When the Franklin Rodeo rolls around, not everyone is excited about the bulls, horses and the cowboys.
Some are excited about the food.
For Lindsay Trigona, a 2017 graduate of Summit High School and a resident of Spring Hill, the 18-year old had never been to a rodeo when her culinary arts teacher, Miss Marsha Johnson, asked for volunteers to help in the Rodeo Café. Trigona loved the experience: the first year, she wrapped cookies and brownies for the café’s sweet shop. The next three years, she was in the backroom, prepping and organizing as food went out to the serving tables.
She loved it. “It was very interactive,” she said, “and it gave me good experience.” Each year, she looked forward to the rodeo. “It was one of the main things I looked forward to. I was like, ‘when is the rodeo coming, because I’ll be there.’”
Trigona, the daughter of Michael and Christine Trigona, became interested in culinary arts as a youngster while watching shows on the Food Network. She was part of the culinary program at Summit High School for four years and was a member of the Summit High School culinary team that won a silver medal at a national culinary arts competition in San Diego, Calif. two years ago.
Last year, at her final year to work with the Franklin Rodeo Café, she was presented with a $500 grant to culinary arts school. She was honored with the award. “I was speechless. I never realized how much I had done for them. They told me I’d helped them out an enormous amount, and I had never really thought about it.”
Now, she is a student at Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky and enrolled in the culinary program and loves it: “it’s amazing.” She will graduate next spring, and is excited about a possible internship abroad. Her goal is to someday be a sous chef in another country. She loves to travel. “I love to travel, and the fact I get to cook while traveling, I love that.”
The Rodeo Café will open one hour prior to each night of the Franklin Rodeo May 17-18-19. The rodeo kicks off each night at 7 pm at the Williamson Co. Ag Expo Park in Franklin, Tenn. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at www.FranklinRodeo.com or at the gate. All seats are reserved. For more information, visit the website or call 615-RODEO-11.
