Incarcerated individuals serve time and serve lunch in Concord
The Fife and Drum restaurant has been in operation since the 1970s
CONCORD IS FERTILE GROUND THAT ENCOURAGES GROWTH FOR GARDENS, LIVESTOCK AND THE FIFE AND DRUM RESTAURANT, WHERE THE PEOPLE SERVING THE FOOD ARE ALSO SERVING A SENTENCE. MOST PEOPLE DON’T GET UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY THEY’RE GOING TO GO HAVE LUNCH AT A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, THE RESTAURANT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOUR DAYS A WEEK, AND HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE THE 1970S. THE FIFE AND DRUM IS REALLY STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. SHAUN JENKINS IS THE INTERIM COMMISSIONER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, THE ONE IMPORTANT CORE FUNCTION OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO PREPARE PEOPLE TO BE BETTER OFF WHEN THEY CAME. THAT CAN MANIFEST ITSELF IN VARIOUS WAYS. IT COULD BE SPIRITUALLY, IT COULD BE PHYSICALLY FIT. IT COULD BE PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES. THE FIFE AND DRUM IS LOCATED AT THE NORTH EASTON CORRECTIONAL CENTER, A MINIMUM AND PRERELEASE FACILITY THAT HOUSES MEN SENTENCED FOR THEIR CRIMES. IT’S NOT PART OF MCI CONCORD, LOCATED JUST ACROSS THE ROTARY, WHICH CLOSED IN JULY. WHEN THEY COME HERE, THEY’RE ALMOST OUT THE DOOR, BUT NONE OF THEM REALLY HAVE DEALT WITH THE PUBLIC OR ANYTHING, SO I MAKE THEM COME OUT HERE AND ACTUALLY WAIT ON PEOPLE. AND MOST OF THE CUSTOMERS THAT COME HERE KNOW THEM ON A FIRST NAME BASIS. EDDIE JACOBS HAS BEEN RUNNING THE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM FOR 15 YEARS. WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS PUSH THEM TOWARDS WORK. I TELL THEM, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, THERE’S MONEY TO BE MADE IN THE FOOD BUSINESS. IT’S BETTER THAN CRIME AND IT’S ALL LEGIT. THEY’RE PAYING COOKS NOW $30 AN HOUR. I TRY TO TREAT THEM LIKE YOU WOULD IN THE REAL WORLD. I TASTE EVERYTHING BEFORE IT GOES ON THE LINE. AND IF THERE’S A MISTAKE, I JUST TELL THEM, LISTEN, WE CAN’T SERVE THIS. LET’S SWITCH THIS JUST LIKE I WOULD DO IN A REAL RESTAURANT. OH, THAT’S DELICIOUS. NICE JOB. HECTOR MADE THE SOUP TODAY. NICE TO HAVE FRESH, FRESH STUFF RIGHT OFF. RIGHT FROM THE FARM. GOOD STUFF. IN ORDER TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR THE PROGRAM, INDIVIDUALS INCARCERATED HERE MUST HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENT. THOSE SELECTED HAVE A CHANCE TO EARN THEIR SERVSAFE CERTIFICATE. I TRY TO TELL THEM TO GET THAT STIGMA AWAY FROM THEM. THEY’RE INCARCERATED HERE, BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE RAKING ROCKS. YOU KNOW, I TELL THEM, DO THE RIGHT THING, AND I DO THE RIGHT THING. WHEN I GET OUT, I’LL BE ABLE TO GET A JOB OR HAVE SOME LIFE SKILLS AND BE ABLE TO MAYBE TEACH MY DAUGHTER OR BAKE A CAKE FOR HER BIRTHDAY. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE PROUD OF HER FATHER. I’VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, COMING IN AND OUT IN AND OUT. AND I NEVER DID ANYTHING TO BETTER MYSELF. NEVER TRIED TO DO ANYTHING TO BETTER MYSELF. I’M 44 YEARS OLD AND I’M JUST TRYING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS TIME. ROBERT YANDELL IS SERVING HIS SENTENCE FOR A DRUG CHARGE. HECTOR HERNANDEZ WAS CONVICTED OF ASSAULT AND BATTERY WITH A FIREARM. IT’S HARD TO MAKE A CHANGE WHEN YOU’VE BEEN BEEN BEEN ACTING A CERTAIN WAY YOUR WHOLE LIFE. THAT’S NOT WHO I WANT TO BE NO MORE. IT JUST GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO KNOW I CAN GET UP AND WORK AND BE PROUD OF