- [Announcer] Support for "Table for All" provided by Garden State Wine Growers Association.

Visit us online or download our app and passport program to learn more about New Jersey wineries and events at newjerseywines.com.

Edible Jersey, celebrating the local food of the Garden state for 16 years.

Learn more at ediblejersey.com.

- [Buki] The earliest Greek translation of philanthropy simply meant love mankind.

And although we live in divisive times, that original translation still reigns true with people from all walks of life doing their best to make a difference for others.

Today on "Table for All," we are placing a spotlight on Campbell's, Chef David Burke and Second Chance NJ that are changing the way we see philanthropy, and it all starts with food.

[bright music] [bright music continues] [playful music] Who doesn't remember this classic Campbell's soup commercial?

For so many of us, it brings back fond childhood memories.

[playful music] The Campbell's soup company was founded by Joseph Campbell and Abraham Anderson in 1869, and has been a staple of Camden, New Jersey ever since.

Although it wasn't until 1898, that the iconic red and white soup can, you know the one that made Andy Warhol famous, debuted.

1953, the Campbell Soup Foundation was launched to help support organizations doing transformative work in local communities.

And that work continues today, with their Full Futures Program which launched in 2021 to bring nutrition education and fresh fruits and veggies to Camden's children.

[bright music] The Camden School District invited me down to get a first-hand look at how the Full Futures Program is making a difference, so I packed up my backpack and I was ready to head back to school, to help teach the third graders at Forest Hills Elementary School why it was so important to eat your veggies.

First up, a reading of "Sylvia's Spinach" by Katherine Pryor, illustrated by Anna Raff, and published by Readers to Eaters.

- Can everyone say, "Hi, Mr.

Buki?"

- [Class] Hi, Mr. Buki.

- So my name is Buki Elegbede.

Can everyone say, "Buki?"

- [Class] Buki.

- Can everyone say, "Elegbede?"

- [Class] Elegbede.

- Oh, very nice.

"Sylvia Spivens always said no to spinach.

'No spinach in my eggs, no spinach in my soup, no spinach on my sandwich, no spinach ever.'

On a drizzly gray day in March, Sylvia's teacher had an announcement.

'Class, we're gonna start a garden.'

The teacher handed each student a packet of seeds and wouldn't you know it, Sylvia got..." What do you think she got?

- [Class] Spinach.

- Spinach.

And what did she say?

- [Class] Blah.

- Double blah.

And speaking of spinach, the kids were even able to become taste testers for some fresh spinach salads and sweet potato desserts made by Head Chef Anwar Rasheed, and here is the best part, whatever the kids like the best, will then be added to their school lunch menu.

How cool is that?

You're scared to try it?

Don't be scared.

[children chattering] No, no, no, no, no.

Is it good?

See, would I steer you wrong?

Never.

I'm going in for the sweet potato.

- [Pupil] It's good.

[children chattering] - Hmm.

Okay.

If we had to judge, do we love it, do we like it, or did we try it?

- I love it.

- You love it?

What we thinking, what we thinking?

- Yummy.

- I loved it.

- Alright.

Chef Anwar invited me into the school kitchen to see how he whips up these kid approved treats and yes, he made me put on a hairnet.

So tell me more about this Full Futures Program that we are involved in.

- Campbell Soup is really investing in the future of the students of Camden, so we're teaching them how to eat healthy.

We are encouraging them to try new food items.

We're trying to get them to, you know, embrace it and, you know, empower them.

- [Buki] As someone who has gone to school hungry, I know programs like these are crucial.

Senior Director of Camden School Nutrition, Arlethia Brown, spoke to me about the real impact these programs have in so many kids' lives.

- Right now we're feeding in excess of 12,000 students a day.

- Wow.

- I know you've heard the concept, it takes a village.

- It sure does.

- [Arlethia] We're building our own little village to ensure that we have what we need, the funds, the resources, the wherewithal, the capacity to bring in good, great food for our students 'cause they need it.

- What is it about Camden that is so in need of this?

What are we getting out of this in Camden?

- I was one of those students that never ate lunch.

And so the importance for me is to be able to provide something that maybe I didn't have growing up, right?

We did a zucchini fries for the students.

I didn't expect the students to love it so much.

They were looking for it the next day.

- Seeing all those happy faces really warmed my heart, so I had no choice but to head to the Campbell's headquarters just down the road and sit down with the man who made it all happen, CEO Mark Clouse, to learn more about Campbell's latest community efforts.

