James Peterson - Executive Director/Executive Chef

Having over thirty years of culinary experience, James Peterson, Founder Chef of J&P Caterers has worked as diligently in the community as in the kitchen. An Executive Board Member of One Hundred Black Men, Incorporated, Board Member of The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, and a member of I.F.A.M.M. Timothy Scott #331, has received numerous accolades from outstanding work in the Metropolitan New York Area, including the Emerging Business Award from The City of New York, and recognitions for his Hurricane Katrina relief program, “Project Revitalization/Project Return.” His experience in mobilizing materials, donations, and manpower to areas most in need in the New Orleans area, Mr. Peterson is most experienced in development effective strategies, and initiating plans that can not only enrich but save lives. He has also worked extensively in the hospitality circuit of New York City, having performed in the finest five-star hotels in the world. James is the active and dedicated force on the front lines for EAT, being a seasoned mentor and teacher to the young men and women who we serve.

EAT (Environmental and Agricultural Training) with Culinary Arts Professionals.

EAT with Culinary Arts Professionals is an attempt to accomplish a number of tasks with one program. The course was started by James Peterson in 2008 as an attempt to combat the disconnect children in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods have with food source. The original program was held at the Eagle Boys Academy which was a charter school supported in large part by a group called 100 Black men. The current program curriculum was developed during his work with the boys at the Academy and encompases a wide range of topics that help to drive home the many social and economic messages our youth need to grasp to be prepared to go out into the world.

About a month ago James approached the Frederick Douglas Academy, which also holds a middle school called the Waleigh Academy, about possibly bringing his program to the school. The school chancellor and principal found the money to have the program run for a little over a month starting February 1st so James is now condensing a year of curriculum into a month with guest speakers and an abbreviated course scheduel. At the end of the program the students will put on a cocktail reception for city politicians, 100 black men members, city hospitality professionals, their parents, and the school chancellor in order to prover the merit of the program and possibly gain more funding to continue the course through the end of the school year.

The students are from Manhattan, the South Bronx and Staten Island and many of them live in neighborhoods where they don't have access to fresh produce except for their local bodega. Many of the 12 students come from single parent homes where they are the ones cooking for brothers and sisters with limited resources and want to learn how to cook more diverse and more nutritious foods, but dont know how which is why many of them signed up for this class. Also the course is about eco justice and making them aware of the issues that face black and brown people as a result of poor eating habits and particularly the fact that the neighborhood, community, city, state, country has too much at steak not to understand how what they eat effects everything else in their lives, or at least is connected to every other facet of their lives.

The classes are held after school monday through friday held from 3-6pm at the Frederick Douglas Academy II at 215 W 114th street at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, Harlem NY 10026-2802. for more information about presenting or about EAT please contact the following

James Peterson
Executive Director
Eat with Culinary Arts Professionals
(646) 270-7795
jamesp@eatonline.org
www.eatonline.org


Therese Nelson
Executive Chef
Get Em Girl Inc.
(862)588-9173
therese@getemgirlscatering.com
www.getemgirlscatering.com
www.getemgirls.com
www.blackculinaryhistory.com