A Learning Program to Create Lasting Change
The Goya Foods Learning Kitchen is designed to educate the children and families at SOS Illinois and the surrounding community with a training program for the culinary arts and hospitality industry. The program will offer nutrition and culinary education, and include relevant job skills training.
The Goya Foods Learning Kitchen resides in the Center’s
3,000-square-foot multi-purpose room and features:
- Intentional design for culinary demonstrations, hands-on learning experiences, and special event entertaining space
- Stations for cooking instruction and student prep area to promote culinary and nutritional education programming, including access to the community garden
- Professional-grade appliances provided by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove and kitchen design and cabinetry provided by Snaidero.
Goya Foods Culinary Training and Education Program
The Goya Foods Culinary Training Program will provide job skills to teens and adults who are interested in the food service industry. Goya Foods will provide monthly workshops to the community on a variety of food preparation topics and geographies. In addition, with partners Sodexo, Swissôtel Chicago, and guest chefs, SOS Illinois will provide a year-round curriculum for teens and adults interested in the culinary industry. Each course will have approximately eight students, while monthly workshops and demonstrations will be able to accommodate dozens of participants.
Students who complete the prescribed curriculum will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion, affording them the opportunity to interview with our sponsors and partners for job placement.
Our Curriculum
Our Goya Foods Culinary Training and Education Program will include:
Culinary Arts 101 – Introduction to cooking
Five to six-week course providing an overall understanding to basic culinary skills and understanding of terms and activities. Topics include: kitchen safety and equipment and tools, meal planning, culinary math, cooking terms and U.S. food pyramid. Classes meet once per week.
Culinary Arts 102 – Continuation of introduction to cooking
Five to six-week course focused on how to boil, cut, cook fundamental and simple plates. Topics include: adjusting a recipe, herbs and spices, the fundamentals of eggs, sauces, planting and cultivating a healthy garden, and culinary skills for specific foods from around the globe. Classes meet once per week.
Culinary Arts 103 – Introduction to baking and pastry arts
Five to six-week course focused on baking. Topics include cookies, cakes, pastries, muffins, and breads. Classes meet once per week.
Hospitality Education
As a complement to the culinary education program, Hospitality 101 will be a five to six-week course introducing the different segments of the hospitality industry and focuses on preparing and developing skills for employment in the hospitality industry. Classes will meet once per week.
Youth Drop-In Events
For our younger audiences, The Goya Learning Kitchen will serve as a place where children will learn about healthy eating, healthy snacking, and proper food preparation. Designed in age-appropriate categories, drop-in events will be planned twice/month.
Goya Foods Learning Kitchen Timeline
The Goya Foods Learning Kitchen will be used for promotional opportunities in a limited capacity for the remainder of 2020. In partnership with Goya Foods, virtual webinars will be created, beginning February 2021. We anticipate official programming to commence in the spring of 2021, pending state guidelines related to the pandemic.
Goya Foods Garden and Nutrition Program
The benefits of community gardening include both emotional and physical health and wellness, which are very much a part of the services provided to our youth in care. The goals of the Goya Foods Garden will include:
Support healthy, sustainable life choices for all community members by expanding exposure to and knowledge of natural foods, nature craft, culinary arts, and environmental impact.
Provide educational opportunities so that young children can learn where their food comes from, how to grow their food, how to care for the environment, etc.
Expand breadth and depth of science, garden, and green economy skills offered to improve developmental, educational and employment outcomes.
Support parents and community members in integrating responsibilities with sustainability, ecosystem awareness, and relaxation.
Provide complementary support for therapy and therapists.
Cultivate teen interest in and preparation for advanced educational and vocational opportunities in green tech and related fields.
Learn More About the Roosevelt Square Community Center
Interested in learning more about the Roosevelt Square Community Center? Visit our virtual tour and see how SOS Illinois is working to build a better tomorrow.