Memorial Lifestyle “Foodie Issue”
Thank you Memorial Lifestyle for including BELONG in your monthly issue! Check out page 54! Link to article
Latuli : August Guest Chef
August 4th Chef Bryan Caswell – Allison Knight, Latuli We’re thrilled to welcome the team from Memorial’s newest hot spot, Latuli, to our guest chef program! Chef Bryan Caswell and entrepreneur Allison Knight joined forces to bring Latuli to the neighborhood. Latuli celebrates Caswell’s bold Gulf-Coast inspired cuisine and the duo’s deep Texas roots. Latuli’s menu embraces Houston’s multicultural influences, while being mindful of where the ingredients in every dish originate. Bryan is a renowned chef who worked his way through America’s leading kitchens, including his chef and longtime mentor, Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Caswell lead previous Houston restaurants Reef, El Real and Stella Sola. Our employees enjoyed cooking with Bryan and learning about his delicious “coastal cuisine” featured at the restaurant. Straight from the menu, the delicious Orecchiette with Fennel Sausage, Broccolini and Romano is sure to please! Hearty and flavorful, we know everyone at your table is going to love this one! Available every Wednesday in August, while supplies last!
Chef Diego Fernandez : June Guest Chef
June 4th Chef Diego Fernandez – Culinary Director, Adair Concepts A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Diego Fernandez brings deep industry experience and creative vision to Adair Concepts. His career includes roles at Michelin 3-star restaurants Alinea and Quince, as well as Roister in Chicago, and leadership positions at Ritz-Carlton properties in Florida and Lone Mountain Ranch in Montana. He also served on the R&D team at Pappas Restaurants. Born in Mexico City and raised in San Antonio, Fernandez returned to Texas in 2014 to collaborate with his father, Chef Rene Fernandez of Azuca. He joined Adair Concepts at a pivotal moment for the family-run company, as it expands beyond Houston with new locations in San Antonio and Fredericksburg. At Adair as the Culinary Director, Fernandez oversees all kitchen operations and menu development. Adair Concepts In 1988, Gary Adair opened Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill in West University. Gary, passing the torch to his children, Nicholas Adair and Katie Barnhart, the family has expanded to become Adair Concepts, named as one of Houston’s premier restaurant companies. The group is home of Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill, Los Tios Mexican Restaurants, Adair Kitchen, Adair Downtown, Bebidas, Betsy’s at Evelyn’s Park, Buffalo Grille, and Eloise Nichols Grill & Liquors. Staying true to their roots, Adair Concepts is family owned and operated, passionate about quality, and being a part of our local neighborhoods. Be sure to grab Adair Chicken Macha from Belong every Wednesday during June!
Arturo Boada : March Guest Chef
March 4th Arturo Boada, Arturo Boada Cuisine In his 50 years of restaurant experience, Chef Arturo Boada has created many locally recognized restaurants and accumulated national awards.At present, Mr. Boada is the proud owner and operator of Arturo Boada Cuisine. This 20-table boutique neighborhood restaurant, nestled in the Tanglewood neighborhood, offers a unique blend of Spanish and Italian cuisine. The restaurant has been recognized with several awards, including the 2012 and 2016 Houston Press “Best Neighborhood Restaurant” and the 2012 Houston Press “100 Favorite Dishes.” These accolades are a testament to the exceptional dining experience that Chef Boada and his team consistently deliver. Belong employees enjoyed a field trip to Arturo’s kitchen and learned how to make Chicken Provenzale. Our employees were treated to a private dining experience and enjoyed tasting delicious pasta dishes prepared by Arturo along with delicious rolls and creme brûlée spoons for dessert! Be sure to grab Arturo’s Chicken Provenzale from Belong every Wednesday during March and stop by his neighborhood restaurant on Del Monte for an unforgettable experience!
