The Kitchen
Cooking up confidence, community, and delicious meals
Our kitchen classes transform everyday ingredients into nourishing meals – and strangers into neighbors around the table
The Kitchen at Second Harvest
Our community Kitchen transforms both ingredients and lives. It‘s where potatoes, beans, rice, and seasonal produce become healthy (and delicious) meals, cooking novices become confident, and strangers become friends.
Our free classes welcome cooks of all experience levels. Whether you‘re starting from scratch or looking to make your food budget go further, you’ll find practical skills, friendly faces, and plenty of taste-testing opportunities.
Because when we cook together, we grow together.
Why cooking matters
Learning to cook is about more than just making meals – it‘s about transforming your relationship with food and building connections that last.
- Discover possibilities in your pantry
Turn whatever ingredients you have into meals you‘ll be excited to eat - Build kitchen confidence
Move from “I can’t cook” to “Look what I made!” with skills that reduce stress - Share the joy of cooking
Connect with neighbors around the table in a welcoming, judgment-free space - Nourish yourself and your family
Learn simple ways to create healthier meals that fit your budget
Meet Kaycee
Everyone’s kitchen story is unique. From childhood memories of baking with her grandmother to finding health and community at The Kitchen, Kaycee’s journey shows how food connects us all – and how cooking skills can transform both health and happiness.
What happens in the Kitchen
Free cooking classes
Roll up your sleeves and join us in The Kitchen! Our classes are designed for real people with real ingredients – whether you’re just starting out or looking for new ideas to stretch your food budget.
Budget friendly
Stretch your food dollars with kitchen know-how. Our recipes use common pantry staples and ingredients often found at food banks, helping you create delicious meals even when money is tight.
Learning together
Dive into hands-on cooking classes where everyone participates. After each class, we sit down to enjoy our creations together.
Better eating
Sharpen your cooking skills and boost your nutrition game. Healthy food can taste good…really! Discover simple ways to prepare vegetables, whole grains, and proteins that your whole family will actually want to eat.
Bring your group
There are all kinds of ways you can join us in The Kitchen
Team building
Experience team bonding through the joy of cooking in our state-of-the-art teaching kitchen. From icebreakers to themed culinary challenges, your group will create delicious dishes and lasting memories.
Field trips
Watch kids‘ eyes light up as they discover the magic of fresh ingredients! Our Kitchen Lab field trips turn nutrition education into an adventure through hands-on cooking, produce exploration, and taste tests that transform “yuck“ into “yum.”
Rent The Kitchen
Host your next gathering in our welcoming space for a memorable cooking experience with purpose. Every dollar from your private event helps us provide nutritious food, practical cooking skills, and education to neighbors in need.
Cooking for a Cause
Stir up some good! Join us for delicious experiences that feed both your culinary curiosity and our community mission.
Paid cooking classes
Spice up your culinary skills at The Kitchen. From mastering the basics to exploring global flavors, our classes feature great ingredients and instructors. Starting at $25, you’ll build your cooking confidence while helping fund free classes for neighbors who could use some kitchen skills. It’s a recipe for doing good that tastes great too!
Volunteer Plus
Your 2.5-hour experience begins with a power-packed hour in the Volunteer Center. You’ll dive into the heart of our mission by sorting food donations. After volunteering, you are invited to The Kitchen. Here, you’ll sample a variety of beers or wines and nibble on light snacks with the makers!
Private Cooking Class & Dinner
Savor a custom culinary journey with our expert chefs. Start with cocktails and appetizers, then create a gourmet meal in our cutting-edge kitchen. Finish by enjoying your handiwork in our intimate dining room – just bring your appetite for good food and good fun!
Anyone can cook
No matter where you are on your cooking journey—from complete beginner to kitchen curious – our classes welcome you. We provide the tools, ingredients, and friendly guidance to help you build confidence, improve your health, and connect with neighbors around a shared table.
Upcoming Classes
Find a class that matches your schedule, interests, and cooking comfort level. We’ll supply the food and equipment, all that’s missing is you!
Check out our recipe page
Stuck in a dinner rut? Our recipes are designed for real life – quick to make, good for you, and actually tasty! Each dish uses common ingredients you might already have or find at a food bank. From easy weeknight meals to simple snacks, these recipes work for busy schedules and tight budgets while still nourishing your body and bringing joy to your table.
Become a Nutrition Ambassador
Got cooking skills to share? Help us spread food knowledge and confidence throughout our community! As a Nutrition Ambassador, you’ll be part of our team working to address hunger from all angles – providing immediate food assistance, building long-term food security, and sharing practical cooking skills that last a lifetime.
Join other volunteers who make our classes lively and fun for students. You can help students as they learn or you could even teach your own class.
We help people try new foods by bringing tasty samples to local food banks and mobile markets. Our volunteers whip up these dishes in The Kitchen and hit the road to share them.
Take the show on the road! If we can’t bring people to The Kitchen we take The Kitchen to the people. Help us teach classes at senior centers, schools, and more!
