Food Education Fund, Inc.

The Food Education Fund (FEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works hand-in-hand with NYC’s culinary-focused public high schools, to provide experiential learning in culinary arts, hospitality and entrepreneurship. Our goal is to prepare and empower our students to continue their education and cultivate personally meaningful careers.  FEF was established with the Food and Finance High School in 2004 as part of Mayor Bloomberg’s small schools initiative to ensure that industry partners would always be engaged as stakeholders in the future success of the school.

By partnering with 3 high schools (Brooklyn STEAM and High School of Hospitality Management) and access to 10 more, FEF has direct access to 1200 eager young culinarians and a growing group of alumni, six commercial kitchens, a cafe space open to the public, a newly renovated dining lab, and much more. With this unique setup, the Food Education Fund’s eight employees, associate board, board of directors, and many volunteers are able to have an impact far beyond the capacity of most nonprofits this size. 

OUR STUDENTS

Students are admitted from all 5 boroughs of NYC, some traveling up to two hours each direction, driven by their commitment to furthering their culinary education. Of these, 57% are female and 43% male; 41% are African-American, 53% Latino, 2% white, and 4% Asian. 21% percent of our youth have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and 4% are English Language Learners. 82% percent of our youth are considered economically disadvantaged, based on their eligibility for free or reduced school lunches.