Richard Kaplan : November Guest Chef
November 6th Richard Kaplan, Weights + Measures and Brown Paper Chocolates Richard Kaplan, renowned Houston chef and entrepreneur, joined us for a tasty afternoon in the kitchen! Richard was an executive chef and partner at the award- winning Mid-Town restaurant, bake shop and bar, Weights + Measures. Prior to that, Richard founded and operated Brown Paper Chocolates, a gourmet chocolate company specializing in unique and flavorful chocolate combinations. Richard taught our employees how to make his amazing recipe for meatloaf and creamed spinach. This is NOT your mother’s or grandmother’s meatloaf! It is quite decadent. Bursting with a complex flavor profile, Richard’s meatloaf includes a combination of ground beef, veal, pork and chopped bacon along with secret spices and a sauce that tops it all off. Served with his delicious creamed spinach and our own signature garlic mashed potatoes, this hearty meal will be a crowd pleasure for sure.
Houston’s Belong Kitchen: A recipe for inclusion
Houston’s Belong Kitchen: A recipe for inclusion by Unity Celebrating Food, Art, and Culture Unity is published in February (Black History Month), March (Women’s History Month), May (Asian Pacific American Heritage Month), June (Pride Month), August (Back to School), September (Hispanic Heritage Month), October (National Disability Employment Awareness Month), November (Native American Heritage Month) and December (Holiday Celebrations Around the World). National Disability Employment Awareness Month – October 2024 Edition No. 122 Link to article Twenty-three-year-old Ellie Brown washes dishes four days a week at Belong Kitchen in Houston, Texas. Ellie loves baseball, and the day Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly walked into the kitchen is memorable. Taking a photograph with Pressly meant a lot. “He came (at the end of) my shift,” Ellie explains. “It felt good.” Ellie’s mother, Kim Brown, founded Belong Kitchen in 2019 when she realized there weren’t many opportunities for her daughter after finishing high school. Ellie was born with intellectual and developmental delays. Kim traveled the state, talking with people who hired employees with IDD and searching for the right kind of business to create for her daughter. A cooking class Ellie attended in high school gave Kim the idea for Belong Kitchen: Mass produce grab-and-go family meals for community members to buy with a mission to provide “dignified, meaningful, paid employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in a nurturing environment. These individuals struggle to find jobs, purpose and social connections.” The response was strong, and Kim raised enough money through individual donors, grants and a cooking competition to rent retail space and purchase kitchen equipment. Houston restaurateurs, family and friends jumped in to help launch Belong Kitchen. “I wanted to change the narrative, from the public’s perspective,” says Kim, Belong Kitchen’s executive director. “When someone walks into an establishment and they see my daughter working, that should be the norm, not the exception. I think if we change the perception, it will go a long way to give them more opportunities.” Belong Kitchen depends on 30 paid employees who are disabled and a pool of 75 community volunteers to produce family meals such as chicken pot pie and king ranch chicken casserole, a popular Mexican comfort dish. Each meal feeds four to six people and is available for pick up Monday through Friday. Employees work in three-hour shifts and receive wage increases as they gain experience. “We think there should be one of these in every city,” Kim says. “As a parent, you want your child to be accepted and feel like they are contributing and that they belong. Our community has embraced our employees, our concept and our food.” Belong Kitchen • Village Towers Plaza • 9655 Katy Freeway, Suite 3105 • Houston, Texas • 713-636-2875
Leaf & Grain : October Guest Chef
October 2nd Leaf & Grain, Deets Hoffman and Edward Thompson Growing up in Houston, Deets Hoffman always wanted to own a restaurant as a kid. After several years working, he saved up enough money to open the first Leaf & Grain in 2017, and they just opened their 4th Leaf & Grain in Tanglewood-Briargrove in the old Zoe’s on San Felipe! Edward Thompson moved to Houston in 2017 to help open Leaf & Grain where he does culinary development and manages operations. Edward grew up in Arkansas and has a life-long passion for food and cooking. Leaf and Grain is a small, Houston-based restaurant company dedicated to serving delicious, filling food that’s also good for you! Belong employees enjoyed an afternoon with Deets and Edward learning how to make an amazing salmon dish with a yogurt caper sauce accompanied by roasted sweet potatoes and green beans. We’re so honored to partner with this incredible team and we know you’re going to fall in love with their healthy, tasty meal! Be sure to grab these every Wednesday during October!
