MONTROSE – As people struggle to stay afloat in a foundering economy, more and more are opting for a free lunch offered five days a week at Christ’s Kitchen in Montrose.

A year ago, the kitchen at the corner of North Ninth Street and Grand Avenue was averaging about 130 diners per day. Now the average is between 180 and 200, said director Carolyn Carter, and is constantly creeping up.

The variety of people hasn’t changed, though. Parents with small children mingle with homeless and elderly people, and during a busy Wednesday last week, the big lunchroom bustled with activity and conversation.

Retired Norwood pharmacist Joe Vigil and his wife Eunice talked with volunteer cook Chris Quintana, and a young boy stopped and exchanged pleasantries with an older man eating alone.

“You’re a good boy,” the man said as the boy walked away.

Christ’s Kitchen was formed four years ago by Carter, Gary Martiniz and the late Marlene Love, Carter said, and believes in not only feeding people, but feeding them well.

The food is always good at Christ’s Kitchen, and is prepared by volunteer cooks that include Carter, Quintana, Sarah Nicolas, Fred Hamrick, and Inge Cheatham.

But Cheatham is more than a cook. She was trained at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and has years of experience at five-star resorts and as a private chef and teacher. As head chef for Christ’s Kitchen, Cheatham insists that people with out much deserve to eat just as well as the wealthy.

As soon as she finished serving last week, Cheatham sat down at one of the kitchen’s long dining tables and talked with Carter about next week’s menu.

“I want every color of pepper for the ratatouille next week,” she said to Carter, who sighed slightly and smiled.

“Then we need a deal,” Carter said. “Maybe we can talk to City Market.”

Many local businesses help with food and supplies for Christ’s Kitchen, Carter said. Wal-Mart, for example, donates eggs and dairy products three times a week, and for the past six months, several of its employees have been helping out as volunteers.

More corporate and individual sponsors are always needed, Carter said, and she can be reached at 240-3941 or 210-5857.

But whatever she has to work with, Cheatham works magic and insists on high standards. She pointed to a big vat of mashed potatoes being served and said she would never serve instant potatoes.

“First they’re boiled in their skins and then riced, because it tastes better,” she said. “But I really need Yukons.”

Cheatham said she finds more satisfaction cooking at Christ’s Kitchen than she did working for large resorts but now her focus is on serving high quality food to people, no matter what their economic circumstances.

As a survivor of ovarian cancer, Cheatham also prepares meals for special needs clients and plans to write a cookbook just for cancer patients.

“With chemotherapy, tastes change and meat will taste sugary,” she said. For her cookbook, Cheatham is creating recipes that will please even cancer patients’ palates, such as braided sole in courtbouillion and sautéed asparagus.

“I want to make colorful and edible food, but for a cancer patient, eating sugar is like throwing gasoline on a flame.”

A native of Germany, Cheatham also teaches etiquette classes for children and more, as outlined on her web site at www.gourmetdujour.com

But her greatest joy comes from her work at Christ’s Kitchen, she said.

“Cooking for Christ’s Kitchen is a lot more satisfying than for a five-star resort,” she said.