Have you ever spotted a retrofitted box truck wrapped in a vegetable pattern driving around Philadelphia and Camden and thought, “there goes that [veggie] van again!” Perhaps it was a Vetri Community Partnership Mobile Teaching Kitchen on its way to a food pantry, food distribution, community garden, or farmers market.
The idea for the Mobile Teaching Kitchen truck was first sketched by Chef Marc Vetri with input and collaboration from Kelly Herrenkohl, our then-Executive Director. Kelly was able to talk Marc, ever the dreamer, down from an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer to the customized Ford Transit that operates today.
Programmatically, conversations with Steveanna Wynn, the Share Food Program’s Executive Director from 1989 through 2018, reaffirmed the need for a mechanism to encourage the consumption and enjoyment of nutritious foods. Food access partners in Philadelphia, like Share Food, work tirelessly to increase food access for our neighbors. But, what about the second level of food access – encouraging and ensuring that the food gets into people’s bodies in a sustained, nutritious, and delicious way? The Mobile Teaching Kitchens help to address this need. By pairing cooking education with food access, MTK strives to bridge the gap between nutrition security and community health for all Philadelphians.
Imagine buying, schlepping, and preparing ingredients that either a) you don’t care for or b) your family members give a thumbs down to. Feels risky! Now, if you’re able to taste something, ask questions about it, take a recipe card, and maybe even get a thumbs up from a house member, some of that risk has been removed. Consistent visits to partner sites helped build relationships with our neighbors, and, through this, we’ve learned that Mobile Teaching Kitchen visits have helped people to take skills home to learn how to cook. When paired with partner food distributions or markets, conversations, cooking demonstrations, food samples, and recipe cards can lead to lasting change.
In a recent evaluation done by graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania, we learned that all respondent partners received positive feedback from participants about the Mobile Teaching Kitchen visits, from the recipes to the approachability of the skills taught. Partners also reported that participants increased their knowledge of produce options, likelihood of trying new food, and confidence in the kitchen through interactions with the Mobile Teaching Kitchens. A partner said, “The Mobile Teaching Kitchen takes our shops to the next level. Not a lot of Philly organizations do what MTK does. They’re not just talking about cooking, but they are demonstrating it live time. MTK creates a more unique experience.”
The Mobile Teaching Kitchens have also inspired others organizations around the country to build their own Mobile Teaching Kitchens! Organizations in South Carolina, Florida, and New York have reach out to Vetri Community Partnership to learn more about the how, what, and why of the Mobile Teaching Kitchens. Harlem Grown in New York City built their Mobile Teaching Kitchen in 2021, inspired by our blueprints, vendors, proof of concept, and lessons learned.
From our own neighbors in Philadelphia to neighbors in communities around the U.S., Mobile Teaching Kitchens help to bring nutrition education through cooking. Vetri Community Partnership is proud to be a leader in the mobile education movement and to support the selection, consumption, and enjoyment of fruits and vegetables. If you see us rolling through your neighborhood, give us a wave (or better yet, a visit!).
