The Salvation Army Transforms Lives with Marketable Culinary Training

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

While the adage is applicable to a variety of situations, Chef Timothy Tucker took it quite literally when he created The Salvation Army Culinary Arts Training Program in Louisville, Kentucky. 

In 2005, Chef Tucker saw a need in Louisville.  He was working as The Salvation Army Center of Hope’s kitchen manager, serving 300-400 meals a day.  Feeding is an integral part of The Salvation Army’s ministry.  If someone doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from, they’re not in the frame of mind to accept the word of Christ.  That’s how the idea was born: Wouldn’t it be great for those who have a passion for cooking and the culinary arts, to learn a marketable skill that will get them on a path to success and independence?

Partnering with local Sullivan University, Chef Tucker developed a 10-week intensive culinary program (offered three times a year) to a small group of students.  Comprised of 40 hours of classroom study, 100 hours of hands-on cooking, and 10 hours of topical learning and employment readiness, this program is not for the faint of heart.  It’s peoples’ passion that gets them through it.  Additionally, each student has the opportunity to submit an essay to win a full scholarship to Sullivan University’s two-year culinary program (valued at $50,000!).

Over the last 12 years, more than 125 students have graduated the program — now taught and directed by Chef Jackson Hodges, a Salvation Army recovered addict and graduate of the program.  These graduates can gain employment as a pantry chef or line cook.  Their certificate shows an employer that they know their way around a kitchen, and can hit the ground running.  In fact, one student has gone on to become an executive chef!

The Culinary Arts Training Program is more than just an opportunity to learn culinary skills.  It’s about self-discovery. Many of the graduates have never committed to anything in their lives before.  For the first time ever, they’re able to say, “Look at what I’m accomplishing!” No small feat when you’re trying to change the direction of your life.

Mikeda Freeman-Woods, a program graduate and recipient of the full scholarship, shares:

“The Culinary Arts Program was completely a life-changer for the better.  It built confidence in myself.  It gave me the ability to see that I could control my life and live the life that I wanted to live.  I was not in a good place when I entered the program.  I was barely making ends meet.  This opened a whole new opportunity for me. Cooking was something I always loved to do.  This program literally changed my life. I have another year in school; I’ll graduate with an associate degree in culinary arts in summer of 2018.  Since this opportunity, I opened my own LLC called, Sista Cakes and More.  I’ve been doing that for this past year — including small catering events and food vending.  The opportunity with The Salvation Army gave me a lot of exposure locally.  And I’m working to purchase a food truck.  Once I complete school and get the truck, I’d like to eventually get a brick and mortar business.  I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”

The Culinary Arts Training Program has been such a success in Louisville, that Chef Tucker recreated the same program in Boston’s Kroc Center.  His mission is to help people start programs like these, so he’s currently writing a textbook detailing the nuts and bolts of launching a culinary arts institute in any location.  In fact, he’s passionate about training an even wider audience of students for this industry, as evidenced by a previous book he wrote, Destination: Chef: A Culinary Training Program Guide to Becoming Food Service-Ready in Ten Weeks.

Chef Tucker reflects:

“What excites me when I think about the program, is the generosity of Louisville, particularly of Sullivan University; the way they have passionately supported the program is phenomenal.  And, to have someone like Chef Jackson — who is a product of the program — become one of the leaders and mentors, is truly inspiring.”

If you’re interested in learning how to start a Culinary Arts Program in your city and would like to connect with Chef Tucker, please click here.