Who We Are
Sanctuary Kitchen partners with refugee and immigrant chefs to build economic opportunity and intercultural understanding through food.
Since launching in April 2017, Sanctuary Kitchen has grown tremendously over the past five years. Our work includes: a Culinary Training Program that provides professional culinary development, employment and above-market wages to aspiring chefs who have recently arrived in the United States; a nationally recognized social enterprise food business that offers a diverse array of global cuisines available for purchase in a variety of places; and community-based culinary programming and events led by refugee and immigrant chefs.
Our programming supports refugees and immigrants of all backgrounds—from stay-at-home mothers who are talented home cooks, to former restaurant owners—Sanctuary Kitchen offers flexible schedules, childcare stipends, support with transportation, interpretation, and space for religious practice. We offer refugees/immigrants a range of entry points to the food system based on their individual interests and goals.
Sanctuary Kitchen seeks to address the most pressing issues often facing new immigrant and refugee families in this country: social isolation, financial instability, unemployment, and discrimination.
Sanctuary Kitchen is a program of CitySeed. To learn more about Sanctuary Kitchen’s staff, please visit Our Team and Board.
What We Believe
At Sanctuary Kitchen, we believe that sharing a meal and personal stories is a strong and meaningful gesture of welcome and acceptance, an intimate space in which simple and genuine cultural exchanges can occur.
We believe in community and we hope that our programs will cultivate authentic connections between local residents and new arrivals. Food brings people to the table, enriches lives, and fosters mutual understanding across diverse cultures in the most delicious way possible.
Our Accomplishments
We have partnered with 43 chefs from 13 countries around the world including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nepal, Mauritius, Sudan, Eritrea, and Pakistan
100% of our 2022 and 2023 cohorts are women, and for the majority, Sanctuary Kitchen represents their first formal work in the United States.
With the support of our community, Sanctuary Kitchen has generated more than $600,000 in income for our chefs.
