Chef Renee Weigel has joined The Common Place family as the Kitchen Manager of Carl’s Kitchen. In addition, Renee works with the Afterschool Enrichment Program to provide nutrition education as a part of the curriculum. Here is Renee experience and perspective in her own words:
“Food has always been a way for me to express myself ever since I was a kid. Most importantly it showed me how to bring communities and cultures together along the way. Ever since I could reach over the countertop, I remember I was always cooking. It became an outlet to keep me out of trouble but was really a means of survival. As the youngest of four, I learned to grow and preserve almost all of my food by hand. At 15 years old I started working in restaurants and eventually received the James Beard Scholarship at age 18 which allowed me to pursue it seriously as a career at Drexel University. Once I moved to West Philadelphia, I started teaching kids the importance of knowing where your food comes from and over time noticed an extreme need in food awareness. Cooking gave me a chance to travel and see the world differently. To sit across the table from people of all walks of life. It is how I communicate and understand others. That is why I am so passionate about empowering others to discover the culinary world.”
To contact Chef Renee email chef@thecommonplacephilly.org
