Grandma’s Spaghetti Dinner Readies to Feed Thousands

DULUTH, Minn. — Grandma’s Marathon puts on a spaghetti dinner each year dating back to when the rate got its start in 1976. In the DECC’s industrial kitchens, the magic happens as food preparations are underway to feed over 5,000 runners, friends and guests at the much anticipated spaghetti dinner at Grandma’s Marathon.

This year’s head chef is Jerry Carpenter, who says managing the meals is a very large ship to navigate…and it’s all about what he calls…

“Food math,” said Carpenter. “It’s something we do a lot around here.”

Carpenter explained all the spaghetti is a mix of guessing coupled with multiplying huge quantities in ounces and pounds.

“Knowing that pasta doubles in weight…if you have a pound of pasta it’s going to turn into two pounds,” said Carpenter. “Knowing we need x amount of cooked weight lets say five or six ounces per plate, then you muliply by six thousand and divide it by half and get some kind of number and go from there.”

Creating a tasty culinary experience means a sauce that has the right mix of spices. Chef Jerry concocts a delicious mix of 40 to 50 pounds of basil, rosemary and oregano. A total of 10 to 12 partime and fulltime employees chop and chop and chop.

“We used to include thyme, but it takes a lot longer to do thyme so we stopped,” said Carpenter. “Which is kind of funny.”

Simmering the spices in the sauce is indeed a process that uses more food math.

“It’s going to take about four days to boil all the noodles something in the area of five thousand pounds cooked,” said Carpenter. “So twenty five hundred raw. We’re talking a few hundred pounds a day for four days.”

The dinners started back in 1977, where about 150 runners gathered to break bread together at Grandma’s. Communications Director Lucie Amundson says even then, it was a way to bring the running community together. The dinners are a collaborative effort, involving many people from different areas of expertise.

“So many volunteers come together so many organizations come together and do everything from directing traffic to ham radio men and women are taking care of emergency communications all for free,” said Amundson.

For his part, Chef Jerry wants people to know, it’s not just spices that make sauce a culinary treat. It’s the heart of those preparing the food.

“Just know that we care and we take a basic sauce and kick it up a notch or two, add a lot of herbs and make sure someone can come down for a good meal,” said Carpenter.

Michelina’s Spaghetti Dinner is Friday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. All are welcomed.