Portland, August 19th. The St. Johns Community Center was the site of a special event called Kids Cook. It was a free, kid-focused exploration of tasting and cooking with healthy, fresh, seasonal produce. The Portland Kitchen chefs were happy to partner with Portland Parks and Recreation for the Kids Cook event. Pictured are Portland Kitchen founders and board of directors: Wendy Kent, board secretary; co-founder Earl Frederick, co-founder Abby Herrera; and board member David McIntyre.
The Portland Kitchen is an emerging culinary after-school program providing high school youth the business skills and nutritional education needed to budget, plan and prepare for life.
Our mission is to help youth experiencing adversity establish a framework for success in the workplace, and the dinner table, by offering them the business skills and nutritional education needed to budget, plan and prepare for life.
We knew there was a disconnect from farm to table. We knew about Portland’s low on-time high school graduation rate. We knew the economic climate was weighing heavily on our older youth, affecting hunger rates, class attendance and the opportunity for an after-school job. We knew we wanted to create long-term positive change in Oregon.
The Portland Kitchen, an Oregon 501(c)(3), is an emerging comprehensive culinary after-school program to help high school students, age 14 to 18, establish success in the workplace, and the dinner table. Students learn how to cook, and try new foods through fun activities, games and working with guest chefs. This is a free program that provides the opportunity for students to become trained and certified for future employment — in addition to positively impacting their health.
Registration for The Portland Kitchen does not open until we raise year one’s operating budget. Interested students are invited to email [email protected] to add his or her name to the program’s contact list. Inquiries are always welcome.