Mississauga, ON – July 2026
If you walk into a food bank, you might expect shelves, volunteers, and grocery hampers. What you probably wouldn’t expect is a kitchen filled with youth, learning how to chop vegetables, knead dough, and cook a full meal from scratch.
So the question comes up often.
Why is a food bank teaching youth how to cook?
The answer is simple.
Because food insecurity is not just about access to food — it’s about what happens after you take that food home.
What we started noticing
At Seva Food Bank, we started seeing a pattern.
Families would come in, choose groceries through our choice-based model, and leave with ingredients like lentils, vegetables, flour, and spices. But they didn’t always know how to turn those ingredients into a healthy, balanced meal.
This was not a gap in effort — but a gap in opportunity.
And that realization changed how we approach supporting our community.
From food access to food confidence
Today, Seva runs three community kitchen programs designed to address this gap:
- Newcomer Culinary Training
- Youth Culinary Training
- Seniors Healthy Living Workshops
Each program is built around the idea that when people know how to cook, they gain independence, confidence, and control over their health.
Our kitchens are not just places to prepare meals. They are spaces for people to learn, connect, and grow.
Add the human element: which child doesn’t want Mom or Dad to come home and have to make dinner; which teenager doesn’t want to make their younger sibling wait to eat; which kid wants to connect with grandma or grandpa by helping with the meal.
Why youth
Young people are at a critical stage in life.
They are forming habits, building confidence, and starting to imagine their future.
When a young person learns how to cook, it does more than teach them a skill.
It teaches responsibility. It builds confidence. It creates a sense of capability.
And sometimes, it opens the door to employment.
Inside our Youth Culinary Training Program
At Seva Food Bank’s community teaching kitchens (in Malton and Brampton), youth aged 10 to 17 come together after school to learn hands-on cooking skills.
The program admin is led by Kitchen Programs Coordinator Manreet Lachhar. Under the guidance of a trained culinary instructor, youth are supported every step of the way in a safe and welcoming environment. One of our main instructors is Chef Burgi, who brings both professional experience and a deep passion for teaching.
They learn:
- Knife skills
- Basic kitchen health and safety
- How to prepare quick, healthy, and budget-friendly meals
- How to work as a team in a real kitchen setting
But more importantly, they begin to believe in themselves.
What youth are saying
“I learned how to make pizza dough from scratch. I never knew how to do that before.”
“At first I was nervous to even hold a knife. Now I feel confident cooking at home.”
“I started helping my family cook dinner. It feels good to contribute.”
They’re small moments, but they always lead to bigger change.
The bigger picture
In 2025 alone, Seva Food Bank distributed nearly 2 million pounds of food to the community. But we know that providing food alone is not always enough.
If we want to create long-term change, we need to invest in skills, education, and confidence-building for our community.
Dignity is not just about receiving food. It is about having the ability to use it, prepare it, and share it.
More than a food bank
At Seva, we often say we are more than a food bank.
By this, we mean we are building a community where people are not only supported in times of need, but empowered for the future.
And sometimes, that starts with something as simple as learning how to cook.
