Organization: Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Title: Catering Chef/Employment Services Manager
Nominated by: David C. Conway, Director of Workforce Development
Chef Dan has worked for Community Kitchen of Pittsburgh since the beginning 2024. There are few roles he has NOT played- he steps up when needed, including: case management, recruitment, catering, employment services, and contributing to social enterprises. Above all, he embodies our mission.
Chef never complains about long days; his work ethic and care is an example to us all. His tireless energy is matched only by his deep commitment to our students, especially those who struggle to believe in their own potential. One powerful example is a student who came to us after many years in prison, with no work history and immense barriers. When Chef Dan noticed he didnโt own a winter coat, he quietly took him to get one. When the student said, โDonโt worry about my resume, Iโll never get a job,โ Chef Dan refused to let him give up. Within a year, that student not only secured employment but also advanced from dishwasher to line cook to shift supervisor.
Chef Dan also created two new graduation awardsโone honoring exceptional employer partners and a resilience award for students. The student he supported became the second honoree and wrote a poem that read (in part) โYou gave me the chance to do what I doโฆ Community Kitchen played its part. You put your Love in my Heartโ. He goes the extra mile for students, even delivering food on his own dime, when students lose their housing.
Through his involvement at Catalyst events, both in person and virtually, he re-wrote our training curriculum with the best practices he learned, and then had it vetted and approved by many of our employer partners which revitalized our instruction and ensured its viability and credibility with our Industry.
When financial uncertainty during this tumultuous time for non-profits, he responded by successfully launching the official CKP BBQ series, generating meaningful profit and expanding our programโs visibility. He also developed an innovative catering menuโfeaturing homemade breakfast pastries and dozens of new culinary offeringsโthat has elevated our catering operations both financially and culinarily.
His impact extends far beyond the kitchen. He has helped place over 50 students into meaningful employment opportunities, creating pathways to long-term success. He successfully registered our butcher apprenticeship with the State of Pennsylvania and has served as a mentor within the apprenticeship program, ensuring trainees receive expert guidance and support.
Beyond these achievements, he personally costs every CKP menu and continues to instruct classes, all while taking time to build genuine connections with every student who comes through the program. His dedication, innovation, and mentorship have elevated our program to an entirely new level.
A typical day for this nominee begins long before sunriseโhe regularly arrives at 4:00 a.m., and on heavy catering days, he has been known to start as early as 2:30 a.m. to ensure the kitchen is prepared and running smoothly. By the time students arrive, he greets them with genuine enthusiasm at the morning meeting, where he blends culinary history, kitchen-safety lessons, and his โweekly word of the week,โ a job-readiness theme that motivates both staff and students.
Throughout the day, he is hands-on wherever he is needed: guiding students through kitchen production, supporting catering operations, helping students craft resumes, teaching Restaurant Ready courses, or developing plans that strengthen our social enterprises. Even after students leave in the afternoon, he often remains in the kitchenโprepping for the next day and assisting evening staff.
His dedication, mentorship, and tireless work ethic make him an anchor of the program and a driving force behind our organizational impact.
This nominee has made transformative contributions to our programโs impact over the past year. After attending the Train-the-Trainer and Youth Apprenticeship Cohort sessions in New Orleans, he returned with a strategic vision that reshaped our entire catering department. and provided valuable insight into our apprenticeship programs.
At the National Summit, he led the charge for all the food service for the event. If that was not enough, he took his very popular virtual workshop on employment engagement and partnership building workshop to our summit participants on-site in Pittsburgh, and even brought in a student he mentored to make it even more special.
In addition, Chef Dan and our culinary team took on this yearโs Summit Catering with excellence, and he stood proudly among our award-winning national chefs at the prestigious Jacques Pรฉpin 90/90 Gala, representing our program at the highest professional level. He not only seeks to learn from this great network, he gives back with his own experiences and best practices in equal measure.
SPECIAL ALERT!
Thanks to a generous donation from a founding Catalyst Kitchens board member and friend of David Carleton, the Catalyst Kitchen’s Founder’s Fund has an opportunity to raise matching funds up to $5,000 during this year’s Catalyst for Change Award Season!
This is a time-limited opportunity to get your gift matched! Donate now by clicking the button below, before the window closes, to double your generosity and impact!
Here are the 2025 Catalyst for Change. As you read their stories, consider supporting the work of Catalyst Kitchens and our members, enabling the amazing impact of frontline staff like our nominees.
