i recently volunteered for farestart – a really fantastic organization here in seattle. farestart offers a culinary job training program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals, and so much more – an all-encompassing & engaging organization – it’s hands-on culinary training, classroom & skills training, job search training with shelter food deliveries, catering and food prep contracts with local businesses and also a youth barista training program at the farestart cafe.

the training program itself is 16-weeks and students begin in a kitchen for prep and cooking mass-quantity food for various shelters in seattle where these meals are delivered and served every day of the week at these shelters. from there, students progress through the kitchens from daily lunches for staff and fellow students to the restaurant kitchen.

farestart is also a restaurant for weekday lunches and thursday guest chef night dinners. thursday evenings feature a guest chef who volunteers his/her time and resources to work with the students to prepare and serve a 3-course meal. these guest chef nights are also nights to celebrate the graduating students of that week.

the chef and students i worked with are awesome – go-getters & life-changers with positive attitudes in a really supportive environment.

get involved!