Campbell's has been around for...

It's been all throughout our growing up.

And I remember, I don't know if you remember, the famous quintessential if you're '80s, '90s kids, when the kid was a snowman and he came in and ate this- - Oh, yeah, sure.

- And everybody wanted to get their chicken noodle soup.

- Right.

- Myself included.

I begged my mom for chicken noodle soup all the time.

So what soup did you like from Campbell's when you were growing up?

- Yeah, I was more of a tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich.

- Weak.

- Yeah.

No, come on.

We can both live in a world together where chicken noodle and tomato go hand in hand.

- You know, companies these days are doing a lot of philanthropic efforts and it always feels like they're just checking a box, you know what I'm saying?

Diversity, check.

We're gonna do a couple of initiatives.

Check, check.

- Right, right.

- What is the driving mission behind Campbell's and your philanthropic effort?

- The great thing about Campbell is that you're sitting about a mile from where Joseph Campbell put the first tomato in a can.

And so the history of Campbell intermingled with the city of Camden is a really special relationship.

And I actually think, now that I've gotten to live into it for the last almost five years, it's a great role model for corporation and community partnership.

And it requires you to see beyond writing a check.

- Campbell's not only talks the talk but walks the walk as well.

Multiple times a year they gather as a company and help the community in so many ways, from building homes, to planting gardens and teaching children the importance of healthy eating.

Full Futures, which is one of the more current initiatives that you guys are taking, tell me how that all began and the impact that you're seeing already.

- Well, you know, it's a great example of kind of taking a little bit of a step back and saying, "Okay, you know, what is a problem or an opportunity that with our involvement we have a real chance to solve?"

And one of the things that I think is unique about Full Futures, although it's been based here in Camden, the goal is to create a blueprint or a roadmap with the city of Camden that can then be exported to other communities that may be dealing with some of the same challenges.

School food kind of emerged as an area of real opportunity and, you know, the science is just so overwhelming about the connection of education and nutrition and not just school lunch, but they may be eating three meals a day at school.

And if we can help ensure that that is high quality and nutritious, it links directly to the performance in school.

- The irony is not lost on me that one of the biggest food companies, I would say, and of course in our state, but in the country, is located or headquartered in a food desert.

- It's a really important one, I think, to continue to mark the progress for the city of Camden.

And, you know, I gotta say it's been fantastic to have a partner in the mayor, I think Vic's done a great job of really kind of opening the door to not just Campbell, but other corporations that are in the community 'cause some of these problems we're gonna all need to work together to solve.

- [Buki] For the Campbell's Corporation, they stand behind their mission of connecting people through food that they love, while making a difference in the community.

Now that's mmm, mmm, good.

[bright music] According to Feeding America, over 34 million people are food insecure in the United States.

800,000 of them live in New Jersey.

One philanthropic warrior fighting this battle on the front lines is Chef David Burke.

A New Jersey native, Chef Burke saw the devastating ways COVID-19 exasperated food insecurity and devastated the restaurant industry.

So he partnered up with the non-profit, Soup Kitchen 411, which developed Feed NJ, a program that purchases nutritious meals from local restaurants that are then served to communities in need.

Chef Burke invited me to his acclaimed restaurant, The Red Horse, in Rumson, New Jersey, to see how his work with Soup Kitchen 411 is impacting the community.

Chef David Burke.

- Hi.

How you doing?

- How you, Buki?

- I'm good, how are you?

Immediately upon arrival, we headed straight to the kitchen.

Cooking with culinary genius Chef David Burke, hm, no pressure.

We were about to prepare over 50 meals for Feed NJ.

What's on the menu?

- Couscous with tomato and orange.

- Couscous with tomato and orange.

- I got two batches.

- All right.

- Right here and here.

Here's the couscous Israeli couscous has bigger pearls.

Olive oil or butter?

You can take olive oil.

- Alright, how much?

- [David] Just squeeze away.

- We added the onions, the carrots, herbs, and the couscous.

So how'd you get involved with Soup Kitchen 411?

- Well, I think they reached out, might have heard about what we were doing and all they did was ask.

And we- - That's all I have to do is ask?

- Just ask.

Even though this is going to a charity meal.

- Right.

How much- - You're gonna taste the love of it, you know?

- I was gonna say, this is in the usual, you know, plate something to something that you usually see.

A little salt and pepper and we were moving and grooving.

Now, I'm noticing no sort of measuring utensil, we're just gonna do this?

