Chefs
Jen Franco Community Kitchen Partner
Jen Franco, emeritus culinary director at Food Shift in Alameda, CA specialized in devising methods to process foods for future use to keep them out of the waste stream and turning them into artisanal meals and upcycled products to uplift her community. Food Shift is a non-profit focused on recovering and revitalizing imperfect foods, creating delicious meals and products while simultaneously imparting culinary skills and job training. They strive to maximize nutritious food prepared and distributed to nourish their neighbors with the help of culinary program apprentices overcoming employment discrimination to uplift our community.
Their concept of “roots to shoots” cooking is exemplified in The Food Shift Kitchen Companion: Getting the Most Out of Your Food, a collection of recipes and stories from the Food Shift community. Each recipe provides inspiration and techniques to maximize ingredients already on hand, encouraging flexibility and substitution. The book includes a foreword from the Jacques Pépin Foundation and a recipe from Jacques.
Carrot Top Chimichurri with Pickled Carrots and Cauliflower
These recipes honor the humble carrot and use the entire vegetable, from root to top! The tops (fronds) are made into chimichurri, a piquant, South American sauce, marinade or condiment for grilled meats, fish or roasted vegetables. And the roots are pickled along with cauliflower in a simple brine that’s a starting point for your imagination. Add other vegetables, herbs or spices to make your own version.
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