Registration is now open to Richmond's 6th district!

Here's what you'll get:

What you'll learn:

One cooking class a week

Smart Soul Food offers cooking classes once a week for 6 weeks with 6 classes in total. Join us to learn simple, healthy recipes and build your skills with guidance from food and nutrition experts!

Free food bundle every class

You will receive a free fresh ingredient bundle at every Smart Soul Food class, complete with easy-to-follow recipes you can make again and again. Each bundle can feed up to six people!

Learn tips from a celebrity chef

Chef Steve Glenn, Hell’s Kitchen finalist and Culinary Director, will teach you key cooking skills and tips. With his help, you’ll learn to make tasty, healthy meals easily.

A picture of someone using the Smart Soul Food dashboard

Cooking skills

You'll learn essential cooking techniques, from basic knife skills to advanced culinary methods, tailored to diverse cultural cuisines and dietary needs. The program also emphasizes creativity and resourcefulness in the kitchen, empowering you to prepare delicious, health-conscious dishes.

Recipe ideas

Learn to craft your own culinary creations, experimenting with different ingredients to develop unique and delicious dishes. This program encourages creativity, helping you transform everyday ingredients into memorable and healthy meals.

Healthy lifehacks

Discover life hacks to make your favorite recipes healthier without sacrificing flavor. Learn simple tips and tricks to reduce sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats while still enjoying delicious meals. These easy changes will help you create nutritious dishes that fit seamlessly into your everyday life.

Who started the Smart Soul Food initiative?

Smart Soul Food is an initiative piloted by 6th District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson. It represents a partnership between the City of Richmond, the Department of Parks and Recreation, UGK Community First, and Councilwoman Robertson herself. This program aims to provide nutritious, delicious meals to the community, leveraging the strengths of each partner to promote better health and well-being for residents. Together, they focus on diverse recipes and dietary needs, teaching valuable cooking skills and practical learning for healthier eating.

Chef Steve Glenn

Hell's Kitchen S20 Finalist

UGK Culinary Director

Chef Steve Glenn, a finalist on Hell's Kitchen, now works in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia. After competing on TV and working as a private chef, he's now the head chef at UGK Community First, a non-profit that feeds people in need. Chef Steve makes healthy meals using local ingredients from farms around Richmond, all inspired by his grandmother's cooking. He believes good food can change lives.

With Chef Steve and Smart Soul Food, you can master the fundamentals of cooking while also gaining insight into the techniques Glenn learned during his time in the professional culinary world. Through hands-on lessons, you will be encouraged and inspired to expand your own culinary imagination.

Learn from the best

FREE COOKING LESSONS
AND FRESH INGREDIENTS!

Learn to make your favorite meals from scratch with wholesome ingredients and expert guidance. Each class includes cooking skills and a take-home food bundles with recipes, all for free!

Classes begin January 30th. Every Thursday from 5-6PM for 6 weeks.

Join the waitlist

Registration for the fall schedule is now open to Richmond's 6th district!

Check your address to see if you qualify.

Check your address

A chef cutting pieces of pasta with a dye