Upcycling Kitchens use overlooked food to feed people, not landfills
Turning rescued ingredients into delicious meals
Our Upcycling Kitchens, located in the Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church and Salvation Army Harbor Light, transform edible food that would otherwise have gone to waste into nutritious meals for eaters and partners.
We take in more than 1,000 pounds of surplus produce from farms, grocery stores, and other food distributors, as well as unexpected ingredients and spare ingredients from local restaurants.
With a “hospitality, not charity” mindset, the chefs transform food that has nowhere to go into meals that are fit for a king or queen. Since our first kitchen opened in January 2021, the chefs have made 250,000 meals which have kept roughly 300,000 pounds of food out of landfills.
Meet our Chefs
We employ professional chefs with the creativity and skill to transform surplus food into delicious, nutritious meals. Each week, donated food arrives from rescue partners including farms, pantries, distributors, and grocers.
Our chefs collaborate to design weekly menus that make the best use of these deliveries, freezing or preserving any items that can’t be used immediately.
Learn about our community
Individually packaged meals, sealed in clear containers, are distributed directly to our eaters—with no proof of need required.
Some visitors take meals home for themselves, while others deliver meals to neighbors with transportation or health challenges.
We believe everyone should be treated with dignity, and deserves a choice when deciding what to eat
That’s why our Chefs and volunteers provide our eaters with a variety of healthy options when cooking, preparing, and distributing meals
Where else does the food go?
Group meals are provided to communal settings such as senior centers, group homes, and shelters.
All meals are offered free of charge, thanks to the generosity of donors who believe in the impact of this work.
Meals are provided to Volunteers of America, Georgia Street Community Collective, Motor City Mitten Mission, Pope Francis Center, Covenant House, Community & Home Supports, and other organizations serving those in need.
Case study: Nothing Bundt Cakes
Direct impact
organizations supported
meals distributed to our partners each week
Our impact on the environment
pounds of methane prevented in 2023
pounds of food diverted from landfills in 2023
meals served in 2023