We all know the old adage: practice makes perfect. And when it comes to culinary education, there really is no better place to learn than the kitchen.
A group of students experienced this first-hand recently during an 8-week pilot course co-facilitated by The Nashville Food Project, Catholic Charities, and GT Service, the workforce development arm of Slim & Husky’s. During these eight weeks, the cohort of 15 students received a comprehensive introduction to the culinary and hospitality world in fully operational, commercial kitchens at both Slim & Husky’s and The Nashville Food Project.
Under the guidance of our own Chef Bianca, students developed on-the-job skills, learning about cooking techniques like sauteing and marinating, knife handling and dexterity, and even recognizing commonly used herbs and spices and understanding how they influence the flavors of certain dishes. On classroom days, instructors from Catholic Charities taught soft skills and professional development. And as part of the program, each student earned a ServSafe certification: a gold standard in the world of food service.
On kitchen days at The Nashville Food Project, students spent afternoons chopping veggies, mixing sauces, and baking bread — much of which was served to nonprofits across the city through the Food Project’s food access partnerships. Students often helped our catering manager Josh prepare and plate individually served heart-healthy meals for our partnership with the Joe Beretta Foundation.
“I like that we are hands-on and able to work in the kitchen and cook,” reflected one student. “This experience helps me to have better safety and sanitation in the kitchen and better my cooking skills. I like how we can help make food for people who just had heart surgery — that made me happy and want to be here even more.”
The headquarters kitchen experience — which, if you’ve ever volunteered with us, you know is a unique one! — gave students a chance to see the impact of their work in action and connect with the Food Project’s revolving door of staff, volunteers, partners, farmers, and more. By interacting with a wide range of players in the food system, students were able to better understand the many steps it takes for food to end up on a plate.
This group of students came from a wide variety of backgrounds, enrolling through both Catholic Charities’ Culinary Training Academy and GT Service’s SNAP-EBT program. The diverse missions of these organizations were able to support students through other obstacles, like transportation and housing, while they were enrolled in the program. Program leaders also made sure that of all the barriers students faced, finances weren’t one of them: the course, which ended up being fully subsidized, also offered a weekly stipend to recognize the time commitment the students made to the program.
“This partnership has been truly transformational, allowing the students to have someone to support them through a number of barriers,” said Chef Bianca. “It was designed to address the systemic racism in food-insecure and underserved communities. This program was not just about teaching them hospitality — it was about giving them dignity, confidence, and a safe place to learn.”
The program culminated in a capstone lunch that students prepared and served to guests at The Nashville Food Project, and each of them received a brand new white chef’s coat for the occasion. As they placed colorful salads with from-scratch vinaigrettes on tables and filled glasses with homemade fruit tea, it was clear that they were excited to see it all come together. Staff from each of the involved organizations attended, sharing stories and explaining how the partnership had enriched their unique missions. But the highlight by far was a chance to hear from the students themselves after they had finished serving heaping plates of barbecue chicken, blanched green beans, and Boursin mac and cheese.
“If you liked the green beans, it was me who made them!” exclaimed one student as she watched everyone dig in to their plates.
One by one, students volunteered to share what they had enjoyed about the program and what they hoped to do next. While just a handful listed culinary school as their next step, many said that they had learned essential skills that they could apply to almost anything they wanted to do, and everyone said that they would be excited in the future to cook meals for their loved ones.
Here’s what students said about the program:
“I’ve been receiving employment, financial support, rides to work and more. This program is the only reason I’m not homeless.”
“The classroom and hands-on experience will help me to work in a commercial kitchen, and give me a heads up on what is expected of me on the job.”
“It’s special to mix different ingredients to form one unique dish and watch a person’s face light up as they taste a variety of sweet, salty, tangy or whatever dish you created, giving them the satisfaction of a full stomach and a taste bud makeover.”
“To be in this class not only means I get to better my culinary skills, but I’m being given the opportunity to learn a new form of art.”
“Being in this program gives me more career options and necessary life skills. The people in this program have been extremely supportive.”
“This culinary and apprenticeship class has supported me with a job at a restaurant called Slim & Husky’s. I love it there and plan to take what I can out of it. It has also put bread in my pocket, so I can pay bills on time and raise my credit.”
