Chefs Freddy Montolio and Niles Fryer are on a mission, a mission to pay it forward through food. They've left their upscale restaurant days behind to create meaningful, chef-prepared meals for those in need daily using solely donated ingredients at the Montana Rescue Mission in downtown Billings.
"It's all about giving back to the community," Head Chef Freddy Montolio said. "I fell in love with the job as soon as I got it. I wanted to be involved with something bigger than just a restaurant."
Both Montolio and Fryer have transitioned from decades of cooking in restaurants and chef work within the hospitality industry, to cooking to feed people with a purpose. There's no set menu at the Montana Rescue Mission, it's all up to them, based on donations of the week.
"You gotta have a good idea of putting meals together, like recipes and stuff like that in your head, because there's no recipes or anything here," Montolio said. "Whatever we have, we plan and go from there."
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"It's a mystery box every time we get a delivery," Fryer said.
Montolio and Fryer depend on weekly donations to make their meals happen and rotate meals by ingredients received. The Mission receives regular donations about three times a week, from US Foods, Costco, Family Services, Great Harvest Bread Co., Bob's Pizza and Stella's Kitchen.
"We're able to meet the community's needs for the most part, but we can always take more," Montolio said.
MRM serves three meals a day, seven days a week, with an average of 50 guests per meal. Depending on the day, either Montolio or Fryer will prepare roughly 100 servings per meal, "so everyone can get seconds," Montolio said. Leftovers do not go to waste; they're served the next day at the emergency shelter.
"We try to do our best with what we have to make it a nutritional three course meal," Fryer said. "Cooking for anybody is the same ... The only thing different is the people."
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"They're people that are in need, so when they show appreciation, it hits your heart," Montolio said. "That's what moves me, their appreciation. You feel the love in the building."
Montolio has been the head chef at the Mission for over a year now. Sous Chef Fryer started in October. For him, it's a way of passing it forward.
"They actually helped out a family member of mine a few years ago, I felt like it was my time to give back," he said. "I come in and decide what I want to make, what am I going to make these people happy with today."
For Montolio and Fryer, working at the Mission is less about the paycheck, and more about interacting with the residents, and hopefully making a difference in the lives of the people they serve along the way.
"I think it's the heart of the mission, what they do; they feed people. They create meals and it brings a sense of normality to our shelter guests and to the kiddos," Development Director Beatrice Villanueva said. "We have so many shelter guests that come here and this is the first homemade meal that they've had in, sometimes months. It's a key element to the success of our mission, is our volunteers and our chefs and what they do."
"We're just grateful for the help that we currently get and the volunteers that we have," she said. "As a nonprofit, our funds are minimal, so donations are always really important."
The Montana Rescue Mission is always looking for volunteers and accepts donations any day of the week, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those wishing to donate may simply bring items to the front desk. The door will be open at 2822 Minnesota Ave.
Pantry essentials, utensils and tools the Mission kitchen is currently in need of, include:
grill bricksgrill cleanerXL glovestrash can linersragspotholdersspicessugar (white, brown, and confectioner)buttercoffeepan spraycooking oilcooking thermometercandy thermometergrill spatulassauté lidslabeling day dot'spermanent markersnote padsmasking tapechef's coats: M, L, XLvolunteers -- any skill set
Montana Rescue Mission is a nonprofit homeless shelter that provides essential services and support to individuals facing homelessness. Their mission is rooted in "the belief that everyone deserves a safe and dignified space to rebuild their lives."
"We understand that homelessness is a complex issue that requires comprehensive solutions, and our team is committed to addressing the diverse needs of our guests with empathy and respect," the Montana Rescue Mission website states.
Those interested in volunteering their time to the mission may call (406) 247-0140 ext. 1111 or send an email to [email protected].
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