Brooklyn nonprofit offers 11-week paid restaurant training to asylum seekers

Jonathan Rizk
·2 min read

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A nonprofit is offering a paid apprenticeship program on the new Jobs NYC website to prepare asylum seekers in New York City to work in restaurants.

The two-part program offered by the nonprofit Emma’s Torch in Brooklyn takes 11 weeks and includes up to 400 hours of culinary training, according to the program’s website.

Part one is an introduction to a professional American kitchen. Participants learn basic knife skills and communication skills, as well as a high standard of sanitation and kitchen safety. Those in the program also prepare food for the Emma’s Torch restaurant and cafe.

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In part two of the program, trainees learn skills set in one of the nonprofit cafes and work every station.

Graduates can also use the nonprofit’s network of employers to find a job.

The program also offers:

  • Weekly English classes focused on culinary vocabulary and interview preparation

  • Job readiness workshops, mock interviews, and mock trials with leading restaurants

  • Regular evaluations to track progress and prepare for a long-term career

Students are paid a full-time minimum wage and are offered professional knives and uniforms for free, according to Emma’s Torch.

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Refugees, asylees, asylum seekers, or survivors of human trafficking who have arrived in the United States within the past five years

  • Ready to have full-time availability for the duration of the program

  • Over 18 years old on their first day of the program

  • Able to work in the United States

  • Making less than $10,000 annually and/or facing significant barriers to employment in the U.S.

  • Willing and able to stand for 8 hours and lift boxes up to 50 lbs

  • Able to communicate and follow instructions in English

  • Passionate about food

To learn more about the program and apply, click here.

Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com.

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