Last week Matt Rubiner of Rubiner's Cheesemongers in Great Barrington attended a fundraiser in New York City for Railroad Street Youth Project. He writes: "Railroad Street Youth Project is a Great Barrington-based organization that provides a safe haven for the at-risk youth of southern Berkshire County (and who among the youth isn't at risk?). It is a sometimes refuge, sometimes social club, sometimes artist's studio, sometimes therapist, sometimes playground. But it is always a place where youth are welcome and respected and safe. I know of no greater service to our community and no greater investment in its future. "The evening's keynote speaker was a young, well-spoken former "constituent" of the Project. He told us a harrowing tale of drug abuse and despair, expulsion from schools, homelessness and being turned away from shelters because he was a minor. It was a familiar tale, too often told in these pretty green Berkshire hills. "But he also told a happier, increasingly familiar tale. He showed up, nowhere else to go, at the doors of Railroad Street. They took him in, found him shelter, found him work, mentored and guided him and set him on a better path. "Sadly, the young man's story took a tragic turn. He enrolled in the economics department of the University of Wisconsin (A Badger?! Michigan would have been a far better choice. Go Blue!) and is now a Wall Street intern with Merrill Lynch. Guess you can't save every kid.” A significant portion of RSYP's funding comes from the proceeds of its bi-annual Culinary Arts Program Dinner Series, the culmination of RSYP's Berkshire Culinary Arts Program, which introduces young men and women to the food business. Hosted by Pearl's restaurant in Great Barrington and guided by their Chef Creighton Peet and Red Lion Inn's executive chef Brian Alberg, this after-school, semester-long program teaches young people about food, cooking, and the restaurant business, even giving them a chance to cook on a live restaurant line. For many of the students, such as Nick Heller in the photo above with chef Mary McGrath, it is the start of a career. Last year, Good Morning, America did a segment on the program. Click here to view it. There are two dinners remaining in this season's series, the next this Monday. Monday, March 30; Guest Chef Christopher Brooks of Blantyre, Lenox Wines selected by the South Egremont Spirit Shoppe's Devin Vollmer Monday, April 6; Guest Chef Barbara Lynch of Boston's Sportello* Wines selected by Neal Rosenthal Both at Pearl's, 47 Railroad Street, Great Barrington; 413.528.7767 x10 Cocktails 5 p.m., dinner 6 p.m.; $60 per person, not including wine *Saveur Magazine calls it one of the "12 Most Important Restaurants in America."