- Eyeball.

- You know, 40 years of service would do that to you.

This isn't what you would expect from a food donation.

No canned beans here.

This is gourmet.

You can tell from all Chef Burke was adding to make this meal extra flavorful.

- [David] That's a little chili.

This is candied lemon.

- Mm.

- Fry lemon.

Again, you'll get a bite of that and you'll see.

- [Buki] This is gourmet.

- [David] Garlic.

- You'll always have the garlic.

Now why not add the garlic with the onion?

- I could have, I should have, good question.

I forgot.

Basil.

- Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.

- Yeah, yeah.

- The people who you would think are food insecure, but, you know, you see everyone that gonna be suffering.

- You know what?

It could be your neighbor, it could be someone who's retired.

Some people fall on hard times and they're afraid to ask.

So maybe you have to ask.

- [Buki] There was no time for chit chat.

This was the real deal restaurant kitchen experience.

We seasoned and sauteed, fried and flipped, tossed and taste.

My arm's getting a workout today.

Keeping people at work.

- [David] Yeah, it is.

- Chef Burke is putting me to work.

- [David] Lord, this is only warmup.

- [Buki] This warmup?

- [David] Pregame.

- Lord, I'm not ready for the major.

How did we just create a meal for hundreds in like less than 20 minutes?

- [David] That's teamwork.

- Teamwork, I guess teamwork does make the dream work.

And before you could say couscous, we were ready to plate.

That's how it's done.

Lord, have mercy.

I was able to see firsthand how Feed NJ along with Soup Kitchen 411 has proudly distributed over 500,000 meals across the state of New Jersey.

I couldn't think of a better time for Chef Burke to share his thoughts on how a warm meal can change lives.

I have made dinners for one that took two hours and that for over 50 people was like 25 minutes in, boom, boom, boom, boom.

How are you not tired after doing this for 40 years?

- Yeah.

It's fun, that was fun.

That was like a workout.

- That was a workout.

I've got my arms, I got my cardio, I got everything.

- Yeah.

- And a little hot sauna.

- Yeah, yeah.

There's a passion involved and it's part of what I do.

This is my job.

- [Buki] This brings so much joy to you and what you do and it really makes, you know, your profession of cooking, worthwhile.

Tell me more about that.

- With that comes feeding people and helping other people and I think that somewhere in there, giving back to the community is the karma or the responsibility of staying balanced.

If you have extra time and extra energy, you feed people that can't help themselves.

And like hospitality, the word hospitality has the word hospice in it, hospital.

And a lot of that was the same place, you know, place where you went to get fed or to heal.

And then the restaurant was born probably from that, being able to feed and nurture someone and it becomes, then the restaurant was born.

- What has been the impact that you've seen in the community with everything that you have done?

You've helped in every single crisis that has been in New Jersey since, I can't remember back.

- We feel the impact through some of our customers.

We can see the faces of those we fed.

Sometimes we meet them afterwards or we'll see videos and sometimes on Thanksgiving I'll go to one of the shelters in New York City and feed people too.

And you really see people that are grateful.

You know, food is, man, I mean, we're lucky we haven't been hungry, but being hungry is terrible.

Just because you have certain zip codes that don't need it, you're surrounded by other zip codes and those are where the workers are and whether the future workers for us and people that are in need and Monmouth County like that.

And there could be people your kids are going to school with, that need help.

And you would never know.

- But what can a hot meal do for someone?

How can that just change someone's whole outlook?

- Well, it gives you hope.

Hope is a great thing.

If it gives you hope and it gives you joy, even if it's for an hour, that can lift your spirit.

- Well I was definitely surprised today in this kitchen.

- Yeah.

- I'm in a lot of kitchens, I've never been put to work like that.

So, thank you, David Chef- - We did good together.

- I think we're gonna do a little dynamic duo.

I'm just saying.

- And you didn't get dirty.

Look at me.

- That's because, you know, I'm an expert.

I'm an expert at that.

You're expert at the cooking.

I'm expert at ducking and diving.

- [David] Yeah.

- Bob and we been ducking and diving 'cause this pink sweater needs to last me.

But thank you Chef David Burke, I appreciate it.

Thank you for all the amazing work that you've done.

And I can't wait to deliver your food to all these amazing people.

And deliver food was exactly what I was going to do.

I packed up the car with the home cooked meals I, Chef Burke and his team prepared and headed over to St. Luke's Church in Long Branch for a special "Table for All" delivery.

