City of Rochester
News Release
(Thursday, May 9, 2019) - Throughout history, good food has brought people together – and today was no different as Mayor Lovely A. Warren and other officials gathered to celebrate the opening of a new community kitchen at the City of Rochester Public Market.
The Public Market Nutrition Education Center, located inside Shed B, is designed to host a variety of community nutrition and culinary programs. As part of today’s ribbon cutting, the Mayor was joined by City Council member and Foodlink’s Chief Programs Officer Mitch Gruber, Wegmans Community Relations Manager Linda Lovejoy and other friends and supporters of the Public Market.
The event also included Foodlink nutrition educators who put the kitchen through its paces to serve up a sample of one of their healthy recipes to visitors and patrons of the Market.
“Healthy eating is at the root of a healthy community, and there’s no better place to inspire healthy eating than at our popular Public Market with all its fresh, local foods,” said Mayor Lovely Warren. “This state-of-the-art nutrition education center adds value to the Public Market, making it a place where you can buy healthy, affordable food, learn how to prepare it, and enjoy being part of a community that’s excited about good food.”
Like many Public Market initiatives, the Nutrition Education Center is a team effort with Wegmans providing equipment and supplies for the new kitchen, state Sen. Joe Robach marshaling funding for capital costs and Foodlink providing guidance to stock, manage and maintain the kitchen along with its educational programming.
Foodlink educators, already a mainstay of nutrition programs and food sampling at the Market, will be offering free Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables workshops every Thursday and Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the kitchen.
The Friends of the Rochester Public Market are also designing a new Taste of the Market Series, which will bring in community organizations and guest chefs to offer cooking classes and other culinary programming.
To learn more about the Nutrition Education Center programs, go to www.cityofrochester.gov/marketkitchen or follow the Public Market on Facebook or Instagram.
Anyone interested in proposing a community nutrition or culinary program for the facility can call 428-7282 or email pmarket@cityofrochester.gov. The kitchen will not be available to rent or as a commissary for businesses involved in food production.
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News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo at 428-7135.