Culinary with a Conscience
Jumpstart your culinary career with REfire Culinary—an eight-week, no-cost program providing professional training, certifications, and employment support for individuals with felony convictions, empowering you to thrive in the hospitality industry.
Unleash a rewarding career in hospitality
REfire is a culinary training program for people with felony convictions, providing basic skills training, job experience, and job placement support. The curriculum is developed by professional chefs and culinary educators and will prepare graduates to fill a significant talent gap in Tallahassee’s retail food sector.
Replacing recidivism with opportunity
A felony conviction makes it extremely difficult for people to get jobs. But without a job, the recidivism rate skyrockets, meaning those individuals re-offend and end up back in prison, putting a further burden on the economy and taxpayers. Justice-involved individuals need job skills training and the opportunity to re-enter the workforce and become skilled and productive members of their community.
Community support opens doors
In addition to providing critical job skills training, REfire staff and students operate a community-focused catering company that provides quality food products at a reduced cost to schools, housing facilities, and elderly meal programs.
REfire is supported by local chefs, restaurant owners, lawyers, community organizations, career placement, and social service agencies.
REfire Program Graduates
as of June 2025
111
Graduates
86%
Under 40
65%
Male
94%
African-American
84%
Employed in Hospitality