Celebrating Trina Gambrell
Trina Gambrell at an outing to Naked Pasta.
In fall 2019, Trina Gambrell’s life got turned upside down when her 23-year-old son, Christopher, was shot in the head as an innocent bystander of a drive-by shooting. Having sustained an injury akin to JFK’s fatal bullet wound, Gambrell’s son was expected not to live, and doctors urged Trina to take him off of life-support.
But her mother’s instinct told her it was not Christopher’s time.
“I never felt he was dead. I touched his forehead and I said, ‘Christopher, it’s your mother. I am here and I love you,’ and a tear rolled out of his eye. I told doctors, ‘He will have to flatline. I am not pulling this plug.’”
When Christopher came out of surgery, Trina’s brother and daughters came rushing down the hallway to deliver news. Trina feared the worst—that her son was dead—but instead she was told Christopher was awake.
Two years later, Christopher is still recovering and struggles with memory and vision issues, as well as occasional difficulties with motor function, but he is alive and miraculously well given the injury he sustained, and Trina has devoted herself to his care.
Prior to the shooting, Trina worked at Excalibur Youth Services in Marietta, but she’s become a full-time caretaker since the accident. Recently, she’s arranged for caretakers to come to her home so she can start getting out again and pursuing her interests. It was her love of cooking and all things food that brought her to Project Host.
How did you learn about the culinary program at Project Host? What made you sign up?
My contacts at United Ministries recommended the program. They asked me what my passion was, and I told them cooking, and they told me you had a wonderful program.
(Chef Marianne has been delighted to see Trina following her passion. “It’s been fun to take someone who is a great home cook and help her fine-tune her skills. She’s learning a lot of different practices she wouldn’t have otherwise had. She spends her free time watching cooking shows, so she wants to constantly be immersed in the industry. I think that’s a really great thing, especially for someone who has had children and grandchildren, now she can do something that’s for her.”)
What’s been the best part of your experience in the Project Host culinary school?
First, meeting all of you guys. Y’all are fabulous. I can’t say one specific thing—just everything all together. The teaching was awesome—Marianne, Leah, and Linda are great. It’s hard to name one specific thing; it was just everything overall.
What have you learned in terms of new skills?
Knife skills and plating were two things I needed to learn how to do. I can season food now with different things I thought I couldn’t use. I’ve also learned better communication. I’m shy, but I’ve gotten used to being louder in the kitchen. I’ve also learned a lot of kitchen safety skills.
How would you describe working with Chef Marianne?
She’s amazing. I like how she directs things and gets to the point. She doesn’t babysit you, but she lets you ask questions. I love her personality—how she gives directions, listens, helps when needed. She’s just an amazing person, and she definitely can cook.
What are you planning/hoping to do with your training and certification?
I really want to own my own catering business. I won’t get into it fully until I’m more comfortable with what I’m doing. I might work at a restaurant if offered, but that’s not what I’m looking for.
What’s one Chef Trina specialty item you’d like to add to the HostMobile?
For dessert: banana pudding. It’s none of that boxed stuff. It’s the homemade, grandma-made, real deal.
For an entrée, my hot dogs are amazing. I make a mean coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, and chili cheese fries for toppings and sides.
Final thoughts?
I love it at Project Host. If I could stay here forever, I would.
In fact, Trina told Chef Marianne she was not leaving. Even if we kicked her out and changed the locks, she’d still find a way in. Lucky for Trina, there’s no need for breaking and entering any time soon. Her passion, drive, and high spirits have led to an invitation for her to stay on at Project Host as an intern for six weeks to learn more and further develop her skills.
Trina also hopes one day she may be able to bring her son Christopher through the culinary program. He loves to cook, and Trina thinks that with a little help, he would flourish in the Project Host environment.
By Claudia Winkler