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Each day at breakfast and lunch, as many as 800 employees come to the dining room of the federal government’s New Executive Office Building. It’s up to general manager Kevin Guzman to help make sure they go to work well-fed and happy.

Kevin, a D.C. native, got his first taste of the culinary profession as a sophomore in high school when he was introduced to Washington, DC's Brainfood, a nonprofit organization that uses cooking to teach life skills to area students. "I went to fulfill service hours, but after some classes I said, OK, I enjoy this," recalls Kevin. After high school, with a letter of recommendation from Brainfood, he attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he earned an associates degree and a bachelor's degree in hospitality management.

"Brainfood helped a great deal," he says. There, he sampled lessons in everything from knife cuts to business management. Since then, Kevin has stayed in touch with the staff at Brainfood and has looked to them for leads on new opportunities, including a job as a sous-chef on The Hill at the House of Representatives.

"The process of cooking with others affords so many learning opportunities that translate to other areas of life," says Brainfood's executive director, Paul Dahm. "Preparing food together requires teamwork, leadership, accountability, and creativity, skills that will serve students no matter the path they choose." By following recipes, students improve reading and math skills and find a window into a variety of cultures. Lessons on nutrition help students prepare delicious and healthy meals at home for themselves and their families. They also get the chance to share their skills with the community by donating time to local shelters.

Based in Columbia Heights, a neighborhood in the center of the District, Brainfood has worked with students from every ward in the District of Columbia for nearly a decade, and recently opened a second location in Chinatown. Currently, more than 80 students attend Brainfood's afternoon sessions, which run for the entire school year. The program's summer students attend classes five days per week for six weeks. Each year culminates with a Chef's Challenge and graduation ceremony, where students have a chance to meet professional chefs and present their best meals.

According to Kevin, the classes give students an alternative to hanging out on the streets and helped him develop an interest in a new career. "It teaches skills you can use," he remarked, "and then, at home, you can cook cheap and simple foods."

Paul Dahm agrees. "Food is the magnet that attracts young people to Brainfood. Then, it's our responsibility to open doors to new experiences."

And what is the executive director's favorite Brainfood dish? "If I have to choose one," he says, "it's their sweet potato biscuits."

Article by Nick Turner

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