Our founder, Chef Linda Berry, was first introduced to the world of professional cooking while working in the kitchens of her French-classically trained grandmothers. This early experience continued to grow at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and then under the tutelage of top chefs and restauranteurs in the US. Eventually leading to running and opening kitchens, private chef stints for celebrities, traveling to lead high-end events around the United States, as well as creating and instructing culinary classes both in the community and in schools and colleges.

Chef Berry believes that food is a tool for community transformation. She began creating curriculum and teaching classes in a graduate-level internship as a college freshman. This unique opportunity eventually led her to begin teaching community-centered, health-focused classes to teach others how to use their plates as a vessel of change in their lives.

Eventually, she combined her experiences leading kitchens and teaching to train chefs as the owner and director of a food manufacturing, concessions, mobile food, and events workforce development program.

This led Chef Berry to create internationally known, award-winning courses and instruction at several culinary institutions, including opening the DC branch of Emma’s Torch Cafe, Carlos Rosario School’s baking, food service, and hospitality programs, Cleveland School of Cannabis, and Bradford College in addition to being invited to speak at top food, cannabis, and workforce development conferences in the US.