Business Details
19 Years
experience
Hungry Heart Cafe: Social Impact Dining in St. John's
Hungry Heart Cafe has been a leader in social enterprise since 2007, dedicated to transforming lives through culinary arts training and employment opportunities. Our mission focuses on empowering individuals facing barriers to inclusion by providing comprehensive culinary training, mentorship, and life skills development. As part of Stella's Circle, we combine exceptional food services with a commitment to social justice, fostering economic independence and community resilience. Our team collaborates to address food insecurity through initiatives like the Meals Squared program, which provides nutritious meals to those in need. With over 17 years of experience, we offer catering services that blend exceptional cuisine with measurable social impact, operating Monday to Friday with weekend events available upon request.Our accreditation by Buy Social Canada underscores our dedication to ethical practices and community-driven outcomes. We maintain partnerships with local organizations to ensure our participants receive holistic support, from kitchen skills to sustainable employment. Every meal served reflects our values of dignity, inclusion, and positive change, creating a welcoming environment where both staff and customers contribute to meaningful social progress.
Services
Catering Services
Culinary Training
Employment Programs
Meals Squared Program
Community Collaboration
Social Impact Dining
Details
- Year established: 2007
Highlights and features
- We have 18 years of experience empowering individuals through culinary training programs.
- Our team provides mentorship and life skills alongside job training for sustainable employment.
- We operate the Meals Squared program that addresses local food insecurity.
- We are Atlantic Canada's first Buy Social Canada accredited social enterprise.
- Our staff includes industry professionals with extensive hospitality experience.
Associations and certifications
- Buy Social Canada
Services
Catering Services
Our catering services deliver exceptional cuisine for corporate events, meetings, and special occasions. Available Monday to Friday with weekend options upon request, our menus combine culinary excellence with social impact. Every catering order supports community empowerment programs.
Culinary Training
Comprehensive culinary training programs develop professional kitchen skills while addressing employment barriers. Participants gain hands-on experience in food preparation, safety, and service through structured mentorship and practical instruction.
Employment Programs
Our employment initiatives provide pathways to sustainable careers through combined culinary instruction and life skills development. Programs include mentorship, workplace readiness training, and community partnerships for lasting employment outcomes.
Meals Squared Program
This community initiative provides nutritious meals to individuals facing food insecurity. For every customer donation, we deliver meals prepared by our culinary team, addressing immediate needs while supporting long-term community resilience.
Social Impact Dining
Our cafe offers inclusive dining experiences where every meal contributes to social change. Diners directly support employment programs and community development through their patronage, creating a sustainable model for positive impact.
People
Brian Hewitt
Chef Coordinator
With 13 years in hospitality, Brian specializes in kitchen management and mentorship. He focuses on using culinary skills to create positive life changes for program participants through hands-on training and professional development.
Isolde Neis-Evans
Catering Coordinator
A seasoned hospitality professional with over five years at Hungry Heart, Isolde manages catering operations while maintaining strong customer relationships. Her industry experience spans multiple roles across Atlantic Canada's food service sector.
Paul Furey
Caf Representative
As a founding team member with 17 years of service, Paul embodies our customer-first approach. He demonstrates how our programs transform lives, having transitioned from program participant to valued staff member through Stella's Circle support.
Nick Gardner
Catering Chef
Nick combines culinary expertise with instructional experience, teaching participants while managing catering production. With diverse career backgrounds, he emphasizes teamwork's role in creating meaningful social impact through food services.
Zachary Porter
Chef Apprentice
A seven-year kitchen veteran, Zachary graduated with honors in Culinary Arts. He specializes in our Meals Squared program, sharing expertise in food preparation while exemplifying our commitment to training and community support.
Questions
What makes Hungry Heart Cafe & Catering unique?
We combine culinary excellence with social impact by providing training and employment opportunities for individuals facing barriers to workforce inclusion through our Stella's Circle partnership.
How does the Meals Squared program work?
Customers can add donations to their bills, with $4 providing one nutritious meal to Stella's Circle participants. This initiative addresses food insecurity while supporting our training programs.
What catering services do you offer?
We provide weekday catering for corporate events, meetings, and special occasions with customizable menus. Weekend services are available upon request, combining exceptional cuisine with social impact.
How long have you been operating?
We've been delivering culinary services with social purpose since 2007, celebrating over 17 years of community impact and workforce development programs.
What accreditation do you hold?
We're Atlantic Canada's first Buy Social Canada accredited social enterprise, recognizing our commitment to ethical practices and measurable community benefits.
