Community Servings’ industrial kitchen provides an exceptional training venue for Teaching Kitchen participants. Trainees learn all facets of working in a professional kitchen including food safety and sanitation, food preparation, packaging, and delivery.

While our kitchen provides a hand-on learning experience, our chef and restaurant manager partners help paint the picture of what it’s like to work in restaurant, grocery store, or institutional kitchens. Chefs have visited our kitchen for special cooking demonstrations, giving our trainees the opportunity to cook alongside talented, local chefs and try foods they’ve never experienced before.

Teaching Kitchen trainees also go on field trips, visiting places like Whole Foods, Wegmans, and CommonWealth Kitchen. Last month, trainees were invited to The Frogmore, a Jamaica Plain restaurant specializing in low country southern fare. Trainees met with Kelly Marts, the restaurant’s sous chef, for a kitchen tour, cooking demonstration, and Q&A.

After touring the restaurant and kitchen, trainees were treated to a cooking demonstration. Kelly prepared Frogmore’s buttermilk biscuits while offering trainees insight on what it’s like to work in a kitchen and what to expect when trainees enter the workforce. After the demonstration, Kelly and the trainees enjoyed coffee and biscuits and discussed the trainees’ future plans.

“Our trainees go on to work in a variety of kitchen environments, from restaurants to hospitals or universities,” said Allison Sequeira, Job Readiness & Employment Manager. “It’s so important for trainees to hear directly from those in the hospitality industry to get a sense of what to expect when they’ve completed the program and get tips for success.”

The Teaching Kitchen program graduates four classes each year and most recently celebrated the graduation of the 30th job training class since 2008. The graduates are treated to a celebratory graduation dinner, courtesy of the Capital Grille, a long-time supporter of Community Servings and specifically, the food service job training program.

If you’re interested in supporting Community Servings as a guest chef or through a fundraising event, contact us.