In July 2024, Latara joined the Kitchens for Good Culinary Apprenticeship Program with no prior cooking experience.
At the time, she was grieving the recent loss of her father while also caring for a family member with significant health needs.
Latara had every reason to put her own goals on hold. Instead, she chose to keep showing up for herself.
Her instructors immediately noticed her determination, but also saw how much she was balancing. Kitchens for Good offered Latara the option to defer to a later cohort. She chose to stay with her original class because, as she told her coordinator, finishing what she started mattered to her.
Finding Support at Kitchens for Good
Latara leaned into the support around her at Kitchens for Good.
When caregiving made it difficult to attend class, she communicated with her instructors and classmates. She accepted their support and made it a priority to return to the kitchen ready to learn.
As Latara moved from classroom instruction into paid on-the-job training, balancing work, training, and caregiving became even harder.
Latara realized she needed to step back. She chose to pause her participation in the program so she could provide full-time care for her family member.
For Latara, taking a break did not mean giving up.
At Kitchens for Good, we know that the path to economic mobility does not always follow a straight line. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes people need to pause before they can keep moving forward.
That is why we build flexibility into our programs. Apprentices can step away when life demands their attention and return when they are ready. They do not have to give up the progress they have already made.
Returning to the Kitchens for Good Culinary Apprenticeship
Four months later, Latara returned to Kitchens for Good and started working toward her goals again.
Her first on-the-job training position was temporary. But Latara remained determined to find a long-term job that was the right fit.
With support from Kitchens for Good, she found a position at Sycuan Resort as a hostess.
Her patience paid off. Latara recently celebrated two years with the resort. Within her first year, she moved from Front of House to Prep Cook. She also continued returning to KFG to complete the training hours required for her apprenticeship.
Lifting Others Along the Way
Latara’s own experience taught her a lot about finding balance during difficult times.
She began taking on an informal mentorship role with newer apprentices. She shared what she had learned and offered the same encouragement and support that had helped her earlier in her journey.
Latara officially graduated from Kitchens for Good in June 2026. She has since earned another promotion at Sycuan Resort.
Today, she prepares meals for professional football players at their training center.
She also cooks for young people who come to campus through the Right to Dream program. The program helps aspiring soccer players develop their skills both on and off the field.
Latara enjoys the variety of her work. From preparing dishes from different cultures to cooking for athletes and young people pursuing their own dreams, she says every day gives her another chance to learn and grow in the kitchen.
Looking Toward What’s Next
This year, Kitchens for Good was honored to nominate Latara for one of three $5,000 Jacques Pépin Foundation Memorial Grants.
Choosing one graduate was not easy. KFG ultimately nominated Latara because of her determination to keep moving forward and her commitment to lifting up the people around her.
If selected for a Jacques Pépin Foundation Memorial Grant, Latara hopes to launch a YouTube channel that shows home cooks how to make good food without spending a lot of time or money.
She plans to use the grant to purchase the equipment and appliances she needs to bring that vision to life.
We’re proud to have been part of Latara’s journey. From knowing when to pause to finding her way back, she has continued to move forward while helping others along the way.
We can’t wait to see where she goes next.