CitySeed, Inc.

Sanctuary Kitchen partners with new residents of Greater New Haven build economic opportunity and intercultural understanding through food. Since launching in April 2017, Sanctuary Kitchen has grown tremendously. Our work includes: aCulinary Training Programthat supports professional culinary development for aspiring chefs; a nationally recognizedsocial enterprise food businessthat offers a diverse array of global cuisines available for purchase in a variety of places; andcommunity-based culinary programming. Our programming supports new residents of all backgrounds—from stay-at-home mothers who are talented home cooks, to former restaurant owners—Sanctuary Kitchen offers flexible schedules, childcare stipends, support with transportation, interpretation, and space for religious practice. Sanctuary Kitchen seeks to address the most pressing issues often facing families in this country: social isolation, financial instability, unemployment, and discrimination. Sanctuary Kitchen is a program of CitySeed. To learn more about Sanctuary Kitchen’s staff, please visitOur Team and Board. At Sanctuary Kitchen, we believe that sharing a meal and personal stories is a strong and meaningful gesture of welcome and acceptance, an intimate space in which simple and genuine cultural exchanges can occur. We believe in community and we hope that our programs will cultivate authentic connections between local residents and new arrivals. Food brings people to the table, enriches lives, and fosters mutual understanding across diverse cultures in the most delicious way possible. We have partnered with 43 chefs from 13 countries around the world including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nepal, Mauritius, Sudan, Eritrea, and Pakistan 100% of our 2022 and 2023 cohorts are women, and for the majority, Sanctuary Kitchen represents their first formal work in the United States. With the support of our community, Sanctuary Kitchen has generated more than $600,000 in income for our chefs.