Adriana (she/her) graduated from FareStart’s Food Pathways Program in June. She recently joined us at Guest Chef Night to share her beautiful and inspiring story. We were honored that Adriana has given us permission to share her story on our news blog with our wider community.
Good evening everyone,
My name is Adriana, and I am a proud FareStart graduate. For the past 20 years, I have owned my own housecleaning business. It has been good, honest work—and I’ve built strong relationships with my clients over the years—but after two decades, I was ready for something different. I wanted to challenge myself, to learn something new, and to see what else I was capable of.
That’s when I found FareStart.
When I started the program, I didn’t even know how to turn on a computer. I mean that literally. I had never used email, never filled out an online application, never typed up a resume. It was intimidating at first, but my teachers and classmates were so patient and encouraging. Little by little, I learned.
By the time I graduated, I had a beautiful resume that I made myself. I could navigate Gmail and Indeed. I applied to jobs online, something I never thought I’d be able to do. That alone felt like a huge victory.
But I didn’t stop there. I wanted to work in a restaurant kitchen. I loved learning new cooking techniques, working on prep, and being part of a team. FareStart gave me the hands-on experience to build real skills. I got to work in three different kitchens—each one fast-paced and high-volume—and I learned how to work efficiently, safely, and with pride.
One day, I saw a posting for a line cook position at Joey Restaurants near where I live. The only problem was… I hadn’t rotated to the line cook position at FareStart yet. But I thought, ‘Why not try?’
I prepared for that interview with my FareStart trainer like my life depended on it. I brought my resume, and I also brought a list of all the food production experience I had gained in FareStart’s kitchens. And because my interview happened to be right before I was scheduled to work at Guest Chef Night, I brought that night’s menu and program with me too.
During the interview, I told the chef, “I don’t have line cook experience yet, but you can see here what I’ve worked on and what kind of production I’ve been trained to do. I’m not coming to the line with any bad habits—and I learn fast. I’ll do it however you train me to do it.”
The chef looked at the menu and said, “Wait—you’re working with this chef tonight? I know who that is!” He was impressed, and that opened up a great conversation about FareStart, about training, and about what I had already accomplished.
And guess what? I got the job!
I still have my cleaning business, but now I also work as a line cook at Joey Restaurant. I love it. Every day, I get to create food that brings people together. I get to keep learning and growing—and I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished.
FareStart has been such an important part of that journey. The kitchen training was amazing, but what really changed me were the self-empowerment and workplace professionalism classes. They helped me find my confidence again. They reminded me that I am capable, I am adaptable, and I can succeed in new environments.
I’m so grateful for the teachers who took the time to show me how to use a computer, who pushed me to speak up, and who helped me believe that I could do something totally new after twenty years of doing something else.
To the guests and partners here tonight—thank you for supporting FareStart. When you support this program, you’re giving people like me the opportunity to start a new chapter, to build skills, and to find meaningful work that changes lives.
And to the current students in the program—keep going. Even when it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar, keep showing up. You never know what doors will open when you do.
Thank you.