MYSELF. I KNOW IT’S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, BUT WAS THERE ONE ASPECT OF IT THAT YOU LIKE THE MOST? SO FAR? YEAH, JUST GETTING ACCLIMATED WITH ALL THE PEOPLE COMING IN, YOU KNOW, THEY’RE VERY NICE. YOU KNOW, THEY DON’T LOOK DOWN ON US LIKE BEING INCARCERATED. YOU KNOW? I MEAN, THEY LOOK AT US LIKE WE’RE HUMAN BEINGS. IT IS REALLY GOOD TO SOCIALIZE AND TO BREAK OUT OF YOUR SHELL BASICALLY GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE, OF WORKING BACK WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVING TO FEEL SORT OF MAYBE THIS ASSOCIATED SHAME WITH BEING IN PRISON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, BUT FOR A FEW, MAYBE POOR CHOICES IN THEIR LIFE, THEY’RE REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN WE ARE. HECTOR, WHO’S RIGHT BEHIND YOU? HE’S NEW. HE I GUESS HE HAD WORKED IN THE KITCHEN AREA. EVERYBODY’S JUST SO FRIENDLY. WHEN YOU COME HERE. ANNETTE MESSINA AND HER HUSBAND JOE LIVE IN WALTHAM AND COME HERE FOR LUNCH A COUPLE OF TIMES. A WEEK. I THINK THE PROGRAM IS GREAT BECAUSE I THINK IT’S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GUYS TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE FOOD INDUSTRY AND STUFF, WHERE THERE’S ALWAYS JOBS AVAILABLE AND WHAT’S THE PRICE AGAIN,. $3.21. NOT A BAD PRICE FOR A NICE LUNCH. FOUR COURSE MEAL. I DON’T THINK WE’VE HAD ONE BAD MEAL, NOT ONE BAD MEAL. IF THEY WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING OR TRY SOMETHING, I SAY, OKAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO PUT ON THE MENU NEXT WEEK? I LET THEIR CREATIVITY KIND OF RUN THE PLACE TOO. I GIVE THEM INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING. EDDIE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR FOR HIS STUDENTS. IF I NEED HELP WITH SOMETHING, HE’LL COME AND HELP ME. HE’LL SHOW ME THE FIRST TIME SO I CAN GET IT RIGHT. THE SECOND TIME. WHEN YOU GO HOME, YOU NEED A REFERRAL TO GET INTO A JOB. HE’LL REALLY BE HONEST AND SAY, YOU KNOW, HE’S A GOOD WORKER. HAS IT BEEN REWARDING FOR YOU? YEAH, I LOVE MY JOB, I DO, I REALLY LIKE WHAT I DO. EDDIE TELLS US THAT A PAST PARTICIPANT IN THE PROGRAM MADE IT ONTO THE FOOD NETWORK AFTER HIS RELEASE, PARTICIPANTS IN THE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM ARE PAID AND RECEIVE GOOD TIME CREDITS TOWARD THEIR SENTE
Incarcerated individuals serve time and serve lunch in Concord
The Fife and Drum restaurant has been in operation since the 1970s
There’s a sprawling 325-acre farm in Concord covered in fertile ground that encourages growth for gardens, livestock, and the Fife and Drum Restaurant, where the people serving the food are also serving a sentence.The restaurant is located at the Northeastern Correctional Center a minimum and pre-release facility that houses criminally sentenced men. It’s not part of MCI Concord, located just across the rotary, that closed in July 2024.The Fife & Drum is open to the public for lunch four days a week and has been in operation since the 1970s. The cost for a meal there is $3.21.
There’s a sprawling 325-acre farm in Concord covered in fertile ground that encourages growth for gardens, livestock, and the Fife and Drum Restaurant, where the people serving the food are also serving a sentence.
The restaurant is located at the Northeastern Correctional Center a minimum and pre-release facility that houses criminally sentenced men. It’s not part of MCI Concord, located just across the rotary, that closed in July 2024.
The Fife & Drum is open to the public for lunch four days a week and has been in operation since the 1970s. The cost for a meal there is $3.21.