FareStart Culinary School
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: VIBRANT. COSMOPOLITAN. AND LIKE EVERY AMERICAN CITY, CHALLENGED BY HOMELESSNESS.
Kevin Carbon, FareStart Graduate:
The worst part was trying to stay warm. I slept in these woods right here a few times. For the most part though, I slept in the motels. We were fairly successful at what we did.
AND WHAT THEY did WAS DEAL DRUGS AND GET HIGH.
Kevin Carbon, FareStart Graduate:
Drugs, girls, alcohol, you name it. I ran with a girl that was a prostitute and that’s part of how she made her money and so I kinda was her pimp sorta I guess.
WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURGEMENT, TODAY KEVIN CARBON IS DRUG FREE AND OFF THE STREETS.
Marc Elmore, Kevin’s friend:
When I met him he was, you know, just working the highway.
A REFORMED ADDICT LOOKING TO SAVE SOULS CAME TO KEVIN’S AID.
Kevin Carbon, FareStart Graduate
I was once one, and I was worse (laughs).
Marc to me—he’s like a brother, the older brother I never had-- a friend, just someone I can always turn to.
AND MARC HAS A LOT OF FAITH IN COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT LEND A HELPING HAND.
Marc Elmore, Kevin’s friend:
Because there are people out there that are really sincere about wanting to come back into society and be productive and get their life back.
SO MARC ENCOURAGED KEVIN TO GET OFF THE STREET AND INTO A CHEF’S COAT-- THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED FARESTART.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
It's pretty neat how FareStart began because we were started by a chef. He wanted to provide nutritious, quality meals to people in need.
NESTLED BETWEEN SKYSCRAPERS IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, FARESTART’S ORIGINAL PURPOSE WAS MAKING MEALS FOR SHELTERS AND DAYCARE CENTERS. THAT WAS IN 1987. FIVE YEARS LATER, THE PROGRAM EXPANDED INTO A CULINARY TRAINING SCHOOL.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
We serve individuals in need, so we serve individuals who are homeless; at risk for being homeless; have major disadvantages in their life.
IT’S AN INTENSE, 16 WEEK PROGRAM.
Barry, Student
This is the end of week nine for me. I came to Seattle out of curiosity and on a job. I was in the printing business. And then when the economy failed, the job did, too. I was homeless. When it came down to me having to make a choice of what to do next, I said, well let me go check this out, 'cause it was something I always wanted to do. Yeah, I like it-- I like it a lot.
TRENITA HARRIS—“CHEF T”—IS A FARESTART INSTRUCTOR.
Chef Trenita Harris , FareStart Instructor:
I've loved to cook my whole life. I've also always loved to give back. And just to do something and try my best to educate people. So, um, I'm lucky in that sense-- that I have two passions in life and that I get to do them both here.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
We range between 40 and 60 students on a daily basis going in and out of our program. We run two shifts, so we have a morning shift and an evening shift. We operate six days out of the week for the training program.
STUDENTS LITERALLY BEGIN THEIR FARESTART TRAINING IN THE BASEMENT. IT’S AN INSPIRING SET-UP WHERE THOSE BEING ASSISTED ARE IN TURN DOING A GOOD DEED.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
The largest business unit we run is our meal contract business. We provide meals to nine different shelters and the chapter centers we serve are children from low income families. So for many of them, it’s the one meal they receive during the day.
UPSTAIRS, THE MORE VISIBLE AND SOPHISTICATED SIDE OF FARESTART: A RESTAURANT SERVING WEEKDAY LUNCH.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
This restaurant is wonderful. It gives us the ability to connect our community to the issue of homelessness in a way that’s comfortable to them.
IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE NO ADDRESS FOR YOUR RÉSUMÉ-- BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO HOME. AND THE ONLY WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR LIFE ARE “THIEF,” “DRUG DEALER” “PIMP” OR “ADDICT.”
LIKE MANY FARESTART GRADUATES, KEVIN CARBON HAS SUCESSFULLY SHED THOSE LABELS. TODAY, HE RENTS SPACE IN A HOUSE IN NORTH SEATTLE.
Kevin Carbon, FareStart Graduate
This is my certificate of achievement from graduating from FareStart. I graduated August 22, 2008, which is also my birthday. The gold star is for perfect attendance. That was a goal.
And this is an article from a dining magazine that told me about the Juno place. I set out to work for Juno and I ended up getting a job there.
IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE LIES THE SWANK ARCTIC CLUB HOTEL, RENOWNED FOR ITS WALRUSES… A SPECTACULAR BALLROOM… AND THE ELEGANT JUNO.
Kevin Carbon, FareStart Graduate
I am the dinner pantry cook. It means that I prepare all the salads, put the meat down on the grill, and also I am being trained to sauté, so I should be able to fill every position on the line.
Glenn Dela Cruz, Kevin’s Supervisor:
Kevin can be-- he’s a good worker. But sometimes, he’ll be real nervous or he’ll be frustrated because a lot of things change. Being a cook can be very stressful especially when you’re busy and the tickets are starting to come in. You have nothing else to do but get the food out. But he’s learned to deal with it.
