named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
11-Week Culinary Apprenticeship Program
Comprehensive training program offering up to 440 hours of hands-on culinary instruction, English classes, job readiness workshops, and empowerment training; students are paid minimum wage and work in Emma’s Torch cafes or catering operations
Catering Business
Full-service catering operation providing large-scale meal production experience, particularly for students in the Inwood, Manhattan cohort, while generating earned revenue
Emma’s Torch Cafés
Cafes operated by the organization, including one at Brooklyn Public Library, that serve as training sites and revenue generators, featuring dishes inspired by students’ cultural heritage
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Culinary Workforce Training Programs 1 activity
- Culinary job training program for refugees and survivorsProvides an 11-week paid apprenticeship program offering up to 440 hours of culinary and professional skills training to refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of human trafficking who have arrived in the U.S. within the past five years. Participants are paid full-time minimum wage and receive a professional chef’s knife and full uniform at no cost.
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Higher Education Career Placement 1 activity
- Job placement and income advancement outcomes91% of students complete the culinary training program, 82% of graduates secure employment in the culinary industry, and graduates experience a 7.4-fold increase in projected annual income post-completion. These outcomes are consistently reported across multiple years.
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Nonprofit-Operated Cafés and Social Enterprises 1 activity
- Operation of cafes and catering programs as training platformsOperates cafes and full-service catering programs that serve as training sites for students and feature dishes inspired by the cultural heritage of refugee students. These include a cafe at the Brooklyn Public Library and a planned flagship location in Silver Spring, MD, set to open in 2026.
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Community Resource Navigation and Support Services 1 activity
- Partnership network for student support servicesPartners with over 90 organizations to connect students with tailored support services, including resources for survivors of human trafficking, asylum seekers, and refugees.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.86M
Contributions & grants$2.48M64%
Program service revenue$1.23M32%
Investment income$148K4%
Other revenue$826
expenses
Total expenses$4.99M
Program expenses92%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$3.29M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.95M
Cash$4.17M
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.19M
Net assets$3.76M
Liquid reserves10.0 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +14.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KERRY BRODIE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $133K |
| ALEXANDER HARRIS | EXECUTIVE CULINARY DIRECTOR | 40 | $117K |
| KIRA O'BRIEN | NEW YORK DIRECTOR & CHIEF OF HUMAN RESOURCES OPERA | 40 | $113K |
| ALIX HABER | DC AREA DIRECTOR & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $109K |
board members · 12
- ABE MONZON — BOARD MEMBER
- AKSHAY BELANI — BOARD MEMBER
- BECCA PARRISH — BOARD MEMBER
- DINO LAVORINI — BOARD MEMBER
- IRENE HAMBURGER — BOARD MEMBER
- JULIE CHANG — BOARD MEMBER
- MELISSA GLASS — BOARD CHAIR
- MICHAEL STILLMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHELLE JEWETT — BOARD TREASURER
- RICHARD FIELDS — BOARD MEMBER
- SAARA HAFEEZ — BOARD MEMBER
- SARA ROSEN — BOARD SECRETARY
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- Brooklyn Public Library Partner — Hosts Emma's Torch cafe within its facility.
- Culinary Council Network — Group of employment partners who inform curriculum, volunteer time, and support graduate employment.
- Culinary Council Partner — Collaborates with Emma's Torch to design on-the-job culinary instruction.
- DC Central Kitchen Partner — Peer organization operating a café in the same region, mentioned in the context of community-serving cafés
- Dreaming Out Loud Partner — Peer organization running a community-focused café in DC, mentioned alongside Emma's Torch as a community-serving entity
- Katie Couric Media Partner — Featured in a media story by Katie Couric Media highlighting the organization's social impact work.
- The Longer Tables Fund by José Andrés Partner — Lead partner supporting expansion of Emma's Torch programs in the D.C. region.
- Union Square Hospitality Group Partner — Collaborates with Emma's Torch on talent development and social impact initiatives in the hospitality industry.
- largest refugee resettlement and advocacy organizations Partner — Collaborates with major refugee resettlement and advocacy organizations to identify eligible participants for the program
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Cultural Heritage as Professional Assetmethodology: culture-as-assetBy valuing and integrating students’ cultural culinary traditions into professional training, the organization increases participant engagement and job readiness, because affirming cultural identity builds confidence and creates differentiated value in the hospitality sector.
- Employment-First Workforce Developmentmethodology: employment-firstBy providing targeted culinary training and apprenticeships, the organization alleviates poverty through employment, because securing jobs is the most direct pathway to economic integration and long-term stability for refugees and new Americans.
- Industry-Integrated Apprenticeship Modelmethodology: apprenticeship-modelBy combining classroom learning with on-the-job training co-developed with industry partners, the organization ensures graduates are job-ready, because real-world experience and employer-aligned curricula increase employability and workforce relevance.