
Hot Bread Kitchen Empowers Women for a Post-Pandemic Restaurant Industry
March 17, 2022
“Seeing the impact of the pandemic on its ‘breadwinners,’ as program participants are called, Hot Bread Kitchen changed tack. ‘We really focus on economic mobility for more and more women to use the food industry holistically,’ Leslie Abbey, the CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen, told TriplePundit. With that in mind, in addition to increasing the number in their cohorts, the organization will open outposts throughout New York’s five boroughs to meet women where they live.”

Highlighting Black-owned business Nafi’s and their line of unique sauces
March 4, 2022
Watch small business owner Bintou of Nafi’s condiments on News12 – The Bronx speak about how she got picked up on FreshDirect after a Hot Bread Kitchen pitch event.

How 3 immigrant women honed new career paths at Hot Bread Kitchen
March 8, 2022
“Inci Mayo’s success at Hot Bread Kitchen in 2014 has led to longevity in baking. She landed a job on the bakery team at Whole Foods Market, took additional classes through the program with experts like Jeffrey Hamelman, and tirelessly pursued her new passion for pastry to eventually become the head baker at Restaurant Associates with Google. ‘I want to let other women to know that it’s a real game changer,’ Inci said. ‘You can really change your life.'”
Good Morning America online spoke to Inci, Kandy, and Fauzia about how Hot Bread Kitchen has supported their growth.

Non-Profit Culinary Company Hot Bread Kitchen Debuts At Chelsea Market In Manhattan
February 7, 2022
“Hot Bread Kitchen has connected nearly 300 “breadwinners” with jobs across the food industry and has supported over 250 small businesses through its food entrepreneurship program. The organization’s new headquarters is the latest milestone in the non-profit’s long-standing partnership with Chelsea Market to create retail spaces for small business owners, particularly women of color and immigrants.”

Nonprofit Chef Training Program Snags Chelsea Space, Google to Pay Rent
February 4, 2022
“This is a way for us to shepherd resources to people who really need them and that’s our members who are women of color and immigrant women who are coming to us to find a pathway to economic mobility,” Hot Bread Kitchen CEO Leslie Abbey told Commercial Observer. “The food industry is such a vital, vibrant industry here in New York City. It really can provide pathways for women.”

Nonprofit Culinary Training Program Expands at Chelsea Market, and Google Covers the Rent
January 31, 2022
“Fourteen-year-old Hot Bread Kitchen has taken over a 10,000 square foot space in Chelsea Market that used to be the Food Network Test Kitchen. Google, a longtime partner, will cover the rent for the next three years. The move from its previous location will allow Hot Bread ‘to focus our resources more directly on our programs and expansion, or, more plainly, to invest in breadwinners rather than rent,’ said Leslie Abbey, the CEO.”

How Godiva’s New Business Strategy Drives Growth And Advances Social Change
December 21, 2021
GODIVA spoke to Forbes about their support of Hot Bread Kitchen through the Lady GODIVA Initiative. Hot Bread Kitchen is one of five organizations worldwide selected to “empower women and positively impact society while embracing GODIVA’s mission to create awareness for these progressive initiatives with the hope of crafting a better future.”

Hot Bread Kitchen Offers Uncommon Holiday Gifts
December 13, 2021
“Hot Bread Kitchen, the well-established New York culinary [nonprofit] that has been the launching pad for scores of food entrepreneurs, often women and people of color, provides easy one-stop shopping for holiday baked goods and gifts, including new merchandise like branded sweatshirts and totes that benefit the nonprofit organization.” —Florence Fabricant

Why It’s Crucial To Support Black-Owned Businesses On Both Corporate, Consumer Levels
February 23, 2021
“There are so many organizations advancing the agenda for Black-owned businesses, such as [Capital One] partner Hot Bread Kitchen, which supports women, immigrant and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) food industry workers and entrepreneurs.”

What Does It Take to get Your Fish-fry Batter Sold at Whole Foods?
October 29, 2020
“Since 2010, Hot Bread Kitchen has helped over 250 entrepreneurs grow their food businesses with access to pitch sessions like this one. But this year’s program is bigger, with CommonWealth Kitchen in Boston and La Cocina in San Francisco involved.” Read about our first virtual small business event, The Food Entrepreneurship Forum.

Inside Hot Bread Kitchen on New York Live TV
October 2, 2020
New York Live TV’s Lauren Scala visited Hot Bread Kitchen and heard about our evolving support for small food businesses during the pandemic, and visited entrepreneurs Fauzia’s Heavenly Delights and Ginjan.

How this Nonprofit is Helping Hundreds of NYC Restaurants Adjust During the Pandemic
August 14, 2020
“I don’t want people to buy from us just because we’re an African American-owned business, I want people to buy from us and support our cause because it’s the best product line out there. The whole team at Hot Bread Kitchen has been so supportive and we’re really thankful to be aligned with such a wonderful organization.”

How Food Businesses Nationwide Are Handling Coronavirus
April 20, 2020
“It’s very difficult to estimate when our alumni will receive their unemployment benefits. In response, we’re committed to funding that income gap.” CEO Shaolee Sen shares Hot Bread Kitchen’s COVID-19 relief efforts.

Esteemed Nonprofit Hot Bread Kitchen Opens Huge New Brooklyn HQ
February 27, 2020
“Hot Bread Kitchen is no start-up — it’s been around for a decade and gained a reputation for establishing careers for women in the food industry.” Learn more about Hot Bread Kitchen’s new Brooklyn home.

Hot Bread Kitchen Teaches Women Skills to Get Their First Job
March 6, 2020
Go behind the scenes and see Hot Bread Kitchen’s workforce training program in action with Pix 11’s Mister G and Hot Bread Kitchen’s CEO Shaolee Sen.

Free Program Trains Women for Jobs in the Food Industry
November 19, 2019
“Hot Bread Kitchen helps women land jobs in the food service industry, completely free of charge. The program only accepts women—about half of whom are immigrants—and has a 100% job placement rate for its graduates.”

CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen on Going Beyond Basic Cooking Skills To Support Women, Entrepreneurs
April 26, 2019
Hot Bread Kitchen’s CEO joins ChedHER live to discuss how Hot Bread Kitchen is providing a culinary training program to prepare women to enter the workforce.

Behind Google’s Salad Bar, a Single Mother Who Found the Right Kitchen
December 3, 2018
Hear the incredible turnaround story of Zuleika Hernandez, a graduate of HBK’s training program who is now putting her newly-honed skills to work at Restaurant Associates, which operates the Google cafeteria.

At the Hot Bread Kitchen Conference, Ideas for a Better Restaurant World
November 7, 2019
Hot Bread Kitchen was thrilled to broaden the dialogue on how to build better workplaces for all at our first-ever Hot Bread Kitchen Conference. Explore some of the key ideas shared by the attendees and panelists who ranged from entry-level cooks, executive chefs, food entrepreneurs, and various stakeholders within and outside of the restaurant community.

Free Rent for Lucky Startups Brings New Tastes to Food Halls
May 24, 2019
Read about Hot Bread Kitchen’s partnership with Chelsea Market to bring diverse businesses to NYC’s famous food hall.

Annals of Obsession: For the Love of Bread
January 16, 2019
Get a peek into New York City bakeries and learn about the history of bread from experts, including Hot Bread Kitchen’s Karen Bornarth.