Fairmount Royal York Executive Chef David Garcelon is serving up his expertise to help us with our plans for our new cooking program for homeless youth.

Cooking classes will be offered in a newly renovated kitchen to provide our youth with educational, employment and therapeutic opportunities as well as practical life skills.

Garcelon, who heads up the country’s largest commercial kitchen, is providing his advice on the design for the kitchen. He’s also encouraging others to get involved and contribute equipment for the project.

“We could not have hoped for a better partner than David Garcelon to help us create an excellent working space that will better enable us to meet the needs of our kids,” says Covenant House Executive Director Ruth daCosta. “I’m thrilled and most grateful for his help.”

In our new “Cooking for Life” program, youth will be able to prepare nutritious meals, practice skills they can use to get a job and live independently, and explore potential career paths. The program can also help build confidence and self-esteem, as well as communication and socialization skills that youth will use while living and interacting with others.

The project, due for completion later this year, is part of larger renovation work made possible by federal stimulus funding.

The cooking lessons will be available to youth in our crisis shelter, longer-term residence, high school, day program for kids with mental health issues and vocational services, as well as other youth in the community.