Thousands of people came out for the third annual Pastabilities luncheon at the Ciociaro Club to get a taste of local cuisine and make a difference in the fight against food insecurity in Windsor-Essex.
The event, hosted on Oct. 20, 2025, is a signature fundraiser for the UHC Hub of Opportunities, organized by Chef Adelina Sisti-DeBlasis, a recent St. Clair College Alumnus of Distinction.
"We have record amount of people here," said Chef Sisti-DeBlasis. "I'm very proud, and I'm very humbled to see that so many people come out from the community to support this cause."
Twenty-six food vendors from across the region gather at the Ciociaro club and present their best pasta dish at the event, where paid guests get to try three different varieties and vote for their favourite dish. Guests also get the opportunity to vote for their favourite pasta.
"The culinary leaders from the Windsor area are absolutely amazing. We're so blessed to be able to do this event every year, with their support," said Chef Sisti-DeBlasis.
"Chefs are hard workers. We're usually in the back of the house and you don't see us very often," she said. "So, it's kind of nice to be able to have our chefs - on International Chefs Day - come out, work with the students, the youth of tomorrow, to be able to kind of show them, this is what we do, and this is why we do it. Everything is for the love and the passion for cooking."
Patrons enjoy their pasta lunches at Pastabilities at the Ciociaro Club on Oct. 20, 2025. (Rich Garton/St. Clair College)
St. Clair College and the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts were both represented at Pastabilities, the former presenting an Asian shrimp stir-fry noodle dish.
"It's pretty feel-good to give back to the community, it's an important thing," said Chef Michael Jimmerfield, the program coordinator of Culinary Management at St. Clair College. "I think to help support the awareness of food insecurity is a great initiative."
Jimmerfield and a crew of first-year students helped prepare the dish and served it to the masses at the event.
Ciociaro Club's team won the vote for best pasta for their Lobster Ravioli.
Since its inception, Pastabilities has raised $103,000 to fight food insecurity in the region, fund local food banks and programs like the community kitchen at the UHC Hub of Opportunities.
"100 per cent of the proceeds go back into the community for all the resources that the community is allowed to use, that's what we're there for," said Chef Sisti-DeBlasis, who is also a teacher in the PASS program at the Greater Essex County District School Board.
The fundraiser allows the UHC Hub of Opportunities rescue 6.6 million pounds of produce, provide 258,000 meals prepared in UHC's community kitchen and assist 235,000 visits to the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association.
"It's very cool to have the students being able to work alongside us," she said. "They get a networking opportunities and leadership from St Clair College students. They're getting experiential learning and firsthand practice on everything, and we know we have some.
Sisti-DeBlasis thanked the Ciociaro Club for lending their kitchen and event space for the event.
"We could not have had a better major sponsor to collaborate with," she said.
