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News

Chef Andy Husbands inspires at Commencement

December 7, 2018

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 featured in a recent video produced by the Mayor’s Office for Financial Empowerment.

To a crowd of 18 graduates and their families and friends, Chef shared the story of his journey of working in kitchens as a young kid, making his way through culinary school, up until he saved $5,000 to invest in opening his first restaurant. Husbands acknowledged that the journey of staying in a job and working hard can be tiring and monotonous. But that the fundamental basics of making food for people is incredibly important.

“Food is cool. When you’re making food, you’re providing substance. When you’re cooking food, you’re feeding people. When you’re chopping an onion, do you think about how this is going to go in someone’s mouth? That you’re providing substance?

“Cooking is a higher calling. We are feeding people. It is an honor to feed people. I applaud you guys for doing this. I applaud you guys for cooking.”

Congratulations to all of our graduates, many of who are already in exciting new jobs at places including Legal Seafoods, NewBridge on the Charles, and Facebook’s new Cambridge office.  More photos from the evening can be seen here.




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https://www.ne-cat.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2018-12-13-at-11.41.22-AM.png 504 1088 competenow /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/logo.png competenow2018-12-07 16:08:092023-07-31 17:05:07Chef Andy Husbands inspires at Commencement

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About

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Gallery
History
Financials

Programs

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Apply Now

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NECAT
23 Bradston Street
Boston, MA 02118

(617) 442-3600
info@ne-cat.org

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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

NECAT Boston Training Center

NECAT Boston Training Center
23 Bradston Street
Boston, MA 02118

NECAT’s headquarters is our main training facility and home to our administrative offices. The Center includes a classroom auditorium with a demonstration kitchen, our teaching kitchen and the Career Services and Alumni Engagement Center. There are always two cohorts in session – Black Hats (the first seven weeks of training in the classroom) and Orange Hats (second seven weeks of training in the kitchen) and ten cohorts a year will graduate.

The next scheduled cohort start date is August 16, 2023. Click here to find out how you can register.

East Boston YMCA

215 Bremen Street
East Boston, MA 02128
617-569-9622

NECAT offers a 12-week culinary training program taught at the East Boston YMCA. The mission and program elements mirror NECAT’s Boston Program, but the geographic target areas for program participants and employment are focused in East Boston and Chelsea. Additionally, NECAT’s training in East Boston will be conducted in Spanish and English, respectful of the language and cultural diversity of local participants. East Boston has the largest percentage of Spanish speaking adults in Boston.

The next scheduled cohort start date is September 2023. Click here to find out how you can register.

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Behind the Walls

Suffolk County House of Correction (SCHC)

NECAT’s Behind the Walls program brings our holistic training program directly to the adults incarcerated at SCHC. Working in partnership with the re-entry team at SCHC, and using the prison’s teaching kitchen, a NECAT chef fulfills NECAT’s curriculum to the same standards as its Boston program. NECAT’s career services team provides job counseling and placement services when graduates are released from incarceration.