ATLANTA (June 19, 2024) – The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards® officially broke ground on Juneteenth, becoming Atlanta’s first Black-owned, plant-based commercial shared kitchen, situated in The Nia Building®, the anchor of Southwest Atlanta’s Pittsburgh Yards development named after the Kwanzaa principle meaning, “purpose.”
The day included speakers, storytellers, cultural artists, and an opportunity to experience plant-based foods. The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards’ purpose is multifaceted, including educating the community on the benefits of plant-based eating and making it accessible in an inspiring way. It will also serve as a beacon for food equity, striving to end food apartheid and empower the African American community by reclaiming control over their food systems as The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards has reclaimed the historic agricultural land on which it sits. In the 1900s, the site where The Food Studio will grow, was used for farmland by Clark College’s (now Clark Atlanta University) agricultural department.
“The Food Studio won’t just be a place for food, it will be a place where our culinary heritage comes alive, enabling community members to achieve both nutritional and financial self-sufficiency,” said Kevin McGee “Chef Kev”, executive director, Urban Oak Initiative and founder of The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards. “By providing access to fresh, healthy food alongside entrepreneurship, educational and economic opportunities, The Food Studio will be fostering a dynamic intersection of community, culture, and cuisine while revitalizing and ensuring valuable cultural traditions are not just preserved but celebrated.”
As a 100 percent community-based, plant-based, shared commercial kitchen incubator and accelerator, it strives to be a beacon of hope for aspiring “foodpreneurs” (food entrepreneurs) who will help bring the importance and possibilities of plant-based food preparation and eating to Atlanta’s Southside residents while giving plant-based “foodpreneurs” a place to create.
“We are elated that The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards has broken ground and is that much closer to not only making this meaningful addition to the community a reality for food entrepreneurs, but also for the positive health benefits it will share with those in the surrounding communities who will now get to enjoy additional access to plant-based cuisine,” said Chantell Glenn, senior associate responsible for the development and operations of Pittsburgh Yards. “Focusing on re-circulating and putting dollars back into the community while educating people on the need for more fresh and healthy foods is a win-win for everyone. Chef Kev, with his fierce advocacy for the benefits of plant-based cuisine and support for Black entrepreneurship, couldn’t be a better person to own this opportunity.”
Through a host of engaging workshops, cultural events, and collaborative projects, The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards will ultimately unify and reconnect people with traditional foods and cooking practices through its membership-based model of participation. Membership fees will be affordable and based on the amount of time a month the food preparer believes they will need.
McGee plans to use his platform as the owner of The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards to dispel the myths about preparing and eating plant-based foods and also helping to address the health disparities by educating area residents on the positive impact a plant-based diet has on one’s overall health. He believes everyone has the right to eat plant-based foods and that they should not be out of reach in pocketbook or pallet.
If interested in donating to or financially supporting the educational outreach and programming at The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards, go online to thefood.studio or contact info@thefoodstudio.org, and to watch the progress of the build-out, follow @urbanoakfood on Instagram and on all of Pittsburgh Yards’ social media platforms.
The Food Studio at Pittsburgh Yards is expected to be complete and ready for members before the end of 2024.
This post was curated by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on social media @Ntellectual.
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