Students in the Kitchen

The Program

Life’s Kitchen provides a 16 week program for young adults ages 16-20 years old. During their stay in our program students learn the skills needed to become employable in the food service industry by learning, and working in our three training businesses, contract foods, catering, and café. They also spend their time learning the skills required to live independently like health, financial literacy, and employability skills such as interviewing, resume building, and experiential activities designed to stimulate their growth as contributing members of society. Additionally students who are interested in continuing their education earn both college and high school credit, and have the opportunity to work with tutors to help them earn their GED, paving their way to finishing our program as college freshman. Upon completing the program students can also earn their ServSafe certification, the gold standard in the industry for safety and sanitation. Students complete our program equipped to work and have the ability successfully live on their own.

  • Life’s Kitchen Café Offers McManus Meals As Part Of “Read Me Treasure Valley”

    BOISE, ID – In celebration of “Read Me Treasure Valley,” an annual Boise (and beyond) community-wide reading project, Life’s Kitchen will be serving up recipes from Patrick McManus’ book Whatchagot Stew: A Memoir of an Idaho Childhood, With Recipes and Commentaries.

    “The ‘Read Me Treasure Valley’ event is a terrific way to learn about Idaho’s history,” said Jeremy Maxand, Executive Director of Life’s Kitchen. “We are excited to give folks a literal taste of Idaho’s past while showcasing the culinary skills of our students.”

    The dishes will be offered during normal business hours in the Life’s Kitchen Lunch Café, Tuesday through Friday, from 11:30am to 1:00pm. Highlighted dishes include Southern Idaho Basque Soup, Skookum Minestrone Soup, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Spaghetti in Clam Sauce, Salmon Quiche, and Beef Stroganoff. The community is invited to the Lunch Café to experience the cuisine that inspired Patrick McManus to write his book, and to celebrate “Read Me Treasure Valley.” The menu selections will run in the Life’s Kitchen Lunch Café February 5 through May 3. The weekly café menu is available online at www.lifeskitchen.org.

    To learn more about “Read Me Treasure Valley,” go to www.readmetv.com!

    Life’s Kitchen (www.lifeskitchen.org) is an innovative, non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of at-risk young adults by building self-sufficiency and independent living through a comprehensive food-service job training program, life skills training, and job placement in the food service industry. Life’s Kitchen supports its program with Custom Catering, a Lunch Café, a Contract Food business, and from private donations and community grants. 

To have your wedding or special event catered by Life's Kitchen: Call: 208-331-0199 • Email: erin@lifeskitchen.org