Education is in our roots

Before the pandemic “The Connected Chef” was known exclusively as a small business providing gardening and cooking classes to youth in the western Queens community.

While our evolution has focused more on establishing a closed- circuit, equitable food system, we have not forgotten our roots in education. We work with after school and summer programs to infuse food justice and sustainability education.

After-School Programs

Our afterschool program* runs throughout the academic cycle, working with middle and upper elementary student groups. Each school program receives:

  • two field trips

  • nutrition-focused cooking lessons using our local produce

  • an on-campus community garden

*In partnership with Queens Community House’s Beacon afterschool program and Start:Empowerment

Summer Camp

We run a weekly Food Justice camp with Gantry Kids where students between the ages of 7-12 learn how to be stewards of the land. With access to our community garden, they grow and taste local produce and explore the biodiversity and pollinators in their neighborhood. By the end of the summer, students have a better understanding of what it takes to get healthy food into their communities from soil to plate.

Juice N’ Play

Does your community have an event, festival, or block party they would like to share Connected Chef resources and education with? Thanks to the hard work and inspiration of our Queensbridge community lead, Suga Ray, we have established this programming that brings together community, wellness, and fun!

We provide custom juice demonstrations using our local produce while explaining the nutritional benefits of each juice and how they can be used to treat or prevent illnesses that are often related to food insecurity. 

“We cannot free ourselves until we feed ourselves.”

Devita Davidson, Executive Director of FoodLab Detroit