Q: What inspired you to leave your job as a chef and launch First Slice?

A: I had a great restaurant career, but I felt like I had to make a choice about whether or not to stay. I wanted to be home at night reading books to my little girl instead of slaving away in the kitchen. I was also reading a lot about Jane Addams. She ran her own community kitchen that served food to people living on the street. She also helped women who were trying to enter the workforce. Jane Addams is still very much the inspiration for First Slice. I also started volunteering in soup kitchens, and I realized feeding forty to fifty people takes talent. I never thought of using my skills that way until then.

Q: What kind of food do you cook at First Slice?

A: Last year we made a lot of Cajun food to feed displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina. We also get a lot of requests for food with Latin flavors, dishes that might use tortillas. Smothered pork chops are really popular. A pot of greens is definitely a big thing, because most people on the street don’t have access to farm-fresh produce. It’s interesting: A lot of our clientele grew up in rural communities, and they know more about growing fruit and vegetables than I do. They ask really specific questions about the soil and the farming methods. It’s wonderful that we can make that fresh-from-the-farm connection.

A student volunteer helps prepare a meal at First Slice.