Nugget to continue Thanksgiving dinner tradition in Carson City

Two hundred turkeys have been cooked, sliced and are ready for the Carson Nugget Casino’s 59th annual Thanksgiving Feast.

The annual turkey dinner will be held Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 or 2 p.m. in the Nugget Ballroom and is free to everyone in the community. This year, they’re expecting up to 1,000 people to attend.

“It is a great way to give back to the community to help those who need it and bring people together,” said Nugget marketing coordinator Jennifer Smith. “It is a crazy amount of people (that come) but it is fun.”

Preparation for the feast takes the chefs nearly a week; cooking 1,200 pounds of turkey, 600 pounds of stuffing, 600 pounds of mashed potatoes, 10 cases of sweet potatoes and 50 gallons of gravy.

“We like doing it, we like to help out the community and help the less fortunate or those who don’t have anyone to spend the holiday with,” said executive chef David Sellars. “It is nice to see everyone come together.”

Sellars said they get donations from F.I.S.H., Cisco, US Foods and more who provide the food and volunteers to make the event possible.

“The whole community chips in to help out,” Sellars said.

The chefs will start their Thursday at 3 a.m., coming into start getting the food cooked and prepared. Then from 10 to 11 a.m. the chefs and volunteers from F.I.S.H. will prepare plates to take with Meals on Wheels to provide to residents who may not be able to physically make it to the dinner. Then the big feast begins in the ballroom at 11 a.m., with volunteers and public officials coming into help serve up the turkey meal.

“It is a really hard job for us, but I enjoy doing it,” Sellars said.

Smith said the casino continues to host this event because it’s so well received by the community.

“Everyone seems to enjoy it and the food is always great,” Smith said.