'I Went For Knife Skills And They Gave Me Life Skills'

WASHINGTON, DC — Although ending up in a family shelter was a low point for Trenisha James and her five children, that's where the District woman found a pathway toward a new life. It was there that she attended a presentation by a recruiter from DC Central Kitchen's (DCCK) Culinary Job Training program.

"I need something to take my mind off what I'm going through and this will be perfect," James told the recruiter. "I love to cook."

In January, James joined 10 other local men and women in celebrating the completion of 14-weeks of training in DCCK's Culinary Job Training program. As graduates, they now had all the skills necessary to pursue a career in the hospitality industry.

"I have learned an array of things in the DC Central Kitchen," James said, who had previously worked restaurants for 14 years. "They not only get you prepared for the kitchen, they get you prepared for life in general. I've learned how to sell myself as an entrepreneur and the things that I do. This experience has broadened my horizons and shown me how to be a better me, basically. I went for knife skills and they gave me life skills."

The Culinary Job Training program teaches its students the same things any chef would learn at culinary school, from handing food safely to the different types of cooking to everything you need to do to produce good, healthy meals. DCCK also helps students put together their resumes and prepare themselves for job interviews.

"In the midst of teaching you how to cook, they're also teaching you how to be a better person and how to sell yourself," said James, who had already lined up a job as a supervisors for Popeyes at the time of graduation.

Each year, DCCK graduates about 100 students from its Culinary Job Training program.

"What we're trying to accomplish is to give our students, who would typically have obstacles to success in society, a chance at success," said Rasheem Rooke, DCCK's director of workforce development. "We want to use food as the vehicle to give them an opportunity to be a positive contribution to this society of ours."

James' experience is similar to that of other students who go through the program, according to Rooke. Approximately 87 percent of the students who graduate are able to find in a job in the hospitality industry.

"At that point, it's a matter of them using the resources available to them," he said. "Even after they finish the program, we will be here for Trenisha to help her continue to grow. And as they grow, they can take advantage of the things that are available to them, whether it's entrepreneurship, home ownership, building credit or rebuilding credit. These are things that we continue to work with our graduates on."

With DC Central Kitchen on her resume, James sees a world of opportunities available to her.

"I see these skills taking me a long way," he said. "With the things that I've learned, as long as I keep going and keep applying what they taught me at DC Central Kitchen, I can move mountains."

Ten years down the line, James imagines herself operating her own culinary business.

"In order to get there, I know I'll have to work under others to get my platform started and to start building," she said. "Ultimately, I'd like to work for DC Central Kitchen. That's how awesome they are."

DCCK's Culinary Job Training program is completely donor-funded. PepsiCo provided a $50,000 grant to support the program while Marriott sponsors one class per year, including Class 124. Students who are admitted into the program receive full scholarships, which pay for the training and two years of post-graduation support.

Anyone who might be interested in learning more about DCCK's Culinary Job Training program can contact Rooke via email at: rasheem.rooke@dccentralkitchen.org. Potential students may also email him or contact admissions directly at admissions@dccentralkitchen.org.