The Fresh Start Catering Story

In 1996, Robert Egger, founder of DC Central Kitchen, made a decision to start a small catering business. His vision and purpose was to generate revenue to feed the financial needs of the overall organization, plus hire graduates of the Culinary Job Training program. Catering then to fellow non-profits only, and hiring the chronically unemployed to give them on-the-job training as well as a paycheck, Fresh Start Catering was born.

In the beginning, Fresh Start's functions and menus were small and the course of direction for the catering company shifted periodically. Growing pains were steadily fought and finally conquered, as the business came into its own.

Within a few years, Fresh Start Catering had transformed into a full-service caterer with clients in all segments of business and industry. Fresh Start was catering events ranging from ten to 1,000, private parties to gala events, comfort cuisine to multi-course meals. All of this was prepared, cooked and served by a kitchen staff of four, including chef assistants who are all graduates of the Culinary Job Training program.

Currently, Fresh Start regularly caters for musems, embassies, weddings, government functions, private business parties, and churches. A few of the 400+ clients in the past year include The Smithsonian Institution, Fannie Mae Foundation, Georgetown University, United Way, Hoop Dreams, Harvard Law School, the U.S. District Court and The Society for Human Resources Management Annaul Leadership Conference.

Perhaps the best testimony to our success is the hundreds of clients who return time after time to use our services. In a Washington Post article about Fresh Start on August 6, 2001, Mara Mayor, Director of the Smithsonian Associates, was quoted as saying, "We love the fact that when we use them, we're also working with the community to improve people's lives, because we know that Fresh Start is giving them a fresh start. The food is beautifully presented, people love it, and the price is competitive."

Success hasn't changed the original mission for Fresh Start. All of our revenue is used to support the various hunger fighting programs of DC Central Kitchen. With the exception of our professional-trained Executive Chef and Management staff, we continue to employ only graduates of the Culinary Job Training program as well as other traditionally unemployable men and women.

Today, after ten years of growth, events for Fresh Start include luncheons for twenty, dinner for three hundred, receptions for two thousand, and anything in between.

Our professional staff is available to discuss and help plan your next event. Give us a call and please keep in mind: When you buy from Fresh Start, you're making a personal decision to help end hunger.