About Us
Each kitchen is a little different with some groups cooking and eating a meal together, some cooking lots of food to take home to eat later and some having a special focus such as vegetarian food. It is up to individual groups to decide how their kitchen will be run.
For more information on setting up a kitchen please contact Diana Vergis Vinh at diana.vinh@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-8263.
Our Mission
We work to promote the development of Community Kitchens through support, knowledge and resource sharing.
Our Values
Using a cooperative approach, our model is based on a set of principles that brings together:
~~Healthy food preparation.
~~Economy of shared resources and effort.
~~Education about nutrition, health, and sustainable food practices.
~~Community involvement.
~~Local and family empowerment.
It is also intended to bridge cultural and socio-economic differences.
History
Community kitchens have been taking place ever since people have gathered to cook and eat together. The more formal movement got started in Peru in the 60’s to address severe poverty and food shortages. From there it spread to many other countries including Canada, the UK and Australia among others.
The Community Kitchens movement in British Columbia is especially strong with over 50 kitchens in Vancouver alone.
Community Kitchens got started in King County in June of 2007 when a group of people got together to try and figure out how to replicate the Vancouver model. The first kitchen was at the Rainier Community Center. This kitchen is still going strong with a waiting list each month for people to participate.
Key elements in the success of Community Kitchens in King County have been the support of City of Seattle Parks and Recreation, Public Health Seattle & King County and a strong group of community volunteers leading kitchens and serving on the Community Kitchens Steering Committee.
In The News
Seattle Channel Video can be played in Flash Player 9 and up
2010
Cookin’ Up Community, Wallyhood Blog
Community Kitchens, Seattle Woman
2009
Community Kitchens, Worldchanging
Community Kitchens: Cooking Up Community!, Seniors Digest, Seattle-King County Edition
