Diversity & Inclusion Events
From Scraps to Seen
An Unforgettable, Interactive Culinary Experience by Chef Kenny Minor
Chef Kenny Minor’s From Scraps to Seen helps companies increase their diversity and inclusion efforts through health and wellness. The birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Black History Month, Juneteenth and Black Music Month are wonderful opportunities to celebrate Black history and Black achievements.
Let’s take it a step further! Let’s celebrate Black history with heart and soul anytime time of year!
The Program
From Scraps to Seen is a live, virtual culinary and musical experience exploring the dynamic relationship between Black history, sound and flavor. As the “singing chef," Chef Kenny leads the production with a clear intention to uplift, inform and inspire his audience during these uncertain times.
The most popular variation of this program features an appearance by six-time Grammy Award-Winning singer BeBe Winans to discuss the role and impact of the Black church on culture and the uplifting power of gospel music as a source of light that fed spiritual journeys. This version of the program also features Dr. Karinn Glover, MD, Psychiatrist, Montefiore Medical Center, who discusses the impact of post-slavery in America and its impact on Black mental health.
In developing this program, Chef Kenny had two goals. First, he aimed to create a day of conversation, connection, and incredible food. Second, he wanted to offer an event where all you have to do is say yes to the option that best suits your company and employees. He takes care of the rest!
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is trying to put something together at the last minute for Black History Month or asking Black employees to develop something they may not have the mental energy to create.
Although something is better than nothing, when companies celebrate Black history and Black culture in a way that seems rushed or haphazard, they run the risk of sending the wrong message.
Behind the Name
Enslaved people had to sustain themselves using meat scraps—which they transformed into savory, satisfying dishes from their enslavers’ butchered livestock. One such piece of offal was chitlins, or pig intestines, but chitlins came to represent more than sustenance.
During the era of Jim Crow laws, they were a Black code. Black performers knew that venues serving hog intestines were safe. This collection of restaurants and music venues became known as the “Chitlin Circuit.”
It wasn’t just necessity that led Black Americans to identify with eating chitlins. Western Africans cooked and ate every edible part of an animal, so they never viewed entrails as scraps. These resourceful cooking techniques linger today. Southerners continue to slow-cook or deep-fry chitlins with vinegar and hot sauce, serving them alongside collard greens and cornbread.
When soulful cooking meets the hand-clapping, foot-stomping music of Rhythm & Blues and gospel, that energy reconnects us all to a time and space of our ancestors. We Are All Seen.
Audience
From Scraps to Seen is designed for all employees and employee groups! Black history is about creating community and connection through education, not just within the Black community, but for anyone who seeks to expand their awareness and understanding. Encourage all employees to get involved and embrace the experience!
By partnering with Chef Kenny, you’re sending the message that culturally influential Black artists, professionals and business owners can help build an appreciation for diversity and inclusion in all domains!
A few of our Partners
Are You Ready? See what’s possible — a happier, healthier life for us all starts now!
For detailed information about From Scraps to Seen with Chef Kenny, email us here: chefkennethminor@gmail.com