Future Chefs is a privately-funded, school to career program working with high school culinary arts students in the Greater Boston area.

VISION:
Future Chefs envisions a world in which all young people are supported through the transition from adolescence to adulthood and have ample, quality opportunities to reach their potential for economic self sufficiency and personal fulfillment.

MODEL:
Through partnerships with local high schools, Future Chefs connects with urban youth studying the culinary arts who lack a plan and the necessary supports needed to find a career path after high school. Students first engage with Future Chefs as high school sophomores or juniors and begin a 3-phase school to career program that provides high expectations, opportunities for skills development, connections to restaurant professionals, mentoring relationships with caring adults, job placement, scholarships and hands-on opportunities to work and learn in the industry.

Phase One: Industry Exploration and Program Commitment
High school sophomore and junior participants explore the culinary arts industry through direct connections with successful chefs and other food professionals. Regular small and large group activities, meetings and events build culinary and life skills, self awareness and commitment to the values of success, hard work, responsibility, excellence and honesty.

Phase Two: Developing a Career Plan
High school seniors work closely with the Future Chefs School to Career Staff to create concrete, individualized plans for work and study after high school. Internships, mentoring, and community service are core components of the planning and continued exploration process that prepares youth for their next step after high school graduation.

Phase Three: Working the Plan
Future Chefs coaches and advises each high school graduate as they transition to work, school or post-secondary training to ensure they are taking the steps necessary to implement their plan successfully. At this level, participants begin to give back to the program by volunteering at events and becoming peer leaders and role models for the incoming cohort of young Future Chefs.

IMPACT:
Participants emerge from the program with professional experience and confidence to pursue jobs that enable them to reach economic self-sufficiency and find personal fulfillment in their careers. Together, with their own skills and the support of Future Chefs, participants enter adulthood with positive adult relationships, peer support, and a commitment to “Moving Forward and Giving Back”.

 A note from Toni Elka, Founder and Executive Director of Future Chefs: January 2009 The current economic downturn is affecting us all, and like you, Future Chefs is determined to come through it intact and ready for better times. In our first year we were fortunate to gain the support of a major, primary funder and assumed that our good work would be enough to ensure the continuation of that support. When the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation decided not to renew our funding on Sept 30th, citing the need to hunker down and protect their assets in this uncertain time, we were faced with an urgent and immediate challenge - to match the balance in our bank account through private gifts and grassroots fundraising efforts. Your contribution, large or small, will make all the difference to the young people we serve. In addition to the 56 deserving high school students in our pipeline, there are 30 “Future Chefs” currently enrolled in college and/or working in jobs in our community; your support is not a one way street, all of our alums mentor younger students, or volunteer at our events or with celebrity chefs at other local fundraisers in the community to keep our network vital and committed. We need to raise $250K in 2009. Our immediate goal is $100K by June and so far we’ve successfully raised $27K from individuals in our community. We are encouraged, yet recognize that we’ve got a long way to go. A contribution to Future Chefs will effectively make a difference in the lives of local, low income families whose children need the opportunities we provide. 2009 is sure to be a transformative and promising year for Future Chefs and the world we live in. Thanks for supporting our efforts to make a difference in our small corner of the planet.
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