ShelterCHEF was born April 2019 Toronto @ Margaret's
Location: Margaret's — transitional house for women with mental health issues where I accessed the crisis bed in March 2019 and then became a resident for 4 months - Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I was a "failed" entrepreneur, back from San Francisco where my "start-ups" failed miserably and I lost everything - that is how I became homeless.
I was so grateful for the shelter and safety in the worst time of my life, volunteered to cook for my fellow residents and that is how I got the idea to create ShelterCHEF - a multi-platform social enterprise with a mission of "Stirrin' the pot to serve UP goodness." and create culinary based opportunities to nurture those facing hunger, homelessness with the key ingredients being empathy, creativity, and goodness paired with film, cause-partnerships, "inCODEvation" and love.
I made videos in Margaret's kitchen ( literally, a ” shelter kitchen”) where ShelterCHEF was literally and figuratively "born". My favourite days back in that very dark time for me, were when I knew the Second Harvest delivery would come ( I think it was Wednesdays) and I would start to make my creations for dinner that night and I would go to the Loblaws ( the store that means ""home for me, ever since I was 6 year old immigrant child - long story there ) down the road and buy the little extra touches ( brie and smoked paprika) needed to add extra love to my cooking! My first dish was "ShelterQUICHE" ( see below) and I loved how my fellow residents always came for seconds!
August 2023, four years later: ShelterCHEF will be the first Goodness.VC incubator venture - the "MVP" if you will - which pairs Lived Experience Founders and Impact Investors While I lived at Margaret's, I applied to be a fellow for "Code for Canada" and I made it through to the last stage of the interview process - which is where I met my future mentor who was one of the interviewing panelists who believed in me, and helped me, and taught me the true meaning of empathy (giving and receiving) - by his open example. The first time I ever heard of "lived experience" was from Kevin.
Stay tuned! ShelterCHEF will be launching soon as partnerships are coming together.
I was so grateful for the shelter and safety in the worst time of my life, volunteered to cook for my fellow residents and that is how I got the idea to create ShelterCHEF - a multi-platform social enterprise with a mission of "Stirrin' the pot to serve UP goodness." and create culinary based opportunities to nurture those facing hunger, homelessness with the key ingredients being empathy, creativity, and goodness paired with film, cause-partnerships, "inCODEvation" and love.
I made videos in Margaret's kitchen ( literally, a ” shelter kitchen”) where ShelterCHEF was literally and figuratively "born". My favourite days back in that very dark time for me, were when I knew the Second Harvest delivery would come ( I think it was Wednesdays) and I would start to make my creations for dinner that night and I would go to the Loblaws ( the store that means ""home for me, ever since I was 6 year old immigrant child - long story there ) down the road and buy the little extra touches ( brie and smoked paprika) needed to add extra love to my cooking! My first dish was "ShelterQUICHE" ( see below) and I loved how my fellow residents always came for seconds!
August 2023, four years later: ShelterCHEF will be the first Goodness.VC incubator venture - the "MVP" if you will - which pairs Lived Experience Founders and Impact Investors While I lived at Margaret's, I applied to be a fellow for "Code for Canada" and I made it through to the last stage of the interview process - which is where I met my future mentor who was one of the interviewing panelists who believed in me, and helped me, and taught me the true meaning of empathy (giving and receiving) - by his open example. The first time I ever heard of "lived experience" was from Kevin.
Stay tuned! ShelterCHEF will be launching soon as partnerships are coming together.
April 3, 2019 Video 1: The menu and “birth“ of ShelterCHEF
DIRECT QUOTE: "Today is April 3, and tonight is Italian night....... Eggplant parmigiana, caprese and gnocchi,
0h Mama Mia! Well... today, April 3 is also the
birth of ShelterCHEF!..... “ - Gloria
DIRECT QUOTE: "Today is April 3, and tonight is Italian night....... Eggplant parmigiana, caprese and gnocchi,
0h Mama Mia! Well... today, April 3 is also the
birth of ShelterCHEF!..... “ - Gloria
April 3, 2019 Video 2 ( serving the dinner)
Direct Quote:
“It's April 3rd, 2019 and its ShelterCHEF ( part of ShelterStartUP) serving its first meal...”
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Direct Quote:
“It's April 3rd, 2019 and its ShelterCHEF ( part of ShelterStartUP) serving its first meal...”
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April 14, 2019 Video 3 ( serving the dinner)
Direct Quote:
“It's April , 2019 and here's the SheletCHEF logo that started from here. ”
Direct Quote:
“It's April , 2019 and here's the SheletCHEF logo that started from here. ”
Learn more about the Goodness.VC 33% Pledge ( profit + equity)
to our Goodness.venture co-horts from Day One here !
to our Goodness.venture co-horts from Day One here !
