A New Year Will Bring The Highly Anticipated Launch of Transition Kitchen To Baltimore, Maryland

BALTIMORE - Dec. 25, 2018 - PRLog -- Transition Kitchen Foundation, a Maryland-based nonprofit, announces the highly anticipated launch of Transition Kitchen, its workforce development culinary arts training program powered by Baltimore native and Food Network Alum, Chef Robert Stewart. Transition Kitchen will officially begin on Monday, January 7, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. Its mission is to teach life skills  through culinary arts while also exposing learners to endless possibilities in the food, beverage and hospitality industry. The program will serve individuals the Abell Foundation reports as high populations of returning citizens and those unemployed, and underemployed in Baltimore. Prior to the launch, donors will be invited to a private Appreciation Dinner.

The program previously scheduled to launch in September, 2018, diligently sought to locate a new kitchen to commense the program. Now with a kitchen of its own, Transition Kitchen is set to impact unemployment, low wages, recidivism, impact hunger and allow access to fresh produce in Baltimore. The kitchen and its event center is located at 5070 Wabash Avenue, Unit D, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. The lease agreement satisfies the requirements of Transition Kitchen curriculum, with a few exceptions. The program will be modified to include visits to nearby commercial kitchens to teach operational procedures. The search continues for adequate square footage to build out for Transition Kitchen's Drop & Go Catering Service; a box lunch program intended to not only sustain Transition Kitchen, itself, but also to employ students, and allow for them to positively engage Baltimore's police department, and other county entites and supporters.

While Transition Kitchen works with county officials to create a program for thousands of under-resourced high school students in need of in-school services, it will begin by training Baltimore's underserved young adults ages 17 and older, who can show proof of a high school diploma or GED. Facilitators Chef Stew and Pastry Chef Gail McGee will teach its curriculum inclusive of product and appliance identification, food and pastry preparation, financial literacy and etiquette in 30-day cycles. Other chefs who give back are encouraged to inquire about facilitating courses in coming months. Wrap around services will be made available to students. The program looks to acquire an industry certification partner. Following each graduation ceremony, staffing partners will employ students.

Transition Kitchen rallies the support of corporations and donors, everywhere. Donations, whether in-kind, monetary or through volunteering, keeps the program free for students in devastated communities.

Chef Stew spoke of his gratefulness for the continued confidence from major donor couple, the Goedeke's. Chef Stew shared, "Likewise, I am humbled by the continued commitment of Baltimore County officials, individuals, businesses and donors who have labored with my team over the past 3 months in this quest for a home for Transition Kitchen." "Its been a challenge," he noted, "but thankfully, we are here, now," he said. In a passionate manner, Chef Stew hailed. "And I 'must' thank Happy Chef, Sodexo, Publix, Stratford University-Baltimore, and Judge Nicole Pastore-Klein, founder of the District Court Re-Entry Project, our partners and sponsors. And to our influential allies, former NBA baller Keith Booth, R&B Singers Dante "Chi" Jordan & David Chance of Ruff Endz, Scola Deniro, former member of Dru Hill, and R&B Singer/Songwriter Michel'le, I am thankful for their unwavering support."

Chef Stew is a Las Vegas-based personal chef to Celebrity Comedian Luenell. As well, he is sought by other celebrities, nationwide, to prepare healthy exquisite cuisine. In later months, he will unveil additional layers of his turnkey strategy for Transition Kitchen and its mobile hands-on lab; soon to serve as the Drop & Go Catering Unit. It, too, will employ Transition Kitchen students and take on the role of fresh food community outreach in Baltimore.

For more information and to donate, visit http://www.chefstew.com/transition-kitchen. Follow and stay tuned for updates at Transition Kitchen Foundation across social media platforms. For media inquiries, contact Alecia Jones, publicist, at a.jones@transitionkitchen.org.

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ABOUT Transition Kitchen Foundation -  a 2 year young Maryland-based nonprofit organization. Under the same name, is a free culinary and hospitality training program, founded and civically powered, by Baltimore native and Food Network alum, Celebrity Chef Robert "Stew" Stewart. Transition Kitchen aims to transition the residents of Baltimore communities who are disconnected from opportunities and connect them to specialized skills and to living wages through viable careers within the culinary, pastry, hospitality and beverage sectors. Its goal of providing invaluable life skills, food literacy and to create a plethora of career opportunities for Baltimore's potentially vulnerable group of young adults and returning citizens. This sustainable interactive training model includes financial literacy and positive law enforcement engagement and a system by which top students will train the next cohort. It prepares students for the ServSafe exam and creates a pool of employable talent for partners such as Publix. Other partners include Happy Chef, Inc., Stratford University-Baltimore and professional clothiers. A recently donated van in need of repairs supports its transportation initiatives. W: www.chefstew.com/transition-kitchen; Social Media: Transition Kitchen Foundation; Mailing Address: Post Office Box 4473, Baltimore, Maryland 21223