The free meals at the South Side Mission feed poor souls every day. But what’s been cooking in the kitchen nourishes the hearts and minds of a ministry of culinary artists.

Chef Chris Franzoni has been devoted to teaching aspiring chefs in the South Side Mission Culinary Arts program for 17 of its 18 years. Two more students completed the program this summer, and there’s another class lined up to start this month.

“People come here thinking they’re going to learn how to cook, and they walk out with a whole lot more,” said Franzoni, who commutes from his native Canton to fulfill his duties as Supervisor of Culinary Services.

The 12-week program is free. That’s right. There is no charge to enroll in perhaps the first of among many culinary programs in the area. “It should be advertised more. It’s the best school ever,” said recent graduate Vera, who wants to create her own Mediterranean-style YouTube channel and possibly cater. “I love it. It makes you creative. We’ve covered a lot of material.

“Chef Chris is really helpful and very people-oriented. All the staff is wonderful here.”

Franzoni oversees the South Side Mission soup kitchen, which serves a free meal at noon Monday through Friday, and “everything food at the Mission,” he says.

Two former students — Ron Rasberry and Tressie Walker — help prepare the daily meals. “Chef Chris helped me tremendously,” said Rasberry, who completed the program five years ago, as he was preparing roast beef, gravy, potatoes, and peas for the daily commune one day last June.

The first half of the curriculum involves the fundamentals of cooking, like sauce making and basic baking. But there are more ingredients that go into Franzoni’s recipe for success.

“We don’t have the resources or the budget,” Franzoni said. “Where we stand out is the ministry aspect of it. We’re going to teach them. We’re going to love on them, too.”

That’s because not every student will be an executive chef or own their own restaurant. Someone may be into desserts or just want to get their foot in the door at a restaurant.

“I don’t like be called a school,” said Franzoni, who leads daily devotions to begin each class. “We are a ministry. It’s about building relationships. Daily devotions help that. I’m not a traditional teacher. We’re going to talk about Jesus.”

Spiritually skilled

Franzoni emphasizes the “soft skills” that make people better employees, no matter the profession. “We stress professionalism and attitude,” he said.

That captures the spirit of the South Side Mission.

“We are happy that we were able to lead the charge,” Development Manager Rich Draeger said. “Our original intent was for the unemployed or under-employed. They wanted to get in the kitchen. That’s where Chef Chris comes in. Working in food services is not only behind the stove.”

Rasberry had been retired after 30 years as a welder and assembler at Caterpillar Inc., when his sister recommended that he enroll in the program. Now he runs a Sunday breakfast at the Church of the Living God.

“One of the best things I’ve done,” Rasberry said. “I didn’t want to lay around anymore. Chef Chris got me off the couch. Now my horizons have been expanded.”

Jacqueline McDaniel was working as a Certified Nursing Assistant when she saw a South Side Mission billboard advertising the program and read about Rasberry in a newspaper article. Now she wants to open a soul food restaurant.

“We like it,” McDaniel said as she was working on making burgers with Vera in the student kitchen — Jacqueline making beef patties and Vera pressing out veggie burgers.

Mission on menu

And don’t forget about the devotion. Perhaps a little Divine Intervention brought Franzoni to the South Side Mission. He graduated from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, and earned an apprenticeship at the Westin Hotel in Rosemont in 1988. After 12 years working the steakhouse and banquet halls there, Franzoni brought his wife and three children back to central Illinois to work at the Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino.

“At that point of my career, I was a little burned out.” he recalled.

Franzoni saw an ad looking for a “Christian chef to develop new programs” at South Side Mission. He took the job, and helped with a capital campaign to upgrade the old kitchen on Laramie Street, develop a meal service and start a culinary school. “Where we stand out is the ministry aspect of it,” he said. “It felt natural.”

His students appreciate that natural approach. Tressie Walker is a recent graduate at 76 years young. “I loved it,” she said. “It kept me going. It gave me a purpose. There is always something to learn. I like the devotions. I enjoy it every day.”

Blessed

There is a feeling that the Lord is lending a hand.

“I could have used it,” Franzoni confesses. “I wish I had that influence. The Mission has been an awesome place for me and my devotion. It’s been a blessing for my family.”

The blessings abound. Costco, Kroger and the Midwest Food Bank help the Mission put food on the table — depending on what’s available. So every day is kind of like a show on the Food Network.

“I put out a bunch of seafood and other ingredients,” the teacher said, “and they came up with Cipollini and shrimp creole.”

So with a little help from friends, the program has definitely steered students toward the Promised Land. The owner of Dak’s Smokehouse, Matt White, is a graduate. Alumni have landed at One World Café, Avanti’s, Bradley and Caterpillar.

“Chef Chris has a lot of connections,” Draeger said. “Restaurants will call him to fill a job or help with a corporate event. We will usually have the students.”

The program is open to anyone. Classes meet 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (309) 676-4604 to apply.

“It’s a very good market now,” Franzoni explains. “You can almost pick your shift. It’s a great time to be in the industry.