In the fall of 2017, The Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot (DGTT) Foundation announced plans for a new culinary training program at 120 E. Liberty Drive, Suite 100 in Wheaton, Illinois, called Café Liberty. Café Liberty assists veterans who are unemployed or underemployed and looking to enter the culinary field. This program professionally trains participants for a lifetime career in the food service industry and/or serves as a bridge to an advanced culinary institution.
The first class convened in January, 2018 and graduated March 30, 2018.
We now accept adult family members of the veteran into the program. We believe that when one family member serves in the military, the whole family serves.
Our goal is to give each family the resources and training to become self-sufficient and improve their quality of life.
The eleven week program is offered up to four times per year with between eight and ten participants in each class. Executive Chef Cheryl Corrado, former Executive Chef at CHIC (Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago – Le Cordon Bleu) developed the curriculum and served as our inaugural Chef Instructor. In May, 2019, one of our first graduates, Billy Gordon, a twenty year US Navy veteran, was promoted to Chef Instructor. Chef Billy was hired by the Foundation to work as a prep cook before he graduated from the class. We are thrilled to promote from within and Chef Billy’s love of cooking and excellent demeanor for teaching made him the logical choice to be our current Chef Instructor.
“Dignity…served daily”
More About Us
ServSafe Food Service Certification.
Knife skills.
Recipe building.
Protein cooking training.
Baking training.
"Front of House" training.
One on one interview training.
And much more.
Café Liberty is the newest program from The Dan Gibbons Foundation. To date, The Dan Gibbons Foundation has donated nearly $3.9 million dollars. We take care to keep all funds raised within the County of DuPage. The funds have provided nearly 4 million meals over the years and the event brings families and a community together on a day for giving thanks.
Our efforts are only successful because of the gracious donations of our supporters. Your assistance helps us help others and we always appreciate it.
Visit DanGibbonsFoundation.orgMake a Donation