KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET
One amateur cook is from the East Coast, the other from the West Coast. Each has a specialty but, together, they feed Cape Dorset athletes every Saturday.
Newfoundland-native Peter Maher has been volunteering and teaching at Peter Pitseolak School in Cape Dorset for the past nine years.
The 68-year-old Maher said he learned to cook in Corner Brook, N.L., where he taught elementary and junior high school for 31 years.
He retired in 1999 before heading to Cape Dorset, initially as a Grade 9 teacher. Maher stayed five years, came back for another year part-time, went home for six months, came back for another two years, returned home for another year, and then finally came back for another two years and counting.
Maher said he intends to keep going for another year or two.
"I really enjoy it and I don't look at it as anything that makes me really tired or anything like that because I get a big kick out of cooking," he said. "The kids always compliment me on my cooking. I don't even get that at home."
His accomplice in the kitchen is fellow amateur cook Don Pryzner, who said he inherited his talent from his mother.
"(Maher's) specialty is kind of like roast beef and turkeys and ham and mine is sort of in the soup, casserole, spaghetti line," said Pryzner.
Maher said they stay away from deep-fried foods and french fries when they cook for the 30 to 40 students.
"Usually, we do soups and sandwiches, stews, homemade pizzas, things of that nature," he said.