Sudha Sologar, Juno Executive Chef:
Kevin is very dedicated. I think he’s come a long way and I really appreciate that I am a part of it and giving him a chance to grow and become a different person.
Marc Elmore, Kevin’s friend:
He used to be a-- how do we say it-- a hopeless dope addict; now he’s a dopeless hope addict, you know?
Kevin Carbon, FareStart Graduate
Part of my decision to go through FareStart was that I could go anywhere in the world and cook and there’s part of me that would like to travel and I’m thinking about going to Alaska and working in a lodge so I could fish and work. It’s definitely a desire in my heart.
COMING UP: IT’S BACK TO THE FARESTART KITCHEN AS NEW SKILLS GET THE ULTIMATE TEST WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES FOR DINNER!
Once we're on the line that's when we get real busy. That's when we really get the experience.
***** COMMERCIAL BREAK *****
SEATTLE: FAMOUS FOR ITS BOUNTIFUL PIKE PLACE MARKET… AND, OF COURSE—THE SPACE NEEDLE. BUT THE CITY—LIKE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY-- HAS A HOMELESS PROBLEM.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
Just in King County, we have over 8,000 people that are homeless on any night.
MEGAN KARCH RUNS FARESTART, A CULINARY JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS AND DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
Homelessness in Seattle is a problem for a number of reasons. First and foremost it’s a pretty expensive place to live. Secondly, so we don’t have as many systems in place that have helped people with mental health issues, substance abuse issues. The important piece that we play is really getting people back into jobs, giving them the opportunity to then stabilize their life and then move on and really transform their life.
Orion Student:
Basically, with this program, you get out of it what you put into it, and I'm constantly asking questions.
BUT TRAINING TO WORK IN A PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN IS ONLY PART OF THE MISSION. A FLOOR ABOVE THE RESTAURANT, SOME OF FARESTART’S MOST IMPORTANT INVOLVEMENT TAKES PLACE.
COUNSELING OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM-- FROM HELPING PLACE STUDENTS IN HOUSING AT THE BEGINNING TO FINDING A PERMANENT JOB AT THE END…
M: And I have an interview!
D: Excellent! (Yes.) Congratulations! (Thank you.)
… IS CRITICAL TO THEIR SUCCESS.
Daniel Badeaux, FareStart Employment Specialist:
Most of our students when they start the program have low confidence in one or more areas. For some students, the most challenging thing is just physically showing up on time day after day, week after week. For other students, it's more existential, and you know, this might be the first time they've been on a path towards success and it can be kind of scary. The most frustrating thing I think is when we see, um, self sabotage, whether it's intentional or not.
AND A LOT OF THAT GOES BACK TO A FAMILIAR THEME IN THESE STUDENTS’ STORIES:
Daniel Badeaux, FareStart Employment Specialist:
The biggest thread is substance addiction or abuse. It leads to a lot of other negative circumstances that eventually lead to homelessness.
Tyler, Student:
I'm making my first ever batch of vanilla pudding. I'm coming out of a penitentiary. I was there for eighteen months. I had an addiction problem-- cocaine was my drug of choice. I had a lot going for me when I was younger and I made some poor decisions. And then for the last, what fifteen, twenty years I haven't been able to get over it. And FareStart has provided me with a way better start than I ever could've gotten on my own. And the beauty of this place is that it's well-known in the community. And so, when the time comes for me to go apply for that job, I'll be able to say I was a graduate at FareStart, and that means something in Seattle.
THE PROGRAM LASTS SIXTEEN WEEKS. AND EVERY THURSDAY IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL.
Megan Karch, FareStart Executive Director:
I just want to welcome all of you to Guest Chef Night.
Guest Chef Night is the pinnacle of what we're all about because it's all about community and our students get to work with the very best chefs in town.
IT’S MID-AFTERNOON WHEN DYLAN GIORDAN EXECUTIVE CHEF AT SERAFINA RESTAURANT, ARRIVES TO TAKE OVER THE FARESTART KITCHEN. HE’S DONATING HIS TIME, HIS INGREDIENTS AND HIS EXPERTISE.
Harold, Student:
We’re going to be cutting fettuccini noodles.
We get to work alongside one of the guest chefs so that's a good thing.
If we get a good report, that might help in the future.
Dylan Giordan, Serafina Executive Chef:
You want to cut against that grain. If you were cutting with that grain it would be pretty hard to chew.
Student: The salad spinner is John tonight.
Dylan: Is he out there swinging it right now?
Student: He’s out there swingin.’
Dylan Giordan, Serafina Executive Chef:
You gotta dry the salad dry. Get the water off of it so the guests don’t have a plateful of water.
At this point in the night it’s always a little bit stressful. If you’re not nervous then there’s something wrong. I’m excited. Should be a good night. I love doing FareStart.
VOLUNTEER SERVERS WILL DELIVER THE MEALS.
I've got butterflies.
(Laughs) I just don't want to spill anything on anyone.
Harold, Student:
You ain't really seeing anything yet. Once the people start coming in and we're on the line, that's when - that's when we get real busy. That's when we really get the experience.