Community Kitchen Graduate Profile

The primary goal of all Community Kitchen graduates is to secure job placement in the food service industry that will start them on their career path. Each student leaves the program with different goals and aspirations, but the one thing they all have in common is to find a job that they will love to go to every day.

One of our graduates who did just that is Maura O’Hara. Maura graduated from the 23 rd Community Kitchen Class in July of 2005. Maura, a single mother of 3, had previously worked in a fast food restaurant, and was looking to gain the skills and experience necessary to advance her career. This desire to improve her culinary skills led her to the Community Kitchen Program.

Armed with a Community Kitchen Training Program certificate, ServSafe certification and an updated resume, Maura began her job search. After going on a few interviews, Maura finally got what she was looking for – a full time position as a Pantry Chef at Laurelmead Cooperative, a retirement community on the East Side of Providence. Maura is responsible for preparing salads and desserts for the 180 residents of the facility. The residents get to enjoy the food prepared for them in a formal dining room, or in a casual pub-like setting, and they also get to choose their meals from a menu containing a variety of ever-changing options.

Maura has been working at Laurelmead for over 7 months now, and she is thrilled with her job, and also with the people that she works with. The kitchen staff includes fewer than 10 employees, and Maura enjoys working with each of them. This position has enabled Maura to not only realize her professional goals, but has helped in achieving some personal ones as well, including obtaining a new apartment for her and her children. When asked how she feels about her life now and her job, Maura’s response is simply “I love it!”