Community Kitchen Grads Plan for the Future

Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Community Kitchen program gives men and women from all backgrounds an opportunity to receive free culinary job training from experienced chefs and instructors. After 14 weeks of training, Community Kitchen students use what they’ve learned in the field during two-week internships at restaurants and other culinary venues in the Fort Worth area. Community Kitchen Class 29 graduated on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016. Learn a little more about Class 29 and their plans for the future.

Odell Coleman

Age: 52

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Eggs and potatoes

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? It has been a very interesting and challenging experience.

Plans after graduation: I would like to find a part-time job to support me while I go through school. I plan to get a degree in drug and alcohol abuse counseling.

Keith Collins

Age: 47

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Steak and lobster

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? I realized it’s alright to fall as long as you get back up.

Plans after graduation: I plan to go back to school after this. A way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. I plan on furthering my education in food management.

Samantha Craig

Age: 24

Favorite Meal to Prepare: I like to make Cajun chicken pasta.

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? I think I have learned something from every person here. It showed me how to work well with others. I have gained a lot of knowledge from other people.

Plans after graduation: I would like to work in another restaurant and gain some more experience. In 10 years, I would like to own my own restaurant.

Mandy Dunbar

Age: 23

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Pan-seared lemon pepper salmon topped with a classic beurre blanc sauce with New England red potato mash and a grilled asparagus medley

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? It’s a culinary world that urges you to follow your passion, boost your confidence and embrace your talents.

Plans after graduation: I would love to work, get a bachelor’s degree in culinary and become a garde manger at the Sheraton hotel in downtown Fort Worth.

Ty Lynn

Age: 22

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Barbeque ribs

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? It’s been a fun learning experience. Words can’t fully describe what this experience has meant to me.

Plans after graduation: I want to get more experience in cooking and get my GED. My great-grandmother was a cook and fed thousands of people through a Head Start program. I want to carry on her legacy and own a family-style restaurant. I feel like my family would appreciate that.

Tamisha Miller

Age: 25

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Italian baked tilapia with risotto

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? I went through so much to get to this experience. It has been a lot of sacrifices. I’ve learned to sacrifice and fight for what I want in life.

Plans after graduation: I would like to start my own event-planning and catering company to support my family and spread my love with my food.

Willie Miller

Age: 25

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Whatever is asked of me

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? You have to love cooking to be a cook. I learned how to take criticism more and I learned different perspectives. I enjoyed it.

Plans after graduation: I would like to help my wife (Tamisha Miller) with her catering business. I would also like to give back to the community.

Carmen Ozuna

Age: 44

Favorite Meal to Prepare: Chicken pot pie

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? This has been a life-motivating experience.

Plans after graduation: I want to go back to school for culinary training and get into the field. That is where we will get real-world experience. I am excited about being a part of something and belonging to something.

Adrian Perez

Age: 19

Favorite Meal to Prepare: I don’t really have a favorite meal. I just like cooking in general.

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? It’s taught me how to make the most out of what you do and make a bond with people to make what you do more enjoyable.

Plans after graduation: I just had a baby. I would like to spend more time with him. With cooking, I would like to start off somewhere and work my way up to the top.

Lauren Sanders

Age: 24

Favorite Meal to Prepare: I like to make cookies and decorate them.

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? The experience here has given me an opportunity to gain different types of skills and learn different types of cooking techniques and make them my own. And I’ve grown in my cooking. My cooking is way more advanced from when I first started.

Plans after graduation: I want to look into getting more culinary education. I would like to work as a morning baker at the Corner Bakery. I am also looking into opportunities at the Cheesecake Factory.

Rebecca Sturles

Age: 53

Favorite Meal to Prepare: I don’t have one. I like to cook all types of things.

How would you describe your experience in Community Kitchen? It’s been a well-rounded experience. There have been a lot of life experiences here.

Plans after graduation: I have a ministry and I would like to use what I learned to support the ministry.

If you are interested in participating in the next Community Kitchen class, the first step is attending one of our upcoming information sessions. To learn more visit our Community Kitchen page.