LA Kitchen has started with it’s 4th class! And it’s in a brand new, gigantic facility so that they can support three times as many students as they have in the past. So exciting! This program, whose classes are run by the dynamic and passionate, Becky Locker, gives second chances to those who in many cases, were not given much of a first chance. Recruiting foster youth and adults who have been incarcerated, Becky’s main objective is not only to offer job skills for new beginnings but also to inspire hope.
Becky has truly transformed the lives of every single one of her students with her firm and committed energy to push them into building confidence within themselves. She cares deeply, and maintains relationships as a mentor long after students have graduated. She’s one of my heroes, and I’m proud to count her as a dear friend.
So, needless to say, if Becky hollers, I am down, and, as with every new LA Kitchen class, she asks us to come guest teach. You got it, Becky! With it’s wrap-around services that include life skills, housing and job placement, targeted counseling, and relationship building, LA Kitchen is not just beneficial to the students it serves but also to our society at large as it operates as a proactive solution to recidivism.
For the Class 4 Cooking Demo, Becky asked Matt to make tartines again like he did here in Class 2, because it was a tight squeeze to make pasta like we did here in Class 3. As before, Matt taught students how to make a saffron béchamel to coat the grilled bread. Then they topped with sautéed vegetables. Tartines are a crowd pleaser to eat and fun to make with a group of people.
Becky accepted two of our mentees in this Class 4, which thrills me to no end. They both are thriving in this encouraging environment and I am so proud of them for staying the course so far. It’s hard work to honor a routine when you have been bounced around your whole life without a foundation. LA Kitchen is the first step in getting on solid ground. Thank you dear, Becky, for all of your good work, and thank you to everyone else who supports LA Kitchen.
“Because neither food nor people should ever go to waste.”
