Paul's Place Breaks Ground On $12 Million Facility to House Culinary Training Program
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A building to house a culinary training program will soon rise in an economically troubled portion of Baltimore.
Paul's Place, a non-profit organization that started out helping the homeless, is expanding into training people for life-long careers.
Wednesday, the group broke ground on a new building on Washington Boulevard and Cross Street in Baltimore's Pigtown neighborhood.
Their mission: feeding and helping the homeless.
Its kitchen is run by Chef Raheem Ajay, who left a dead-end job to train to be a chef.
"It changed me from having a job into a career," Ajay said.
On what used to be an empty lot, a $12 million transformation is taking place. Classes will be taught to train people on how to have a career in the restaurant industry.
"This type of program transforms lives," said Bill McLennan, the executive director of Paul's Place.
The restaurant and commercial kitchen should open in 15 months.