It’s no coincidence that the largest room at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul building is the dining room. In an organization where 1,000 meals are served a day, the poor are no longer just being fed, they are also learning to cook and become great chefs.

Four times a year the Society - or SVdP - on 23rd Avenue accepts 20 standout individuals dealing with various levels of distress into its culinary academy and job placement program. Twelve weeks, 400 instruction hours and 30 tests later, the Kitchen of Champions Culinary Academy graduates “lean, mean cooking machines.”

The class of December 2010 is no different.