Culinary Therapy is what’s cooking at Here’s Help

By Rixys Alfonso

While many substance abuse treatment facilities are still using traditional methods to treat their clients, Here’s Help one of South Florida’s premiere providers of residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment is offering their students an innovative approach coupled with traditional therapy, they call it #RecoveryThroughEducation.

The Badia Spices Culinary Arts Program being offered at Here’s Help alongside traditional therapy is helping young adults learn life changing culinary skills that will help them feed their bodies and nurture their minds. Badia Spices believes that being a member of a community means giving back through charitable and community investment. As such, the company’s President, Joseph “Pepe” Badia is a Board Director of Here’s Help and supports the educational organization’s over all operation. Although Badia Spices contributions are all embracing, the company has primarily focused on organizations that are based in South Florida, where Badia Spices is headquartered.

These innovative approaches help students not only become functioning members of society, but valuable contributors as well. Taught by Chef Michelle Jones, the Badia Spices sponsored Culinary Arts Program at Here’s Help is a 10-week hands-on training, combining classroom curriculum with cooking experience in an industrial kitchen. Students progress through achievement steps, with tests assessing progress before moving to the program’s next level. The goal is for the student to be designated Chef of the Week and given the responsibilities experienced in a restaurant environment (i.e. inventory and kitchen management, menu planning, and event coordination).  Curriculum includes preparation of healthy gourmet meals for clients in residential treatment.

The diverse components of the Badia Spices Culinary Arts Program come together much like ingredients to produce the perfect recipe of life with The Soul of Cooking!

###