Local Food Systems Are Facing an Existential Crisis

Restaurants and hospitality businesses are closing, some for good. At the same time, more people are confronting food insecurity right here in Kansas City.

Chef Collective KC is launching The Community Meals Project to keep people working, feed the hungry and optimize our food system for the future.

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A network of chefs, food industry partners and a community of growers working together to preserve the food system through a centralized approach to growing, processing and distributing food in a more sustainable and efficient manner.

A Chef Collective KC initiative to create a holistic, civic scale plan to meet our ever-expanding, ever-changing community food needs. Using a stable, safe and efficient model, The Project is supporting and standing up community kitchens in restaurants and available facilities across the city to provide meals for those who need them most.

1

Workforce Preservation

Employ restaurant teams who otherwise would not have work and help our community’s restaurants stay solvent during this difficult time.

2

Mass Production of Meals

Meet the needs of the food insecure community during the current crisis and position to continue meeting ongoing community food needs.

3

Food System Optimization

Work to build a more resilient long-term model to optimize the food system and improve local, chef-led restaurant stability.

The Community Meals Project model sources food from a network of local and regional growers and food distributors. Both packaged and perishable items are brought to the centralized receiving, processing and distribution partner, Kanbe’s Market. The food, in various forms, is then sent to participating kitchens, prepared into meals and sent to distribution locations within the community.

Chef Collective KC - Community Meals Project model
Chef Collective KC - Funding Badge

Chef Collective KC is pairing new sponsorship dollars with restaurants and non-profit kitchens to employ more hospitality workers and serve enough meals to meet our community’s growing need.

Charitable contributions to The Community Meals Project are being accepted through the AltCap Community Capital Fund.

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If you are interested in becoming a Collective partner or a Project sponsor, please contact us directly.

  • Jon Taylor Founder, REACH Collaborative
    + Chef Collective KC
  • Natalie Lewis Systems Engineer and
    Non-profit Sector Liaison
  • Anthony Williams Business Operations and Strategy
  • Pat Jordan Community Liaison
  • David Brandt Food Industry Expert
    and Food Broker
  • Mark Beam Advisor, GKCCF Fund
    Advisory Committee
  • Tyler & Leigh Nottberg Advisors, Individual Sponsor
  • Megan Stephens/
    Nicole Satterwhite     Brand Communications,
    Willoughby Design
  • Jenny Kincaid Julian Public Relations, SWPR
  • Sarah Magill Mags Media
  • Nate Orr/Spencer Fane Legal Team
  • Brandon Winn Former Chef of
    Webster House
  • Michael Foust Executive Chef, Black Sheep
  • Howard Hanna Chef/Owner, The Rieger
  • Kyle Bennett GM, The Rieger
  • Andy Sloan Founder, Room 39
  • Max Kaniger Founder, Kanbe’s Market
  • Brandi Schoen Former Executive Director,
    KC Food Circle
  • Greg Garbos Systems Engineer and Owner,
    City Bitty Farm
  • Tamara Weber Founder, Pete’s Garden
  • Laura Laiben The Culinary Center
    of Kansas City
  • John Gordon Founder, Boys Grow