The Detroit Food Academy
The Detroit Food Academy (DFA) team is committed to empowering young people within their communities through food, while co-creating the future of Detroit’s food system through culinary arts and food entrepreneurship. Founded by Noam Kimelman and Jen Rusciano, Detroit Food Academy works to inspire young Detroiters (ages 6–24) through culinary arts and food entrepreneurship.
The Afterschool Leadership Program, DFA’s primary program, guides middle and high school students through weekly, culturally relevant, accessible, and empowering culinary education from September to May. The DFA team partners with 12 Detroit schools and community centers, where over 300 youth cook together in class, explore the local food system, and participate in a curriculum that includes knife skills, wellness, sustainability, and more.
The Advanced Leadership Program (Advanced I) serves youth who demonstrate independence and a passion for culinary arts. Students meet weekly in the heart of Detroit’s food system—the Eastern Market—to learn complex recipes and practical cooking applications. DFA provides a stipend for participation, along with bonus life skills workshops covering topics such as financial literacy and self-wellness.
From cooking delicious, healthy meals for friends and family, to facilitating complex community conversations, to developing artisan food projects from scratch to market, students learn by transforming their ideas into reality. DFA offers take-home ingredient kits to encourage continued learning at home. The organization also gives youth the opportunity to lead conversations that unpack complicated topics of power, privilege, identity, and culture. Through this process, students grow as holistic leaders who are healthy, connected, and empowered to effect change within their communities and beyond.
The Opportunity
In 2023, DFA sought to expand its after-school programs and post-graduation success initiatives. DFA connected with the Alternative Foundation to explore how additional funding could support access to new foods and ingredient varieties, high-quality cooking equipment, and the launch of a new cohort offering more advanced culinary education and exposure to career pathways.
At the same time, DFA aimed to offer more comprehensive resources for students preparing for graduation by developing post-graduation success pathway planning. To meet these needs, DFA planned to expand resources supporting youth as they transition out of high school and pursue postsecondary education and careers, including college tours throughout Michigan and beyond.
With plans to steward relationships with colleges and universities such as Henry Ford College’s Culinary Arts Program, the Alternative Foundation connected Detroit Food Academy with Developing K.I.D.S., a nonprofit serving its community through after-school and summer camp programs and workforce development. This partnership provided guidance on effectively building DFA’s college tour program.
Ongoing Results
In 2024, the Alternative Foundation provided $60,000 in grant funding to DFA to support the continued work and expansion of the Advanced Afterschool Leadership Program.
Following receipt of this funding, DFA launched a new third tier of programming within the Advanced Afterschool Leadership Program: Advanced II. This cohort is designed for youth who have completed both the Introductory and Advanced-level cohorts and seek even more rigorous culinary education with deeper exposure to career pathways connected—both directly and indirectly—to Detroit’s food system.
A portion of the funding supported the rental of a commercial kitchen where after-school programs are held, serving approximately 40 dedicated DFA youth.
Major Accomplishments in 2025
Partnered with 8 schools, with an additional 20 schools on the waitlist
Enrolled 244 youth in the Intro Program and Advanced Cohorts
Including 18 returning students in the Advanced Cohorts
Delivered over 80 hours of Life Skills Workshops in partnership with Community Financial Credit Union
Distributed $11,700 in grocery gift cards to support at-home culinary learning