'This is the future of social enterprise:' Ottawa Mission opens 'Chef Ric's'
The Ottawa Mission has launched a new social enterprise set to serve healthy meals while training future workers.
'Chef Ric's' is now open on Rideau Street at the former home of the Rideau Bakery.
The facility is a new home for the Ottawa Mission's Food Service's Training Program and a dream come true for Chef Ric Allen Watson.
“I remember the day the old Rideau Bakery closed. I walked by with my partner and I said ‘Wouldn’t this be an ideal location?’ said Chef Ric, director of food services at the Ottawa Mission. “That was just the dream, and that dream happened to come true.”
The shop is offering up healthy affordable meals and will serve as a new space for the expanded training program.
“There’s nothing more satisfying than watching a student go through the program, get to graduation and then begin their job and their whole life has changed.”
“I grew up in abuse, I baked, I cooked a lot, you know hands straight in the dish, it was a therapy,” said Erica La France, a student of the program.
Like her, students all have their own difficult stories and are training to work in commercial kitchens through the FSTP.
“Once i learned of Chef Ric’s I knew it was the learning niche i needed,” said La France. “It was a safe place, a sense of community, and people that understand.”
Since 2004, 190 people have graduated from the FSTP with a 90 per cent success rate, meaning they've gone on to jobs in the food service industry.
“This is the future of social enterprise and this is the future of employment opportunities,” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said. “We know after the pandemic there is an acute shortage of people needed to work in the hospitality and restaurant industry.”
'Chef Ric's' will also expand the Mission's growing catering business, which all proceeds directed back into the FSTP. It will also be the new home of the Mobile Mission Meals food truck program, which has served more than 120,000 meals since it started a year ago.
The new space for the project is funded through a grant by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and with the help of Manor Park Management, who offered up the space for a lease of just $10 per year.
“This is how you end homelessness,” said Peter Tilley, CEO of the Ottawa mission. “This is how you get 60 to 70 people a year into jobs so they can support themselves, possibly even without rent subsidies that they can live inter-dependently.”
And so this state of the art food shop and training facility is now a new home for passionate students like La France who is determined to succeed.
“I am now in the driver’s seat of my own life, and this program puts me in charge of the trauma and abuse that I’ve been through,” said La France.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Getting the lowest mortgage rates in a high interest rate world
The challenges facing home buyers mean it's all the more important to do research and negotiate on rates, mortgage experts say, though they also caution that there's more to focus on than just what looks like the cheapest upfront option.