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Start your culinary career with DC Central Kitchen! Begin your DC Central Kitchen Culinary Job Training journey today by creating a profile in the application portal.

Culinary Job Training

For over 30 years, DC Central Kitchen’s Culinary Job Training program has helped more than 2,000 men and women launch culinary careers. We care about our students’ potential much more than their pasts, and work to prepare adults facing high barriers to employment for careers in the food service industry. Thanks to our generous donors, all admitted students receive full scholarships to attend our program, so there is no cost to our students at any point in their training or in the two years of post-graduation support we provide.

Culinary Job Training at DC Central Kitchen:

Our renowned training program provides culinary arts education, career readiness training, and real-world internships for adults who have experienced barriers to employment, as well as young adults ages 18-24 who are not in school or working.

Through this 14-week course, trainees receive hands-on culinary training and career readiness training as they prepare to earn two valuable credentials, including the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification. Apply for Culinary Job Training at DC Central Kitchen today>>

Careers and Opportunities:

Our graduates work across Washington, DC’s thriving culinary industry, including top restaurants, large hotels, corporate cafeterias, local artisans, hospitals, schools, and universities.

Employers interested in hiring DC Central Kitchen graduates can contact our Chief Impact Officer, Ja’sent Brown, at jasbrown@dccentralkitchen.org.

Testimonials

Our Impact Last Year

79 GRADUATES

from our Culinary Job Training Program

86% JOB PLACEMENT RATE

among our graduates

The total cost of the Culinary Job Training program is $1,477,172 annually. $250,000 (17%) is funded through a U.S. Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration grant. The other $1,227,172 (83%) is funded through private resources and grants from the District of Columbia Government.

Contact Information

Mikeya Kirksey, Workforce Development Director

mkirksey@dccentralkitchen.org