Future Chefs Awards Party 2010

Future Chefs Alumni Danielle and Jen.

Every food blogger should adopt one cause that they can throw their support behind. I am happy to say that mine is Future Chefs. As a food writer you get invited to lots of events and all of them are great causes featuring spectacular food and a glamorous crowd. I had been looking for one organization that was food-focused, enthusiastic and, most of all, fun. I was lucky enough to find it.


The Future Chefs 2010 Awards Celebration.

I was lucky enough to be invited to their 2010 Awards held at the Somerville Arts Armory, a very cool space. These kids are really serious about the culinary life. What always strikes me about meeting them is their professionalism but most impressive is that they are kind and helpful to one another. As we all know, restaurant kitchens can be places of high drama but the buzz on the street is that they are the opposite of that, stepping in to help out when you need it most.


The amazing buffet.

One of the big supporters of Future Chefs is Accardi Foods, who deserves a huge shoutout for providing most of the food and their kitchens for preparation. I am glad to be joining them supporting, mentoring and learning from the next wave of the very best Chefs in Boston. I am very sure in the years ahead you will be seeing and hearing a lot about them.

Future Chefs

Toni and Pat of the wonderful organization Future Chefs were right there to greet us at the door.

We were very lucky this week to be invited to an event by an organization we knew little about. This is one of those things that makes writing a food blog so interesting and fun. We had no idea what it was going to be about and went in with a curious mind. What we discovered was a fantastic organization helping the next generation of Chefs, empowering them with the opportunities and contacts they otherwise may not have access to and growing these people into leaders. It was really incredible and it's called: Future Chefs.


Future Chef Marcos Lemos served us up an amazing thin crust pizza.

Future Chefs is a privately-funded, school to career program working with high school culinary arts students in the Greater Boston area. Through volunteerism these young people are led by some of the best, well-known restaurant Owners, Managers and Chefs to develop their own potential and it was very apparent that a little encouragement produces great results.


Chef Max Thomas and more Future Chefs.

You may remember Chef Max Thomas from our Blogger Dinner at Tavolo Ristorante last Summer. When he's not making the best meatballs in Boston he is volunteering his time to mentor young people by sharing his experiences and knowledge, leading them to a better life through a common love for food.


More Future Chefs preparing the tastes to be served to guests. The risotto was quite inspiring.

Anyone that works in the food industry knows that even the slightest compliment from the Chef creates a positive, emotional motivation. Many young Chefs will tell you the story of how just a few kind words spurred them to move forward when they were on the verge of giving up.


Needless to say, the wild hibiscus champagne cocktails didn't exactly hurt.

I am asked to lend support to lots of causes but this one really left me speechless. The students were enthusiastic, the food and drink was quite good and the volunteers totally committed.


The food was fantastic. We can't wait to get our hands on that butter from Vermont Creamery.


Future Chef Danielle Brown spoke eloquently to the crowd about what the organization has done for her.

For more information visit the website Future Chefs. We will definitely be covering more of their events and, without doubt, discovering a famous Future Chef we can follow.