The food we eat can be more than the power that fuels us. At Forge City Works, it can be power for the soul, power to heal, and the power to promote positive growth and positive change. And not just in the life of an individual, but for the life of an entire community. Our community. The Greater Hartford area.

Our innovative social enterprises, The Kitchen Cafes and The Kitchen Catering, leverage a hands-on business approach to doing social good. From the locally sourced farm goods we serve at our restaurant tables, to the local farmers who supply our summer market at Forge City Works, we aim to be good stewards of the earth. And our intensive on–the-job culinary training provides formerly incarcerated individuals, adults facing employment challenges, and at-risk youths the opportunity to tackle traditional barriers to employment, counter recidivism and homelessness, and allow our graduates to flourish and build their futures. The revenue generated from our cafes and catering projects allows us to reinvest and continue fueling the cycle of positive impact.

We love our community and we love our community partnerships! Thanks to the local restaurants and corporate cafeterias that hire our culinary graduates, and the numerous companies that utilize our catering services, our continued success is funneled directly back into the community. And with our partnership with the Hartford Stage, members of our youth program can exchange their love of culinary arts for a growing love of theatre arts.

No need to be a passive investor, when you can be an active catalyst for change. We encourage you to participate in one of our entertaining cooking classes, have a party catered, or simply dine at one of our cafes or at our fine dining restaurant partner, Firebox Restaurant.

Come discover the impact that Forge City Works makes every day in our community and join our Food for Good mission.