A chef, a special education teacher and a tattoo artist are just three ingredients in Triumph Kitchen, a nonprofit aiming to help at-risk youths by teaching them to cook. The project has been marinating for a while, but is set to open on Jan. 13, 2014 at 320 Third St. in downtown Baton Rouge.
During his 20 years as a professional chef, Chris Wadsworth received applications from people without any knowledge of how to appropriately carry themselves for a potential job. However, it was when he and his wife Sommer moved to Baton Rouge 19 months ago that they were inspired to help others — applicants and employers alike.
“I started thinking of ways that I could assist in that aspect,” Wadsworth said. “Being in the business for so long and constantly looking for staff and having to resort to the newspaper or Craigslist, I wanted to be able to provide a way for kids to get off the street and have motivation and direction in their life, but also to be able to provide a great staff [for employers].”
Chris Wadsworth will educate students in every aspect of the back of the house in a brand-new kitchen, which is still in need of funding. Sommer plans to teach life skills, mentoring and counseling.
Along with the couple, business people, farmers and other chefs such as Jay Ducote will encourage Triumph Kitchen students.
The application process includes an online form and a family interview so the Wadsworths can make sure the candidate will be invested in and benefit from the organization.
“Triumph Kitchen isn’t just about teaching kids to cook, but motivating them to better their lives,” Wadsworth said. “It’s not our mission to create 15 to 20 chefs every semester, but to get these kids motivated to do something with their lives, whether it be becoming a chef or going to college.”
While Triumph Kitchen is receiving much of its financial help from sponsors like Whole Foods, Visit Baton Rouge and Taco de Paco, the LSU AgCenter also plans to be an integral part of Triumph Kitchen.
“Something we are extremely passionate about is using local products and teaching kids where food comes from, how its developed and grown, and the process of getting it from the fields to us, and that’s where the AgCenter comes in,” Wadsworth said.
Wadsworth also said Triumph Kitchen is working to create a living herb garden downtown. The garden will provide a place for students to taste the food and see how it grows.
Additionally, Triumph Kitchen is working with Slow Food Baton Rouge to start a movement dissuading people from buying frozen or bulk products because Louisiana has more than enough to offer, Wadsworth said.
Wadsworth said his passion for this nonprofit stems from his past and knowing what it’s like to overcome adversity, especially because he was a high school dropout.
“The definition of triumph is self-explanatory, victory, conquering, rising above,” Wadsworth said. “Lots of these kids come up in families and environments that have been a struggle and where they have had to fight to the top, and we want to take that on with them.”
Wadsworth said although he doesn’t have his diploma, he has been able to achieve most of his goals in life.
“I am going to be able to relate to these kids,” Wadsworth said. “We don’t influence dropping out, but a lot of the kids we will be dealing with probably will be drop outs.”
Combining the forces of his desire to help young adults and his wife’s passion for teaching is what helps them conquer their goals, Wadsworth said.
Every wall of the 5,000-square-foot building will be saturated with graffiti art created by the couple’s friend and tattoo artist Jiggy Johnson, who was an underprivileged youth and overcame many obstacles to succeed, Wadsworth said.
To thank the companies sponsoring Triumph Kitchen, each room in the building will boast the sponsors’ logos.
“We are kicking them back all the media coverage they could possibly imagine by having their logo on the walls,” Wadsworth said.
Johnson will redesign the individual logos in his own eyes, adding an artistic flare and incorporating it into the Louisiana-inspired themes of each room.
While creating art for every wall of the building is a job, Johnson also sees it as his way to give back to Triumph Kitchen’s students.
“This is my dedication to seeing the youth do good,” Johnson said, “I want to create an environment where they want to be. It’s all my heart and my soul put on this wall.”
During their time at Triumph Kitchen, each student will wear the company’s logo: a shield, a set of phoenix wings and a fork, Wadsworth said.
Wadsworth said the shield represents protection the students will receive at the non-profit from troubled pasts or current struggles; and the set of phoenix wings represents the phoenix bird because it is known for rising above,
Sommer said Triumph Kitchen will be the backbone for students to stand up for what they believe in and what they want to do with their lives.
“The fork is everything that will get them there, learning money handling, people skills and guest relations,” Wadsworth said. “They aren’t all going to be chefs, but they are going to have the passion.”
Through Triumph Kitchen, Wadsworth hopes to shine a culinary spotlight on Baton Rouge.
“Lafayette and New Orleans are very well known for their food, and Baton Rouge is LSU Tigers,” Wadsworth said. “It’s what the town revolves around, and it’s a shame because Baton Rouge has great food and culture.”

Gallery • 5 Photos

Mariel Gates

Owners Chris and Sommer Wadsworth stand in front of one of the partially finished murals in their kitchen school on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 in the building that will soon be Triumph Kitchen on 3rd Street downtown.