[upbeat music] A few days later I was invited to participate in a cooking class at the Monmouth County Vocational School, but this wasn't just any ordinary cooking class, this class was on a mission.

I saw students cleaning their workstations, sharpening their knives and prepping ingredients.

These culinary students were eager to learn because for them this was their second chance because these students used to be in prison.

Second Chance NJ is a non-profit organization that provides hospitality education, training and jobs to individuals who have been previously incarcerated.

In the U.S. over 1.2 million people are incarcerated and it's estimated that over 50% are incarcerated again.

One in two adults in this country, has had an immediate family member in jail or in prison.

Second Chance NJ is on a mission to break the cycle.

And the man behind the mission is Jim Flynn, one of the founders of the program.

So tell me, how did this program come about?

- Well, I run Jersey Shore Restaurant week.

One time, about two years ago, we were sitting around and everybody was kind of complaining about the difficulty they had finding help for the kitchen and even for the front of the house.

And somebody suggested that we look at people who were previously incarcerated.

- And what was your first thought when somebody mentioned that?

- I actually thought it was a great idea.

- What are we really teaching?

- It's designed so that the student can come into a working kitchen and do all the things that help to set the chef up to cook every evening.

So it can be taking inventory, it can be cutting vegetables, it can be making sauces, it can be all of those things that assist an executive chef to be ready to serve the public at the end of the day.

- Tell me about what really goes into Second Chance of New Jersey, 'cause it's not just cooking, you guys are setting people up with jobs and everything like that.

- A lot of these people got into trouble because they made some bad decisions in their lives.

And so we wanted to be able to create a program that would get them on a different track.

These people come out and they have a tough time getting jobs.

They have a tough time getting housing.

They have a tough time getting medical care.

And so all of those things come together and conspire against them being successful.

So our school was just one way of helping to deal with that and get them on a track so that they can be self-sufficient again.

- [Buki] I was ready to see these students in action.

Vegetables were being chopped, sauces were simmering and the recipes for this class were set.

And it was all under the guidance of Chef Anthony.

- Evan, what temp are you gonna cook your second till today?

- 165.

- Ah, there you go, right, guys?

So, you know- - We didn't know there was gonna be a pop quiz, Chef Anthony.

- Yeah.

- We didn't know.

- You know, Buki, we really try to incorporate, you know, fun in with our class, you know, and like I said, we build a lot of personality and personal experience in with it and it shows.

- [Buki] And Chef Gammi, who was actually a graduate herself of the Monmouth County Vocational School.

- As soon as you finish mixing that up, we're gonna put it into our Wonton wrappers and we're gonna learn how to fold 'em.

Your arms tired yet or shall we keep going?

- Well, they really tired.

This is strenuous job.

- You want me to take over?

- Well, I'm like [indistinct].

- Oh no, you can, yeah, you can take, you got muscles.

- Sorry.

- Conditioned for it.

Look at it, so let's put the crab in here.

- Chef Gammi, now see I know you cater.

- I do.

- You are a graduate of- - I am.

- this place.

- Yes, from Brookdale- - Tell me about that.

- community college.

So after high school I went to do all this other stuff and then I finally said, "You know what?

Let's talk my passion first.

And I went to Brookdale Culinary Education Center.

Anthony here was one of my instructors.

- Was he?

- Yes.

- Oh, was she a gold star student?

- She was great.

No, she really was.

- So I share my experience with them.

I hope it'll help them motivate them.

- [Anthony] Let me get an egg course - So how does one wrath a Crab Rangoon?

- So we're gonna grab some spoons and I will show you guys.

- We prepped and cooked Crab Rangoon.

What does that mean to you to be breaking bread with these guys and really sharing all your stories and experiences.

- It's cool, you know, like to ask some people that you just meeting, you can build that type of rapport with all over food.

You know, food brings everybody together.

- You better believe it.

That's why this show was happening right now.

That's why I made the show.

- Yep, so, you know, these guys are wonderful.

They're cool, especially the big chef.

- Big chef.

- Yes, big chef.

- [Buki] The team building here was extraordinary.

You could feel the camaraderie from a mile away.

- She's outside like the muzzling touch, she breezes through and she can yell at you.

But it sounds like she's singing to you.

- Gammi, you're yelling?

- Yeah, she yelling.

- And it sound like I'm singing.

[all laughing] So music to my ears.

- All right.

Well, did I do well?

- You did well.

- You did a really good job.

You really did, especially that one right there.

