Taproot Kitchen Finds Success with Catering Opportunities

When Amanda Love, progressive services specialist for Care For People Plus, was planning a holiday party for employees, she thought of Taproot Kitchen.

“I had read about Taproot Kitchen and was intrigued,’ Love said. ‘Some of our clients here are also involved with Taproot.”

According to its website, ‘Taproot Kitchen is a culinary venture whose main ingredients are people and produce: adults with autism and intellectual disabilities and fresh food gleaned from local farms. With these unique ingredients, our team creates artisan dishes that highlight the flavors of the season.’  

Working with local farms and community people, Taproot Kitchen teaches its clients the entire process of food preparation, from picking the produce to creating a meal.

Love contacted the organization to see if it would be amenable to catering the party for Care For People Plus, which is a government-funded program based in Bellefonte for individuals with intellectual disabilities. When Taproot Kitchen agreed to handle the Dec. 28 dinner, Love was overjoyed.

“It worked out well. It was less crowded than a restaurant and the food was wonderful,” Love said. “We ate salads and fresh bread, acorn squash with nuts and cranberries, macaroni and cheese and signature dishes of Taproot — meat pierogies and potato and cheese pierogies. Oh, and the desserts, they were fabulous.”

Taproot Kitchen has been working out of the kitchen of Good Shepherd Church, but are raising funds to renovate and create a commercial-grade kitchen at 318 S. Atherton, State College, where the group meets.

“We started about three years ago and we are attempting to grow into our goals,’ said Sharon Schafer, co-founder of Taproot Kitchen. ‘Our clients, many of them like to cook, and in time we hope to establish a culinary training program.

‘We have eight to 10 young adults with whom we meet and we are able to have them help with events, which they love. With a real training program in our plans, we are also looking into paying them.”

As the young people learn skills and develop their talents for cooking and serving, it builds pride. In turn, that benefits the families of Taproot Kitchen clients and the public.

“I want to make magic in working together,” said Schafer.