PROJECT COMMUNITY CHAMPION IS HELPING FAMILIES PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. I’M VERY HAPPY RIGHT NOW. >> PROFESSIONAL CHEF MARIO OCHOA VITAL SAYS AFTER HIS TIME IN CULINARY SCHOOL, HE DEDICATED HIS CRTAF TO CATERING LARGE PARTIES AND EVENTS. >> THAT’S WHY I DECIDED TO GO INTO THIS FIELD, BECAUSE I LIKE TALKING TO PEOE.PL >> BUT WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS CANCELED EVENTS IN OMAHA, THERE WERE NO MORE CLIENTS TO SEE HIS DELICIOUS FOOD. >> WHEN THE PANDEMIC H,IT EVERYONE WAS SENT TO WORK FROM HOME, AND THERE WAS NO STAFF TO SUPPORT US BEING IN THE BUIL. NG >> SO OCHOA VITAL’S KITCHEN SAT EMPTY UNTIL. ANNA CURRY WITH WHISPERING ROOTS SUGGESTED THEY PARTNER UP, AND RE-PURPOSE THE SPACE. >> WE SAID ’HEY YOU GOT TIME.’ AND WE CAN’T DO CLASSES. LET’S COME TOGETHER AND TRY THIS OUT.’ AND, IT’S JUST EXPLODED. >> SHE SAYS WHEN THE PANDEMIC STRUCK, WHISPERING ROOTS WAS ALSO IN A TRANSITION PERIOD, MOVING AWAY FROM FOOD EDUCATION TO FEEDING HUNGRY BELLIES THE — BELLIES. THE ORGANIZATION DISTRIBUTED USDA FOOD BOXES AROUND THE O.TRME >> THEY WERE ALL AROUND THE COMMUNITY, THESE PRODUCE BOXES AND MEAT BOX.ES AND WHATE WFOUND WAS PEOPLE WEREN’T ACTUALLY ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH THOSE IF THEY DIDN’T HAVE A KITCH.32EN — KITCHEN. SO WE JUST REALLY SAW A NEED FOR READY-TO-EAT MEALS. >> CURRY SAYS WITH OCHOA-VITAL’S EXPERT SKILLS, THE ORGANATIZION WAS LEAB TO PRODUCE GOURMET, HEALTHY DISHES FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> IF YOU N’C’T COOK, Y’REU’ PROBABLY EATING A LOT OF PROCESSED FOOD, READY-TO-EAT FOOD AND FAST FO.OD AN D SO WE’RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO CREATE A SCRATCH, CHEF-MADE MEAL FOR PEOPLE. SO IT’S A GOOD, QUALITY MEAL, NOT JUST SOMETHING EASY TO THROW TOGETHER. >> THE KITCHEN NOW PREPARES AS MANY AS 400 MEALS PER WEEK FOR PEOPLE FACING FOOD INSECITY.UR BUT FOR CHEF MARIO, THE QUALITY IS AIMS PORTANT AS THE QUANTITY. >> KNOWING THAT THE MEALS THAT WE PUT O AUTRE FEEDING PEOPLE THAT ARE POSSIBLY REALLY HUNGRY OR THIS MIGHT BE THEIR ONLY MEAL THAT THEY’RE GETTING FOR THE DAY, WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S ALWAYS A GREAT MEAL. TREAT THIS AS WE’I’RE WORKING I WI ATH HIGH-END CLIENT. >> IT’S WHAT HE IS DOING BEST.
‘It ties all of my passions’: Omaha chef repurposes catering business to help fight food insecurity
Chef Mario Ochoa Viral partnered up with local nonprofit Whispering Roots to prepare gourmet meals for those in need across eastern Nebraska
Professional chef Mario Ochoa Vital said after his time in culinary school, he dedicated his craft to catering large parties and events, but when COVID-19 canceled events in Omaha, there were no more clients to serve his delicious food. “When the pandemic hit, everyone was sent to work from home, and there was no staff to support us being in the building,” said Ochoa Vital.So, as Ochoa Vital’s kitchen sat empty until Anna Curry with Whispering Roots suggested they partner up and repurpose the space. “We said, ‘Hey you got time!’ And we can’t do classes. Let’s come together and try this out,'” said Curry. “And, it’s just exploded.” At the beginning of the pandemic, Whispering Roots was also in a transition period. The organization had moved away from strictly food education to feeding hungry bellies, distributing USDA food boxes around the Omaha Metro.”They were all around the community, these produce boxes and meat boxes,” said Curry. “And what we found was, people weren’t actually able to do anything with those if they didn’t have a kitchen. We just really saw a need for ready-to-eat meals.”Curry said with Ocho Vital’s expert skills, the organization was able to produce gourmet, healthy dishes for the community. “If you can’t cook, you’re probably eating a lot of processed food, ready-to-eat food and fast food,” said Ochoa Vital. “And so we’re actually trying to create a scratch, chef-made meal for people. So it’s a good, quality meal, not just something easy to throw together.”The kitchen now prepares as many as 400 meals per week for people facing food insecurity, but for Ochoa Vital, the quality is as important as the quantity. “Knowing that the meals that we put out are feeding people that are possibly really hungry or this might be their only meal that they’re getting for the day, we always want to make sure that it’s always a great meal,” said Ocho Vital. “We treat this as if we’re working with a high-end client.”Ochoa vital said now, cooking for those in need is his full-time job, and it’s what he’s doing best. “That’s why I decided to go into this field because I like talking to people,” said Ochoa Vital. “I love doing this every day because it ties all of my passions together.”
OMAHA, Neb. —
Professional chef Mario Ochoa Vital said after his time in culinary school, he dedicated his craft to catering large parties and events, but when COVID-19 canceled events in Omaha, there were no more clients to serve his delicious food.
“When the pandemic hit, everyone was sent to work from home, and there was no staff to support us being in the building,” said Ochoa Vital.
So, as Ochoa Vital’s kitchen sat empty until Anna Curry with Whispering Roots suggested they partner up and repurpose the space.
“We said, ‘Hey you got time!’ And we can’t do classes. Let’s come together and try this out,'” said Curry. “And, it’s just exploded.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, Whispering Roots was also in a transition period. The organization had moved away from strictly food education to feeding hungry bellies, distributing USDA food boxes around the Omaha Metro.
“They were all around the community, these produce boxes and meat boxes,” said Curry. “And what we found was, people weren’t actually able to do anything with those if they didn’t have a kitchen. We just really saw a need for ready-to-eat meals.”
Curry said with Ocho Vital’s expert skills, the organization was able to produce gourmet, healthy dishes for the community.
“If you can’t cook, you’re probably eating a lot of processed food, ready-to-eat food and fast food,” said Ochoa Vital. “And so we’re actually trying to create a scratch, chef-made meal for people. So it’s a good, quality meal, not just something easy to throw together.”
The kitchen now prepares as many as 400 meals per week for people facing food insecurity, but for Ochoa Vital, the quality is as important as the quantity.
“Knowing that the meals that we put out are feeding people that are possibly really hungry or this might be their only meal that they’re getting for the day, we always want to make sure that it’s always a great meal,” said Ocho Vital. “We treat this as if we’re working with a high-end client.”
Ochoa vital said now, cooking for those in need is his full-time job, and it’s what he’s doing best.
“That’s why I decided to go into this field because I like talking to people,” said Ochoa Vital. “I love doing this every day because it ties all of my passions together.”
