Culinary program will place trained migrants in Chicago kitchens

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A cooking school in Little Village is recruiting recent migrants and long-term immigrants for training that will prepare them for a job — or career — in Chicago’s restaurant industry.

Food He.ro, which opened its second location in November 2022, is providing in-person informational workshops in Spanish on-site and at career and resource fairs organized by the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, a network of food employers and professionals.

“There are a lot of Latinos that want to get training because of certifications in the industry, but the requirements in a community college could be challenging because they might not have ESL, or English as a second language,” said Javier Haro, founder and executive director of Food He.ro, which first opened an industrial kitchen at 324 N. Leavitt.

As a son of immigrants from Zacatecas, Mexico, who also came to own his own restaurant in Pilsen for 12 years, he’s more than aware of the needs in Chicago kitchens, as well as what it takes for someone to be successful on the job.

“I learned that the community needed a culinary program, one that could empower individuals for career paths, but also one that can empower the entrepreneurs around the community to start new businesses,” he said.

The food incubator at 3331 W. 26th Street offers a range of courses that include hospitality management, food sanitation, business financing and guidance to obtain city licenses for prepping and serving food at local festivals and farmers markets, as well as street vending.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Multiple courses are offered in Spanish or bilingually and take three to four months to complete. Haro says their courses amount to a fraction of the cost of an associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in the field.

This particular course for new arrivals is free for eligible applicants who already have a work permit or have applied for one. The program is supported by the U.S. Labor Departments Employment and Training Administration. Those who don’t have a work permit can be placed in other affordable Food He.ro programs that can still lead them down the right path.

Kledeimar Donairo, 32, arrived in Chicago from Venezuela a month ago, he said, and is staying in the migrant shelter on Halsted St. He heard about the culinary program for new arrivals at a fair that he attended at Malcolm X and was immediately interested.

Back home in Estado Apure, Venezuela, he was a street vendor from the countryside, selling frozen yogurt and desserts. But soon that became unsustainable, he said, as the price of ingredients, like sugar and dairy, soared across the country during the economic downturn due to the devaluation of the currency.

That’s when he and two cousins decided to make the trek north. He had heard about Chicago on TV, and though people advised him to go to New York City, he said he felt he had a better shot in Chicago.

On Feb. 28, Donairo and his cousins walked 5½ miles from the shelter to attend a follow-up workshop. Haro provided weekly Ventra passes so they could ride the bus back.

Food He.ro plans to train up to 30 students at a time and assist them with job placement afterward in restaurants and hotels in their network.

“I’m happy to say that we’re gonna teach them ‘restaurant English’. So English to the extent that they’re able to communicate effectively in the kitchen. And also [to] have aspirations,” Haro said.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response, and we’re also hoping that this contract or other resources can come about by the city and state so that we can continue helping new arrivals,” he said.

Those interested in applying can visit Food He.ro’s Little Village location, call 773-888-1310, or email bryant@foodhe.ro.