SDCECO Award!

Since 1956 The San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization has been hard at work fundraising in the community, to support their employees in need and nonprofits bettering our community. We were so honored to be selected as a recipient of a 2025 Community Award. SDCECO generously supplied us with the funds to purchase a new laptop, which will go a long way to help us administer our Chef Angels program effectively and efficiently, and enable us to better share our progress and news with you, the public. Thank you SDCECO for this kind award!

 #SDCECO 

#ChefLena#chefangelssd

 

Extra, extra!

We were so honored to be featured in the San Diego Union Tribune’s Food Section. Written with kind expertise by noted local journalist Caron Golden, and photographed by Hayne Palmour.
We staged a cooking session with one of our students from the Promises2Kids program, Reese, against the amazing backdrop of Olivewood Gardens. Reese learned a lot that day with her one-on-one session, and we had our story thoughtfully told. Read all about it, link below…

 #UTArticleLink  #CaronGolden

#ChefViolette #ChefLena 

#chefangelssd #Promises2Kids #Olivewood 

New year, new things!

With the new year upon us, we started off with a bang with our new Whole Foods sponsored program for Oasis Clubhouse. To start things off right, we took the youth to the magnificent Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center, to get their intro into healthy plant based eating, taught by their Culinary Director Ellyse. The second class of the month for Oasis youth was at the Clubhouse taught by board member Chef Violette, she made meatloaf in muffin tins!

YAC youth got a double dose of lady chefs, first off Chef Sushma and her Indian cookery. Then Chef Sharon teaching veggie loaded mac n’ cheese.

Chef Lety spoiled the teen foster boys at Varsity with carne asada fries and rolled tacos. Chef Scott led the Mens Leadership group for Promises, teaching Neapolitan style pizzas in the Ooni, returning to Olivewood for the class.

Our founder Chef Lena was invited to judge a chopped style competition for our partners Kitchens For Good.

All in all, a very tasty month!

 #ChefSharon #ChefViolette #ChefScott  #ChefSushma #ChefEllyse #ChefLety

#ChefWorks#WFfoundation #JCFofSD 

#chefangelssd#OasisClubhouse #YouthAssistanceCoalition #VarsityTeam  #Promises2Kids   #Olivewood #KitchensForGood 

 

December blur

December was a blur of classes, fundraisers and holiday parties.

Our founder Chef Lena came out from behind the camera and put her chef coat on to teach a couple of classes this month. First off was knife skills with the teen foster boys at Varsity Team house. She brought a pile of onions and made the boys cry! At YAC she taught the ever-so-fancy-named polenta & ragu, which is simply an upgraded cornmeal grits.

Chef Alyssa took her turn at YAC to teach skillet Greek flatbreads and refreshing tzaziki. We were covered in flour and had so much fun!

We held our first ever fundraising event at the new Gaslamplighter, raising greats funds, with generous donations from bars, restaurants, liquor companies, and health & wellness businesses. All events and media carefully crafted by the talented Nicollee Dietz of Graphic Lab.

Lastly, we gathered a crew of volunteers to support our sister org SD Foster Angels, making cotton candy for local foster children at their annual holiday party at Belmont Park.

 #ChefAlyssa #ChefLena #SDfosterangels

#chefangelssd#chefworks #youthassistancecoalition #varsityteam 

 

Whole Foods Foundation grant!

We are beyond thrilled to announce we are the recipient of a Whole Cities Community First grant. This grant will allow Chef Angels to add a fourth program to our roster. We will be collaborating with Oasis Clubhouse, a safe space open to youth in SD County undergoing mental health treatment. Our primary focus will be to teach the youth easy ways to make nutrition a part of their mental health journey. We will also use this opportunity to offer field trip classes to teach the youth all about the vast culinary industry in San Diego.

We are truly honored to have been selected amongst 70 other nonprofits spanning the globe.

#chefangelssd#WFfoundation #Oasisclubhouse 

Learning the meal prep model

Today’s class was all about nutrition and learning about the meal prep business model and how this idea came to fruition for owners Chefs Lesa & Violette. We then gathered all hands to chop and cook ingredients to make custom fajita bowls. Then it was time to eat, and volunteer registered-dietician Rachel checked in on all the attendees to answer their nutrition questions. Everyone left class with a better understanding on how to better nourish their bodies.

#chefangelssd#chefworks #promises2kids#thehandmadechefmealprepco

Fresh pressed tortillas

Chef Lety gathered the youth for a hands-on technique class, making fresh tortillas using edible blossoms. While the youth took turns shaping, pressing and cooking their tortillas, Lety regaled them with a history lesson on the culture of her peoples’ food, resonating deeply with some of the youth in attendance. Cooked tortillas were then turned into delicious and gooey quesadillas.

#chefangelssd#chefworks #youthassistancecoalition #cheflety