News

On March 31, Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center celebrated the sixth graduation of our Kitchen Cura program, honoring Malcolm Scott, Jarvis Smith, and Reuel Deadwyler after six months of dedicated work, growth, and transformation.

Kitchen Cura is a six-month, paid vocational culinary internship designed for individuals in recovery, providing a spiritually-informed path towards meaningful work and independence. Rooted in the Jesuit value of cura personalis - care for the whole person - the program offers not only hands-on culinary training, but also financial counseling, emotional support, and spiritual direction.

More than 60 friends, family members, donors, and staff gathered for the celebration, which concluded with a lunch prepared by the graduates themselves, a tangible expression of the skills and confidence they have developed.

Executive Director Maria Cressler opened the ceremony by reflecting on the deeper purpose of the program:

“What makes Kitchen Cura so unique is that Ignatius House not only trains folks in the culinary arts but also accompanies them on the journey of discovering their giftedness and belovedness.”

She spoke of Ignatius House as a place where people come “searching for their God… to be known… and to discover that they are indeed God’s beloved,” reminding graduates that their work in the kitchen is also a form of service - helping others encounter that same love.

Using a vivid image, she encouraged the graduates to see their lives as something still unfolding:

“You are a sacred temple, filled with the dough of your life: your potential, your gifts, your hopes and dreams… God the Creator is kneading you to perfection.”

Maria concluded by thanking Malcolm, Jarvis, and Reuel for their courage and dedication, honoring the journey they have undertaken and the road ahead.

Director of Development Megan Denton followed with a reflection on the power of accompaniment and trust - core to both Kitchen Cura and the broader Ignatius House mission.

“Today is more than a graduation. It’s a witness… to what can happen when people are given space to grow… when they are met with belief… and when they decide, day after day, to keep showing up.”

She highlighted the role of donors and supporters who said “yes” to the program before knowing how each story would unfold:

“There was no certainty of the outcome… but there was trust. Trust that something good could take root.”

Turning to the graduates, she named what their journey revealed:

“You showed us what commitment looks like. What resilience looks like. What it means to choose something more - and to stay with it.”

The graduation marked not just the completion of a program, but the continuation of a path forward, one shaped by discipline, community, and hope.

Kitchen Cura began as a shared vision of Ignatius House chefs Calisha Smith and Don Williams, who sought to use their culinary expertise in service of something larger. Today, that vision continues to grow, forming a community where individuals are not only trained, but accompanied, where skills are developed alongside a renewed sense of purpose and belonging.

As guests shared a meal prepared by the graduates, the celebration became something more than ceremonial. It became a lived expression of what Kitchen Cura makes possible: transformation that is seen, shared, and sustained in community.

Kitchen Cura Graduation March 31, 2026