GUEST CHEF

Our Guest Chefs prepare dinner for the families at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa.  

The families that stay with us often return to the House after a long day at the hospital and cooking a warm meal for themselves may be the last thing on their minds. Giving these families the chance to sit down to a home-cooked meal is just another way to make the Ronald McDonald House of Tulsa a comfortable and warm place for our families. To see our available Guest Chef dates, simply scroll to the bottom of the page!

If you are interested in cooking, but the timing for being a Guest Chef doesn’t work for your schedule, you might consider baking a treat or cooking freezer meals for our families! See our Volunteer Website Page for more information about these options.  

For more information about the logistics and guidelines for volunteering as a Guest Chef, please read the following Frequently Asked Questions below.  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Where do we prepare the meal? 

You will cook the meal right in the commercial kitchen in the House! The commercial kitchen is equipped with pots, bakeware, cooking utensils, a gas stove, and an oven. You are welcome to bring any extra things you think you may need to cook.  

Can I cook a meal at home and bring it in?

We are unable to accept food prepared in a home kitchen. In order to comply with Tulsa Health Department guidelines, all parts of the meal must be cooked in a commercial kitchen. If you have any questions about this, please contact Darcy directly at dtedford@rmhctulsa.org or 918-340-7965. 

Do I need to bring anything with me to be a Guest Chef?

All Guest Chefs participants are required by the Tulsa Health Department to have a volunteer food handler’s permit. Go to Food Safety Volunteer Online Training to obtain your permit- this is free! Please bring this with you on the day you come to cook or email your certificate to dtedford@rmhctulsa.org. These are good for one year, so if you think you have one already on file, check with Darcy! 

You will also need to bring the ingredients that are required to prepare your meal. We do have a pantry with dry goods, canned goods, and spices you may supplement with. Please call and check with us for any specific ingredients you may need.  

You do not need to bring cooking tools like pots, pans, cooking utensils, etc. because we have those here in our kitchen for your use. 

Are kids allowed in the kitchen?

You are welcome to cook dinner as a family, however all those under 18 will need to be supervised by an adult. 

How many people can come with my group to cook?

Our kitchen can comfortably fit 8-10 people.  

How many people should we plan on providing a meal for?

Plan to cook for approximately 18-25 people. We will call you closer to your scheduled date to give you a more specific headcount for the meal based on how many people are staying at the House on that night.  

What time does the meal need to be ready? 

Our families know that dinner will be ready for them at 5:30PM. 

Will we be serving the meal to families?

Please be aware that not all families show up at once to eat, since their schedules vary as they spend a majority of their time at the hospital with their children. Because of this, the Guest Chef serves the meal by portioning it into Styrofoam to-go boxes and placing the boxes on the counter in the family dining area. These to-go boxes are later put in the refrigerator for guests to easily reheat and enjoy their meal at their convenience. RMHC of Tulsa provides the boxes for the meal.  

Do you have a set menu of items we should cook?

We do not have a set menu. Our Guest Chefs can choose to cook any meal they want! Some ideas that are good to cook for a larger group are casseroles, meat with a side of veggies, rice, or potatoes, enchiladas, lasagna, meatloaf, sandwiches, sausages & peppers, or tacos. We do ask that no alcohol be brought to the House.