It has been more than two months since Foodlink’s kitchen staff made the move from Joseph Avenue to its new Community Kitchen on Mt. Read Boulevard. This is a dream come true for the entire organization, but especially for the employees who get to work with the new equipment and space each day. It has completely revolutionized the way we prepare food for this community.

Learn more: About the project and how you can help

Foodlink’s Value-Added Processing Supervisor, Moses Ulom, chatted with a few of his colleagues about the new space and what it has meant for their daily routine. The staff was happy to share their experiences since move-in day in December. Here’s what they had to say:

Josh Orsini, Prep Cook

“The new ovens are amazing; they have definitely enhanced the way we prep meals,” Orsini said. “Imagine cooking 1,600 pieces of chicken in one oven in a small amount of time and still maintaining the right texture and taste. It gives me joy to know the kids are receiving good quality food.”

Andrae Lenear, Production Supervisor

“What I love about the new kitchen is the setup, with regards to the flow of food and staff. The white walls represent everything clean and ready to eat. While the orange walls represent any unwashed products. This system helps the staff to know what hallway to use when transporting ready-to-eat meals or unwashed products. It also shows how serious Foodlink cares about food safety and providing the highest quality of products.”

Jarques Fitts, Expediting Supervisor

“The fact I could load up 20 pans in one oven, to me, is a milestone. When it comes to what these ovens can do is beyond description. For example, I could cook, bake, and roast chicken with the same oven and still achieve an incredible outcome. To crown it all, these ovens are self cleaning. That makes my job much easier.”

Mary Cook, Prep Cook

“What I love most about the kitchen is the three-compartment stainless tables and working space. Having the space and the tables makes it easier for me to set up my work station without interfering with the kitchen traffic. For example, my team and I could lay out all the ingredients, condiments, and pans without running out of space or colliding with each other.”

Cornelio Edwards, Prep Cook

“I love using the tilt kettles and pots. I like how they are set up next to each other. We could have four people working on different meals at the same time. We could make more than 1,000 meals in less than 2 hours. This has cut production time in half. So, when it comes to mass production, I would say we are on the right track.”