Training.
Employment.
Empowerment.

Hope is Real

As we reflect on the past year, the eloquent words of inaugural poet Amanda Gorman are fitting: That even as we grieved, we grew; That even as we hurt, we hoped; That even as we tired, we tried. We survived a year full of challenges, heartaches and losses….

Virtual Cooking Classes

Thinking of ways to beat those winter blues? While so much of our lives remains in hibernation, why not let NECAT help you connect through one of our virtual cooking classes? All through the winter, NECAT is pleased to offer a virtually distinctive and fun dining alternative—one that…

Partner Spotlight: Dorchester Bay EDC’s Reentry Program

Linda Mello at Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation The Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) Reentry Program began in 2008. Participants are connected to the program through pre-release centers including Brooke House, Suffolk County House of Correction, Hope House, and referrals from probation officers, judges, police officers, lawyers,…

Partner Spotlight: Department of Transitional Assistance

Tinika Dottin, Full Engagement Worker, Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)   DTA assists and empowers low-income individuals and families to meet their basic needs, improve their quality of life, and achieve long term economic self-sufficiency. DTA services one out of eight people in Massachusetts including working families, children, elders and people with disabilities. The…

Giving Tuesday Recipes

NECAT is proud to be part of a global day of giving by participating in #Giving Tuesday. We hope you will consider a donation to us today as we share a few holiday recipes from local chefs who are closely connected to NECAT. In these anxious and uncertain…

Shirley & Jim Marten Student Leadership Award Launched

This month, NECAT launched a special award program, which will be a lasting commemoration of two incredibly generous supporters – Shirley and Jim Marten. Shirley and Jim have been longtime advocates of and contributors to NECAT since the program was just a dream project of our Founder and…

Why NECAT? Why Now?

It’s now more than six months since the pandemic descended, throwing our lives into a troubling chaos. With no immediate remedy on the horizon, it can seem like an unlikely time to dive into a full-time, in-person job training program. Is it safe? Will even be jobs available…

NECAT Graduates 28 Students Since Shutdown

Graduation day at NECAT meant that our center was filled with bustling energy, as families and friends filed in to see their proud graduates collect their Culinary Certificates. We celebrated the graduates’ hard work over a delicious feast – a menu of specialty dishes prepared by the graduates…

NECAT Welcomes Back Students

The sounds and smells of a busy kitchen have once again returned to NECAT after nearly four-months of virtual programming. Both staff and students are grateful to be back together, doing what we love most – teaching and cooking. Part of NECAT’s new normal is adjusting to the…

NECAT to Re-Open on July 6

The NECAT team has been hard at work putting plans in place to safely re-open our facility. We are pleased to announce that under new protocols and safety measures, we will welcome students back into the building on July 6th.  Changes will include limited class size with instruction…

Getting a Helping Hand From Encore

Shortly after the mid-March shutdown, when so many companies were looking inward, the team at Encore Boston Harbor wanted to know how they could help.  NECAT was working quickly and creatively to transition our training to virtual platforms and ensure that our students remained engaged in learning. The…

A “BigTime” Hero to the NECAT Family

It was the middle of the night when Anthony “BigTime” Seymour got a phone call. “It was one of our students,” he said. “She was clearly distraught, and had to get out of a bad situation.” The apartment she had temporarily been living in had just been raided…

Virtual Town Hall with Elle Simone – NECAT’s Newest Board Member

“Stay focused. There’s still room for you in this career. I know we’re in a really weird and awkward time, but don’t let this be the reason that you step away from your passion. There is still plenty of space for you in this industry.” These words of…

NECAT’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

NECAT suspended in-person classes on March 13th. At that time we had 68 students enrolled in our training programs and a network of more than 500 alumni. Many of these individuals were already living in crowded shelters, readjusting to life after incarceration or going through recovery. With state-imposed quarantine,…

Cooking at Home With NECAT

NECAT has taken its instruction online! We thought we’d share some staple recipes from our curriculum that call for ingredients easily found at local stores. There are also some great demos and techniques to learn from on our YouTube channel. These are classic and essential culinary skills to keep…

Supporting the Food Services Industry and its Workers During this Crisis

The hospitality, restaurant, and food service industry has been hit fast and hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, we are heartened to see the efforts that have quickly emerged in a rally to support these businesses and their workers. In the same week that Mayor Walsh made the…

Mayor Walsh and Senator Collins Send Off Graduates

On January 3rd, just days into the new year, NECAT celebrated with the graduation of 17 of its trainees. The 32nd cohort to complete their Culinary Arts Job Training at our Boston center proudly welcomed Mayor Martin J. Walsh as their commencement speaker. Walsh was joined by Senator Nick Collins…

America’s Test Kitchen comes to NECAT for a wonderful evening

ATK Chefs Jack Bishop and Elle Simone do a live demo for NECAT supporters   Chefs from the most watched cooking show on public television, America’s Test Kitchen were special guests at NECAT’s latest fundraising event. Celebrity Chef, Author and Test Kitchen Creative Director Jack Bishop, and  ATK…