- What?

- [Anthony] Plenty of sugar.

- So what, balance out the what?

- Balance out the acidity.

- Ooh.

Music to my ear.

- Beautiful.

- It's really nice.

- Yes.

- Stop, stop.

- [Buki] Next up Evan, one of Second Chance's rising stars, taught me the basics behind chicken cutlets.

- Doing a little flour, little egg wash, breadcrumbs.

And then we're putting on our head sheet right here.

- All right.

- We got seasoned breadcrumbs.

- Gotcha.

- All right.

- [Evan] Italian seasoned breadcrumbs.

- Very nice.

Have you been cooking long or this is your first time?

- I've been cooking for maybe about 15 years.

Ever since I was old enough to watch my mom.

My mom was a big cook, so.

- [Buki] Getting to know the personal stories of these students and their journeys to Second Chance NJ showed me why this program is so important.

- I was part of the opioid crisis.

You know, I had a back injury around 2010.

I was moving furniture and I hurt my back.

And I, you know, it goes earlier than that.

It started with marijuana.

I always had an addictive personality and I just didn't have direction in life and I was just kind of lost.

And, you know, getting involved with something like this kind of keeps me focused, keeps me doing something.

Like, I'm a person that has like, OCD, so like prepping, chopping, sauteing, searing, grilling, doing stuff like that, like channels my energy into doing something.

So as long as I stay focused on something and I have a purpose in life, that's what the key is here for me.

There was a point in time where I didn't care about myself.

So for an opportunity like this where somebody to put me through a class and to gimme a job opportunity, like, it's a beautiful thing.

- I did the good ones.

- You did these ones.

- No, I did not do the messed up ones, Atilio.

- You did this one.

- Atilio, get outta here.

Get out.

All right, Chef Anthony showed me the way, all right?

I did the good ones.

- Yeah.

- What brought you to Second Chances?

- Well, I was actually in a program and they offered me the opportunity and, you know, it's a credential under my belt, so I jumped on it.

I did a five year prison bid, you know what I mean?

For, you know, possession of drugs and stuff.

And I came home, you know, reformed.

My life is important to me.

So if it's keeping me on the right track and opening more doors to me, you know, it means everything.

- Were you all about the food?

- No, I'm still not like a huge food guy.

- So I won't see you trying like squidding pasta or- - No.

- Nah, nah.

It's too foreign, I don't want to try it.

- Okay.

But listen, cracker and goofs, is not exactly, you know.

- Yeah, this is actually my favorite snack outside of here.

Yeah, I usually get it from the Chinese store, but now I can make it.

- Oh, now you can make yourself.

All right, nice.

And it's way better when you make it yourself.

- Absolutely.

'Cause I could put my love into it.

- The good ones that I made.

- Yeah, right.

The ones you made are the ones that don't stick together.

- What?

On my own show.

You're gonna try and disgrace me like that?

- It all about being honest, right?

- I did not make the bad ones.

That was Vernon.

- I seen you, but- - That was Vernon.

- I seen you.

- [Buki] On this night, as we sat to eat, I looked around and was reminded not everyone gets a second chance.

But if you are lucky enough to get one, grab it and never let go.

And judging from this class it could surely turn out to be better than the first.

- Some of the filling came out.

- That wasn't me, I wasn't at the froster.

[bright music] Chef Burke, Mark Clouse and my favorite 3rd graders, Jim Flynn, and my new friends from Second Chance remind us all that giving back isn't about making a donation, it's about making a difference.

Alone we can do a little, but together, together we can change the world.

One full stomach at a time.

I may be the host of the show, but.

you know, I can give a couple lessons.

First tip, if your oven isn't calibrated, your cake's gonna burn.

It's gonna be a hot mess express.

Tip number two, make it cold.

Bake it hot.

That's where you want something flaky and pastry, like a croissant.

But if you want something moist and fluffy, it's room temp only.

Good?

- You're on a roll.

- And the last tip is just have fun with it.

It's messy.

If you don't make a mess in the kitchen, you didn't do it right.

And those are the three top tips from yours truly.

- Ah.

- What do you think?

What do you think, what do you think?

- A+, Buki.

- Alright.

- [Announcer] Support for "Table for All," provided by Garden State Wine Growers Association.

Visit us online or download our app and passport program to learn more about New Jersey wineries and events at newjerseywines.com.

Edible Jersey, celebrating the local food of the Garden state for 16 years.

Learn more ediblejersey.com.