Mark Bittman Launches Urgent Community Kitchen Project in NYC
BREAKING: Renowned food journalist Mark Bittman has just announced the launch of the Community/KITCHEN, a revolutionary non-profit restaurant project located in the Lower East Side of New York City. This pilot initiative aims to provide equitable access to quality meals, operating on a sliding scale from $15 to $125 for diners, with staff earning over $32 per hour.
Starting on September 19, the Community/KITCHEN will serve dinner four days a week, from Wednesday to Saturday, at The Lower East Side Girls Club on 7th Street and Avenue D. The project merges high-quality, locally sourced meals with a strong commitment to fair wages for kitchen staff, creating a unique dining experience that prioritizes social equity.
“This is food for everyone—sourced from farmers who care about their land and workers,” Bittman stated. The initiative reflects a growing movement to redefine accessibility in the culinary world, where high-quality meals are often out of reach for many.
The team behind this innovative project includes Mavis-Jay Sanders, a James Beard Award-winning chef with a strong focus on food justice, and Rae Gomes, an advocate for food equity and community development. They are committed to creating a welcoming space where diners from all backgrounds can enjoy delicious meals together.
Bittman’s vision stems from his desire to make “good food” accessible to everyone. “How do you make it accessible? You do a sliding scale,” he explained. The restaurant aims to gather feedback during its three-month pilot, allowing New Yorkers to shape the future of Community/KITCHEN.
The advisory board boasts culinary heavyweights, including Alice Waters and José Andrés, amplifying the project’s credibility and reach. Gomes emphasizes the importance of aligning the restaurant with community values. “We wanted the site to resonate with the neighborhood,” she said.
As the opening approaches, the team is eager to connect with the local community to ensure the restaurant reflects diverse culinary traditions. “We want to create a space where people feel relaxed and enjoy themselves,” Sanders added.
This groundbreaking initiative not only addresses food accessibility but also seeks to foster community connections through shared dining experiences. The team hopes that the Community/KITCHEN can serve as a model for future projects, demonstrating that high-quality dining can coexist with social responsibility.
Stay tuned for updates as this pilot program launches, and watch how it could redefine the dining landscape in New York City.
