Hollywood Firefighters Whip Up Delicious Meals for Crew

Two firefighters at Station Five are known for their culinary skills, cooking up hearty lunches and dinners for their 13-person team.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Michael Donadio and Perry Colato, two firefighters at Hollywood Fire Station Number Five, have become renowned for their cooking skills, whipping up delicious meals for their 13-person crew every day. The duo carefully plans the meals, collects money from the firefighters, shops for ingredients, and then cooks up hearty lunches and dinners, even when they may get called away on an emergency. Their meals, which they call "Hollywood staples," are a highlight for the firefighters, providing quality time together and a chance to "forget that we're here" after a hard day's work.

Why it matters

In a profession known for its long hours and demanding work, the firefighters at Station Five have found a way to build camaraderie and morale through the shared experience of enjoying home-cooked meals together. This meal prep process highlights the close-knit community within the Hollywood Fire Department and the importance of small moments of connection, even amidst the chaos of emergency response.

The details

Donadio, one of the fire truck drivers, is the lead chef, whipping up the meals, while Colato serves as his sous chef. They carefully plan the meals each day, collecting money from the firefighters in the morning to fund the ingredients. They then head to the store, shop for what they need, and return to the station to start cooking. Their meals, which they call "Hollywood staples," are recipes passed down through the department over the years. Despite the possibility of emergency calls interrupting their meal prep, the duo is committed to having lunch ready at a reasonable time every day.

  • The firefighters line up at the start of the day to pay Donadio and Colato for the day's meals.
  • Donadio and Colato travel to the store to purchase ingredients for the day's meal.
  • Donadio and Colato return to the station and begin cooking the meal.

The players

Michael Donadio

One of the fire truck drivers at Hollywood Fire Station Number Five, known for his culinary skills and leading the meal preparation for the 13-person crew.

Perry Colato

The sous chef to Donadio, helping with the meal preparation at Hollywood Fire Station Number Five.

Hollywood Fire Station Number Five

The fire station where Donadio and Colato work and prepare meals for the 13-person crew.

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What they’re saying

“This is the best job in the department. I get to come in and cook for these guys. I've been in the kitchen my whole life.”

— Michael Donadio, Fire Truck Driver (wsvn.com)

“So at our station, Station Five, we're downtown, we have 13 guys every day, sometimes we have a lot of big eaters, so we gotta make sure we have enough food for everybody.”

— Perry Colato, Sous Chef (wsvn.com)

“We call them Hollywood staples. They're meals that had just been made forever and tweaked by the drivers over the years.”

— Michael Donadio, Fire Truck Driver (wsvn.com)

What’s next

The firefighters at Station Five plan to continue their daily meal preparation routine, providing hearty and delicious meals for their crew and fostering a strong sense of camaraderie within the department.

The takeaway

The meal preparation process at Hollywood Fire Station Number Five highlights the importance of small moments of connection and community-building, even in the demanding and high-stress world of firefighting. By taking the time to cook and share meals together, the firefighters have found a way to support each other, boost morale, and create a sense of home within the firehouse.