New volunteer registration system launches today

Today, DC Central Kitchen launches a new and easier to use volunteer registration system.

The new volunteer calendar also allows you to view opportunities in several different formats. If you already have a volunteer login via the old system, you will need to create a new login to use this system. One benefit is you can now view opportunities without registering or logging in.

DC Central Kitchen sees tens of thousands of volunteers every year and they are crucial to producing over 5,000 meals each day at our 2^nd Street Main Kitchen. We’re now opening opportunities to volunteer at the Nutrition Lab on Evarts Street, where Fresh Start’s revenue generating programs need help generating thousands of additional meals.

As part of an effort to improve the volunteer program, we’re also asking you to fill out a quick survey about your experiences. Please pass this link onto your group.

Culinary Job Training Class 87 learns international cuisine

This Wednesday was Heritage Day for Class 87. The students learned international cuisine and career advice from experienced local chefs. A special thanks to these chefs for helping expand our student’s skills. With an expanded palette, Culinary Job Training students will have more job opportunities.

Chef Frida Johnson from the Swedish Embassy prepared Stuffed Swedish Cabbage Rolls.

Chef Mikko Kosonen from the Finish Embassy prepared warm smoked salmon with finish style mushroom salad and dill pickled cucumber.

Chef Enrique Valazquez from The Borinquen Lunch Box prepared a Puerto Rican dish, stuffed green plantains with picadillo.

Chef Maziar Faviar from the Peacock Café prepared Naaz Katoon, a Persian roasted eggplant and pomegranate dip.

Alice & Jose help bring in a record breaking Sips and Suppers

This past weekend, Alice Waters , José Andrés, and Joan Nathan joined forces to support DC Central Kitchen’s and Martha’s Tables 4^th annual Sips and Suppers. The weekend raised $200,000, to be split between the 2 organizations.

400 socially conscious foodies joined us all at the Newseum, where 15 restaurants and 10 artisans practiced their culinary crafts and dished out high-end eats. Local mixologists joined in with delicious cocktails and craft brews.  Together with great Jazz and a beautiful space, they entertained guests that chatted about the issues – Hunger, homelessness, nutrition education, urban farming, healthy school food meals, obesity and the like.

The following day, Sunday Suppers attracted close to 500 guests (20-40 per home) at 20 homes with meals prepared by top chefs from around the country and even the world!

DCCK CEO Mike Curtin: “The generosity of the Restaurant/Chef community is unmatched here in DC. This, coupled with the vendors that donated product, equipment, hotel rooms, etc., not only made these events amazing, but allow us to do what we do every day.”

State of the Kitchen 2012

On Thursday, January 19th, DC Central Kitchen celebrated its 23rd birthday at the Washington Convention Center with a presentation and Q & A featuring CEO Mike Curtin and President Robert Egger.

It was a rare opportunity for all DC Central Kitchen staff to meet in one place and share a conversation about where the organization is headed.

Below is a copy of that presentation, which highlights our successes and goals for the next year. We also learned about CFoward, a new independent nonprofit advocacy organization created by DCCK founder Robert Egger.

Check out this photo of the room packed with DCCK staffers. DC Central Kitchen has grown over the past few years.

Today at Our Schools: Chef Jamillah’s Banana Bread

This morning at our seven DC Public Schools, students were treated to Chef Jamillah’s Banana Bread along with local apples from Kilmer’s Fruit Orchard in Inwood, West Virginia, low-fat cheese sticks and milk. Our cooks at the Nutrition Lab baked 50 sheet trays of banana bread from scratch to feed our 1700+ students. As you can see in this shot of Tarina and Shawndella caught in action, they had a pretty good time baking and put lots of love into this recipe’s debut at the schools.