一旦我们的厨房准备好了饭菜, they are distributed to the community through a network of a dozen partner organizations to more than 50 meal distribution sites. With one in nine adults facing food insecurities and this number increasing when many are unable or unwilling to go to a grocery store for supplies, this partnership truly serves a significant, 不断增长的社区需求. 该计划已交付超过1.为老年人提供400万顿饭, 学区, and other vulnerable children and adults throughout the Twin Cities regional area.

杰森·罗斯, 烹饪老师, notes that this project teaches culinary students many new vital areas of food preparation and distribution. It has inspired students to continue creating incredible meals while recognizing food’s life-changing impacts on families during challenging times within their community.

For example, this is what two culinary students had to say about this program:

“I find our work with Minnesota Central Kitchen to be one of the more rewarding and interesting aspects of my coursework within the culinary program. It’s been challenging, rewarding, and fun. I love the creative and problem-solving aspects of devising an appealing and balanced menu based on available bulk donations. 同样的, it has been a tremendous learning experience to plan and execute the production of 300-400 meals in a day or so. This project also provides me with a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the equipment and techniques used in large-scale kitchen operations. Our work is so meaningful for 我们的社区 which is so satisfying!” – Kimberly Pease, 圣保罗书院 culinary student

“Being part of Minnesota Central Kitchen was incredible! 很高兴看到一个营养丰富的, 色彩斑斓的, and well-balanced meal sent out to the families in 我们的社区 in need of this service. Too often, culinary students envision being a head chef at a high-end restaurant. 这个梦没有错, but I think the experience of cooking and packing meals for 400 people each week is a humble reminder that for many people, 高端餐饮不在餐桌上. 我们被称为厨师，为人们提供食物, 不管这是为了我们的家庭, 我们的社区, 我们学校, 不管一个人的经济地位如何, 每个人都应该好好享受, nutrient-dense food that feeds their bodies, 还有他们的思想.” – Kristine Borys, 圣保罗书院 culinary student

Some of the teaching principles incorporated into our culinary curriculum through this large-scale project include:

• Planning for the process of food distribution while maintaining safe and 治愈thy conditions for both the workers and food products;
• Bringing vision and reality together by creatively utilizing donated products within specific boundaries and with respect for different food cultures;
• Managing time constraints and labor resources on a large-scale basis;
• How to navigate nonprofit funding and government contracting to bring projects like this together for community benefit; and
• Inspiring community support through social media to fund these projects.

学生 become invaluable change agents within the food industry as they are inspired to use the power of food and their kitchens to uplift, 治愈, and rebuild communities in the worst and best of times. 圣保罗书院 values our partnership with Minnesota Central Kitchen and below is a statement from this partner on their gratitude for our culinary department on this life-changing project.

“圣保罗书院 brings one of the most unique and powerful programs to the Minnesota Central Kitchen collaborative, not only in preparing quality meals for 我们的社区 but in preparing our region’s next generation of food industry leaders. 无论学生们接下来去哪里, they will bring a first-hand understanding of food insecurity in our communities and the role that everyone, from hospitality workers to commercial kitchens to community organizations to culinary programs, 游戏能滋养我们的社区吗.” –Emily Paul, Minnesota Central Kitchen founding director

For more information on how the Minnesota Central Kitchen project serves the Twin Cities regional area, 访问 Minnesota Central Kitchen | Second Harvest Heartland (2harvest.org).