Organization: Stone Soup PDX
Title: Chef Instructor
Nominated by: Samantha Allen, Program Manager
Ruben has been working with Stone Soup PDX for roughly three years now. He began as a prep cook and cook trainer. In the summer of 2023 he was promoted into the chef instructor role. Ruben is a phenomenal chef, but what really makes him stand out is his compassion and people skills. Ruben has a way of making the participants instantly feel welcomed and supported. He is able to relate his own experiences of growing up with immigrant parents and being othered by people as a child with the folks he works with. His patience and personal understanding of struggle and resilience make him uniquely qualified to support the participants. He is able to stand as a testament of what overcoming those hardships can look like and gives people the encouragement they need to move through the program with success.
Ruben starts his day preparing for his lessons, getting ingredients and and equipment ready for participants. His first class is tier two, the catering tier. He may start class by demoing a complicated technique like breaking down chickens or how to make the perfect pastry cream. Next, he breaks up the class into stations and sets them up with their recipes for the day, supporting them with any questions or concerns they might have. After tier two, we all sit down for family meal. Once everyone has had their fill of the delicious food prepared by tier two, Ruben supports clean up. After that, he makes himself available to support the tier one instructor with whatever lesson they have that day. That may include introductory knife skills, basic cooking techniques, or understanding the ins and outs of safety and sanitation. Finally, he and the team break down the kitchen and cleanup for the day.
Since Ruben moved into the chef instructor position, the graduation rates have tripled this year. He spearheaded the catering program and created the station work that has proved invaluable in assessing participants skills. He has helped culturally diversify our menu to be more accommodating to varied tastes and preferences. Ruben has attended the train the trainer training and sat in on several presentations. He is always inspired after hearing other chefs and social workers and eager to try something new!
SPECIAL ALERT!
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