SPOKANE, Wash. — Throughout the Inland Northwest, there are people in positions that help their communities thrive. None more so than Chef George Field.
Chef Field told KREM 2, “The kitchen is kind of like the centerpiece for a lot of houses. This is no different here.”
Chef Field is the head cook at the Northeast Youth Center in Hillyard. It is a position he wears with pride and one he believes was basically a perfect match. “Well it’s great because they keep me young, obviously, and keep a smile on my face,” said Chef George.
Just one of Chef George’s responsibilities is to create a menu every day for the youth center. He says he creates meals from scratch in his own particular way.
Chef George balances the tricky art of finding meals that children will enjoy, but that also have the proper nutrition they need to grow strong. He says it is a task that is easier said than done. “That is the challenge here. Getting them to accept things that are different but framing it in such a way that’s not alien to them.”
When KREM 2 visited the youth center, the menu included enchiladas paired with homemade sauce, Spanish rice, roasted veggies and some honeydew melon on the side.
Chef George says creating these meals is more than just a job. With each plate, Chef George is reminded of his childhood. “I grew up really poor in a neighborhood just like Hillyard and food wasn’t always an option. If school wasn’t in session, it wasn’t guaranteed.”
Those moments now serve as motivation while he’s in the kitchen. He’s a father of four and has more than just his own children who look up to him.
Chef George says he knows that what he does is making an impact in his community, one meal at a time. “So, this place in my opinion is the beating heart of the Northeast Youth Center. This kitchen.”
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