KPRC 2 NEWS SEGMENT – Memorial City’s Belong Kitchen gives adults with disabilities work opportunities
Published: June 10, 2024 at 9:43 AM Belong Kitchen’s founder and director Kim Brown, along with employees Ellie, Sarah Beth, Christopher and Meagan share how the restaurant provides work opportunities for people with developmental delays and disabilities. See full video and article here! Tags: Belong Kitchen, Restaurant, Disabilities, Developmental Delays And Disabilities, Employment, Work, Memorial City https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p05n805o0Sc
PODCAST Cooking Up Opportunities at Belong Kitchen – Cruz through HTX
Belong Kitchen is a Houston-based organization that provides employment opportunities for individuals with developmental differences. The founder, Kim Brown, was inspired to start Belong Kitchen when she realized the lack of employment options for her daughter after high school. Belong Kitchen specializes in family meals and offers grab-and-go options that can be cooked at home. Guest chefs from around Houston teach recipes that Belong Kitchen reproduces for their customers. They aim to change the perception of what individuals with developmental differences are capable of and provide them with meaningful employment.
CHRON.COM Belong Kitchen offers paycheck, ‘dignity’ for adults with disabilities
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE ON CHRON.COM Belong Kitchen offers paycheck, ‘dignity’ for adults with disabilities Memorial City eatery boasts 30 employees and even more volunteers, including local celebrity chefs. By Erica Cheng,Food Reporter June 2, 2024 Tucked away behind a Memorial City office building parking garage lies Belong Kitchen. Known for its take-away family meals and grab-and-go lunches, the restaurant is more than just a restaurant. According to owner Kim Brown, Belong Kitchen tells the story of a “community coming together.” Located at 9655 Katy Fwy, Belong Kitchen originally began in Brown’s backyard, during the coronavirus pandemic. Along with her daughter Ellie, Brown and other family members would would cook homemade meals from her home kitchen, taking orders and selling through Instagram on Sunday nights. For Kim, Ellie was actually the inspiration behind the entire operation. “She has developmental delays … and unfortunately, after high school, there just aren’t a lot of opportunities for adults [with developmental delays],” Kim said. In addition, Kim said, much of the provisions for individuals with developmental delays focuses heavily on educational support during childhood. “Employment … really hasn’t been addressed yet,” Kim said. “Something like 80 percent of adults with developmental delays or intellectual differences are unemployed and it’s even worse in Texas.” In 2019, Ellie was a junior at Memorial High School nearby. With the prospect of graduation close, Kim started researching opportunities for Ellie, who enjoyed attending a culinary class in school. Pointing to Ellie’s interest in cooking and Kim’s own abilities as a homecook, the Browns naturally started looking at the food industry. In their home kitchen, Kim and Ellie would practice new and old recipes, honing their skills while selling their meals to neighbors in the community. Soon, word spread and a network flourished. “We had met several other families with similarly situated young adults,” Kim said. Ellie and Kim were soon joined by seven other employees, who all worked from the Brown home kitchen. On the side, Kim visited brick-and-mortar locations and started fundraising for a larger, permanent space that could accommodate more people. Additionally, Kim made sure to visit other non-profit entities in the food industry, such as Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, to research how a similar model could work. Belong Kitchen officially opened in September 2021, alongside the popular Memorial branch of Tiny’s Milk and Cookies. Today, Belong employs 30 employees, as well as 75 regular volunteers. “It was important to us that they earn a paycheck and have the dignity that comes with that,” Kim said. “I want people to come in…and see my daughter and the employees and begin to expect that they should see them in society…They are capable and deserve to be incorporated.” To further grow her employees’ skills, local chefs often volunteer at Belong Kitchen, hosting classes and demonstrating new recipes. Past participants have included chefs José and Lily Arévalo from Brennan’s of Houston, as well as Johnny Carrabba, of the Carrabba’s restaurants. On the food side, Belong Kitchen’s rotates a circulating menu of grab-and-go family meals ranging from King Ranch casserole to tacos. The restaurant offers desserts, lunch and dinner meals, as well as catering services. Equipped with more than just meals, Brown knows that Belong is bigger than its brick-and-mortar space. “I think there should be a Belong for every community.” LINK TO FULL ARTICLE June 2, 2024 Erica Cheng FOOD REPORTER Born and raised in Houston, Erica is Chron’s Food Reporter and loves finding hidden gems throughout the city.
