After starting as a volunteer, Miriam’s Kitchen’s executive chef found that cooking and feeding the homeless were her passions, so she devoted herself to them full time.
Chef Cheryl Bell worked in corporate America, but three years ago she traded in her suit for a chef’s coat.
“A meal for people can be holistic,” she said. “Think about mentally taking them somewhere, physically taking them somewhere."
Miriam’s Kitchen serves more than 300 meals every day.
“That’s for breakfast and dinner, Monday through Friday, regardless of weather or conditions outside,” Bell said.
They make everything fresh.
“We make our own salad dressings from scratch, and all the apple sauce is made from scratch,” she said.
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Ninety percent of the food they serve comes from donations.
“Trader Joe’s is a huge supporter, Capital Grille gives us donations, MeatCrafters is a place,” Bell said.
Bell said they make restaurant-quality food.
“It’s not a soup kitchen; it’s a super kitchen, for sure,” she said.
And it doesn't stop at serving meals. Miriam’s Kitchen also sends people home with lunches and groceries.
Bell calls serving the homeless population a privilege.
“I want them to know that they matter, that they are visible, that people do care about them,” she said.
Reported by Leon Harris, produced by Michelle Montgomery and edited by Scott Eisenhuth.