NECAT Launches Advisory Council with Top Employers

Something that always stands out to those just learning about NECAT is that every student of ours has the opportunity to receive multiple job offers and have their pick of positions. Our graduates are well trained and the jobs are out there – Boston’s current unemployment rate of…

“A kid like me.” NECAT grad is profiled in the Boston Business Journal

Sirbastian Manisculco was just 19 years old when he enrolled at NECAT. Although still a teenager, he had a criminal record, was homeless and did not have much optimism about what his future would look like. That was four years ago. Sirbastian is now flourishing in the job…

NECAT Strengthens Partnership with Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department

Each year, approximately 10 million people in the United States return to their communities from jail or prison, including roughly 3,000 to the City of Boston. These former offenders continue to face challenges upon release, including finding housing, financial support and jobs because of their time in prison….

NECAT Grad Comes Back to Give Back

David Spear is a self-described foodie with an adventurous spirit. He spent four years living in Asia and four years living in Spain. He’s been a cheese monger in New York City and managed a farmers’ market in New Jersey. He says that he’ll try anything when it…

NECAT in the Globe

Adrian Walker, columnist for the Boston Globe, features NECAT and describes the role that Encore Boston Harbor is playing in hiring our graduates into new jobs, in his recent column. He describes NECAT as “perhaps the city’s most unusual culinary arts program. …NECAT, takes people who have struggled…

“Best of Boston” Event at NECAT is a celebratory, communal evening

On May 16th, NECAT welcomed more than 100 guests for a mouth-watering BBQ meal from Chef Andy Husbands of the Smoke Shop, craft beers from Night Shift and delicious pies from Flour Bakery + Café. NECAT graduates and current students helped prepare, serve and make the evening a…

Staff Spotlight: Chef Bob Krajewski

It’s a Friday morning at NECAT and twenty-one students who began their training four weeks earlier have just received their uniforms. Chef Bob Krawjeski beams at them proudly. “When we put on our uniform, we begin to look at ourselves with new eyes. We begin to think of…

Bill Strickland pays a visit to NECAT

Regularly scheduled class turned out to be a special occasion on Thursday afternoon when Bill Strickland stopped by to chat with NECAT students. Strickland is the Founder of Manchester Bidwell Corporation, the author of Make the Impossible Possible and the inspiration behind NECAT. His models for adult job training and youth…

Meet the Newest Members of NECAT’s Team

NECAT is pleased to welcome two new additions to our staff. Vic Acosta is Director of Career Services and Paige Bloskey (pictured above, center) is Catering Manager and Culinary Instructor. Both Vic’s and Paige’s careers have been a perfect lead up to their roles at NECAT. Originally from…

NECAT’s Board of Directors is Growing

NECAT’s Board of Directors gathered today to kick-off a new strategic planning process with the support of the consulting firm Strategy Matters. Thank you to our Board for taking the time out of their busy schedules to help plan NECAT’s future! We are also excited to report that…

What a Year for NECAT

In 2018 we turned five years old, we grew our team, launched a new culinary job training program in Everett, developed strong partnerships and continued to provide life-changing services to those who need them most.

Chef Andy Husbands inspires at Commencement

Long-time supporter of NECAT and award-winning “Pit Master” Andy Husbands was the guest speaker at our graduation ceremony for cohorts 24 and 25. Husbands is owner and founder of the Smoke Shop restaurants with three locations in Boston. He has hired NECAT graduates, including Troy Young who is…

Encore Boston Harbor’s Amazing Giving Tuesday Event

The highly-anticipated five-star gaming resort, Encore Boston Harbor held its first fundraiser to benefit NECAT. The event took place in NECAT’s beautiful Boston training center on Giving Tuesday, on the same day that Encore announced its commitment to donate $10 million over the next four years to support a range of…

A Model That is 50 Years Strong

NECAT came to life in 2013, not long after our founder Maarten Hemsley met Bill Strickland, the social entrepreneur and charismatic leader of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation in Pittsburgh. Strickland had built a successful model of education and training nonprofits and Hemsley was inspired to create one in…

NECAT Caters the Boston Foundation’s Annual Meeting

NECAT was honored to have the opportunity to feeds the guests of The Boston Foundation’s Annual Meeting last night in their beautiful offices. NECAT has been a grantee of the Foundation for more than five years. The Foundation’s mission is to devote its resources to building and sustaining a…

NECAT’s 5th Anniversary – Five Years Strong

On October 25, 2018 NECAT held a very special evening to celebrate our fifth anniversary and to show appreciation to the supporters and advocates who have helped us achieve this incredible milestone. Awards were given to the following honorees who have been true champions for NECAT: “Big Time”…

NECAT officially launched its Alumni Association

NECAT officially launched its Alumni Association with a special lunch for graduates.

Celebrating 33 New NECAT Grads

NECAT had two exciting graduations this week.

NECAT Graduate is Baking for Good

NECAT graduates are working across Boston, in every type of industry

NECAT’s Everett Site Graduates its First Class

NECAT is thrilled to announce that the first Everett class graduated on April 28, 2018.