Spotlight on The Sylvia Center

Grand Street’s youth programs are built to foster critical thinking, creativity, healthy lifestyles, and culture. There’s no better place to do that than in the kitchen. 

Over the past decade, we’ve partnered with The Sylvia Center, a youth culinary arts organization educating young people on nutrition and well-being. What started out as a small collaboration has now grown into a strong partnership. Today, The Sylvia Center provides programming at 22 of our youth sites, including cooking classes, nutrition workshops, competitions, and support for our annual fundraiser, Taste of the Lower East Side.

The Sylvia Center understands that young people and their families in our communities often face disadvantages in staying healthy. Food deserts, low household incomes, or a lack of nutrition education can all lead to lifelong health challenges. The Sylvia Center’s research-based programs, led by diverse and talented chefs, provide safe learning environments for our participants.

“At a time when rising food costs and shrinking benefits are stretching families’ budgets, food education isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline,” says Barbara A. Glassman, CEO of The Sylvia Center.  “Partnerships like this allow us to respond in practical ways—creating supportive kitchen classrooms where young people gain real-world cooking skills, confidence, and resilience. We’re deeply grateful for our long-standing partnership with Grand Street, which makes this essential work possible.” 

The opportunities our participants have by learning from The Sylvia Center chefs allow them to explore cooking for fun or to strengthen their skills and consider a career in hospitality. Miguel Pizarro, Community School Director at Lower East Side Preparatory High School, has worked closely with The Sylvia Center for many years.

“Our partnership with The Sylvia Center has given our children the opportunity to grow and explore various career options in the Culinary Arts,” says Miguel. “They recently showcased recipes at Taste of the Lower East Side and The Art of Cooking, which helped participants make professional connections with restaurant owners and chefs.”

In addition to cooking at Taste of the Lower East Side, we’ve begun a new annual competition with The Sylvia Center named Taste Jr., bringing together our culinary programs from across the City to compete for the coveted prize of Top Chefs. 

Want to get a whiff of these programs in action? Join us this spring at Taste of the Lower East Side and try a sample of their hard work!