About
New program teaches culinary, life skills
The slogan used by Transformation Kitchen — "We don't just flip eggs, we flip lives" — captures what it hopes to accomplish at 179 Main St. in Beacon: teaching culinary and life skills to people who have been marginalized, while helping them land jobs that pay a living wage.
In 2022, Chason Forehand, who lives in Newburgh, founded the nonprofit HR-4U, which launched Transformation Kitchen.
"After more than 45 years in the service industry, and my own experiences with abuse, addiction, homelessness and food insecurity, I created Transformation Kitchen to do more than help people find jobs," Forehand said. "We help individuals overcome barriers, ultimately becoming leaders who help others do the same."
Chef Chris Follari, a board member of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project who last year directed Hudson Valley Chefs Celebrate Jacques Pépin, is the program's culinary director, while Forehand is the lead instructor. The Beacon location is the second Transformation Kitchen; the first is in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, created in partnership with a Christian organization, Rayo de Sol.
The plan in Beacon is to start small. Forehand said potential participants, whom he calls "forges," because "they are forging a new life for themselves," will include single parents, those who've overcome addiction, former prisoners and others who have not been able to earn enough to live independently. "I'm fascinated by metallurgy and the idea of taking something raw and turning it into something beautiful," he said.
In addition to being trained to work in commercial kitchens, forges will be coached on life skills, including conflict resolution, wellness and financial literacy, with assistance from the Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union.
"They need to know how important it is to manage their money, to budget and how to stay away from credit and cyberscams," said Forehand.
A weekday storefront will open in September, offering homemade packaged foods such as Joy Stix, a chocolate confection. Packaged meals, such as lasagna, stuffed Italian meatloaf and roasted vegetables, will be added later in the fall. Catering and weekend hours are planned for October.
"For people coming off the train who don't want to go home and cook a meal, we'll have one for you," Forehand said.
The store will also stock merchandise such as hats, T-shirts and a cookbook. "We sell merch like crazy — three times what a nonprofit would normally sell — because we have a fantastic cookbook," he said.
Kamel Jamal, who owns the Beacon Bread Factory, The Piggy Bank and Ziatun, is renting the space to Transformation Kitchen at a reduced price. He also provides financial support, will lead sessions covering topics such as baking and will provide access to his commercial kitchens.
"Getting involved in this project is important to me, because the restaurant industry has been really good to me," Jamal said.
Jamal feels Beacon businesses will benefit from Transformation Kitchen because its graduates will have advanced culinary skills. "It saves Main Street companies money because they'll have to do less training," he said.
"We're tweaking our normal culinary program to be sure that it meets Beacon's needs," Forehand added. "People coming out of Transformation Kitchen will also have the life skills; they'll know how to handle themselves."
Jamal said culinary and other professionals in Beacon have stepped up, offering to teach classes. "Barb from Barb's Butchery is excited about being involved," he said, and a grant writer has offered to help.
He noted that culinary professionals who volunteer will get first shot at hiring new graduates. "Once we get all the basics in order, people will see the magic that can come out of this project," Jamal said.
For more information about Transformation Kitchen, see hr-4u.org.
The slogan used by Transformation Kitchen — "We don't just flip eggs, we flip lives" — captures what it hopes to accomplish at 179 Main St. in Beacon: teaching culinary and life skills to people who have been marginalized, while helping them land jobs that pay a living wage.
In 2022, Chason Forehand, who lives in Newburgh, founded the nonprofit HR-4U, which launched Transformation Kitchen.
"After more than 45 years in the service industry, and my own experiences with abuse, addiction, homelessness and food insecurity, I created Transformation Kitchen to do more than help people find jobs," Forehand said. "We help individuals overcome barriers, ultimately becoming leaders who help others do the same."
Chef Chris Follari, a board member of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project who last year directed Hudson Valley Chefs Celebrate Jacques Pépin, is the program's culinary director, while Forehand is the lead instructor. The Beacon location is the second Transformation Kitchen; the first is in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, created in partnership with a Christian organization, Rayo de Sol.
The plan in Beacon is to start small. Forehand said potential participants, whom he calls "forges," because "they are forging a new life for themselves," will include single parents, those who've overcome addiction, former prisoners and others who have not been able to earn enough to live independently. "I'm fascinated by metallurgy and the idea of taking something raw and turning it into something beautiful," he said.
In addition to being trained to work in commercial kitchens, forges will be coached on life skills, including conflict resolution, wellness and financial literacy, with assistance from the Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union.
"They need to know how important it is to manage their money, to budget and how to stay away from credit and cyberscams," said Forehand.
A weekday storefront will open in September, offering homemade packaged foods such as Joy Stix, a chocolate confection. Packaged meals, such as lasagna, stuffed Italian meatloaf and roasted vegetables, will be added later in the fall. Catering and weekend hours are planned for October.
"For people coming off the train who don't want to go home and cook a meal, we'll have one for you," Forehand said.
The store will also stock merchandise such as hats, T-shirts and a cookbook. "We sell merch like crazy — three times what a nonprofit would normally sell — because we have a fantastic cookbook," he said.
Kamel Jamal, who owns the Beacon Bread Factory, The Piggy Bank and Ziatun, is renting the space to Transformation Kitchen at a reduced price. He also provides financial support, will lead sessions covering topics such as baking and will provide access to his commercial kitchens.
"Getting involved in this project is important to me, because the restaurant industry has been really good to me," Jamal said.
Jamal feels Beacon businesses will benefit from Transformation Kitchen because its graduates will have advanced culinary skills. "It saves Main Street companies money because they'll have to do less training," he said.
"We're tweaking our normal culinary program to be sure that it meets Beacon's needs," Forehand added. "People coming out of Transformation Kitchen will also have the life skills; they'll know how to handle themselves."
Jamal said culinary and other professionals in Beacon have stepped up, offering to teach classes. "Barb from Barb's Butchery is excited about being involved," he said, and a grant writer has offered to help.
He noted that culinary professionals who volunteer will get first shot at hiring new graduates. "Once we get all the basics in order, people will see the magic that can come out of this project," Jamal said.
For more information about Transformation Kitchen, see hr-4u.org.