barrett, to include fresh rosemary and sage in his dishes.

With a team of 20 to 30 student volunteers, Olejer has plenty of hands on deck when organizing the logistics of the Thanksgiving Feast. He divides the participating students into three groups: the “Front of House” team, who are responsible for setting up and replacing the food during the event, the “Cafeteria” team, who continuously cook each type of dish, and the “Running” team, who work closely with Olejer to communicate the needs of the staff during the lunch. 

Leading the Front of House team for three years, senior Mackenzie Brown is a key component in executing the event. Brown explained, “Mr. Olejer puts in so much work, not only in the classroom, but also in this huge project for all the staff and teachers.” Brown leads her team to successfully prepare for the event, including setting up tablecloths and chafing dishes, and monitoring the dishes in the warmer. Brown appreciates everything Oljer does both in and out of the classroom, noting that, “ he just makes every culinary class special.” Brown’s passion for cooking was sparked by Mr. Olejer’s classes, and the opportunity to gain practical experience in both her gourmet and culinary classes. “I enjoy it because Mr. Olejer taught me how to cook. I was interested in learning how to cook, and so I joined this class,” Brown shared. 

Olejer also enlists the help of his son, senior Andy Olejer,  as a leader for the Cafeteria team. Andy has worked to cook each dish in the Thanksgiving feast for three years, choosing not to switch positions as an opportunity to continuously improve on his skills. His love of cooking has been with him since childhood, when he started helping out in the kitchen at home. “I’ve been cooking most of my life, maybe because my dad is the teacher of this class here,” Andy mentioned, “so I helped him cook at home and I really enjoyed it.” He especially enjoys preparing his favorite Thanksgiving dish, apple crisps.

Not wanting to leave any part of the Woodgrove staff out of the Thanksgiving feast, Olejer also works with Head Custodian, Ms. Becky Jackson, to put on a second event in the evening. Olejer puts aside six trays of every dish for the custodial team, cooking them later in the day once the lunch is over, and Jackson carves the turkey for her team.

Mr. Olejer’s Thanksgiving feast has become a beloved tradition by many Woodgrove staff members. Olejer and his team of volunteers work hard to turn hundreds of pounds of ingredients into a delicious meal for all deserving teachers, administrators, and custodians to enjoy. His dedication to the event is evident by the smell of turkey wafting through the school’s hallways each year, evoking festive feelings within each person who passes by his room and exciting staff members for their soon-to-be meal.