Kitchen School Alumni Spotlight: Emily

October 9, 2024

By Nina Negrin, Communications Intern

The Kitchen School at the Food Bank of Delaware has been the perfect stepping stone for Emily, who found her way into a meaningful career in food service after graduation in May 2024. Emily had already secured employment at Gilpin Hall, a nursing home in Wilmington, DE, in April, working as a Food Service Worker.

At Gilpin Hall, Emily’s responsibilities include preparing and serving meals to residents, helping them with their dinner selections, and ensuring their dining experience is enjoyable. “I enjoy working with everyone at Gilpin Hall. They are very nice and show me how to do things I’m unsure of,” Emily shares. Her role also involves cleaning and resetting the dining areas for the following day.

The training she received at The Kitchen School has played an essential role in Emily’s current success. “I have always been interested in cooking and food prep. The Kitchen School helped me learn new skills and has supported me in my new job at Gilpin Hall, which I enjoy very much,” she explains. The Kitchen School’s structured 12-week curriculum provided her with hands-on training in a professional kitchen, where she learned essential kitchen safety and sanitation procedures, as well as earned her ServSafe® Food Handler Certification.

Emily’s story is a testament to the program’s focus on supporting students to find permanent employment. The Kitchen School’s dedicated staff and professional chef instructors helped her transition from classroom to career by offering job coaching and individualized training. Emily looks back fondly at her time in the program, saying, “I enjoyed making new friends and learning new things at the Food Bank’s Kitchen School.”

Interested in embarking on a culinary journey like Emily’s? Learn more about the Kitchen School and how it could help you or someone you know build a fulfilling career in food service by visiting https://www.fbd.org/the-culinary-school/.  The Kitchen School offers a unique opportunity for students to develop culinary skills, enter food-service workplaces, and receive ongoing support in their career journey.

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