Sunland : Tierra del Sol Kitchen Nears Completion

A new, 1,500-square-foot training kitchen is nearly complete at Tierra del Sol, a nonprofit organization in Sunland that serves developmentally disabled people.

The new facility, which is wheelchair accessible, was paid for almost entirely with private donations, said Steve Miller, executive director at Tierra.

When it’s finished, Miller said, the kitchen will serve several purposes. First, it will train disabled people for careers in the food-service business.

“Getting used to the fast pace and demanding conditions in the food-service industry can be difficult,” Miller said. “This will give our clients hands-on experience to acclimate them to the kitchen equipment, the routine and the pace.”

In addition to vocational training, Miller hopes to turn the kitchen into a working, revenue-generating business that would provide banquet services to groups or companies holding retreats or parties on Tierra’s seven-acre grounds.

“We would pay our clients to staff the kitchen, providing further training” in a realistic setting, Miller said.

Although much of the design and construction work was performed for free and some fixtures and appliances have been donated, Miller said Tierra still needs small wares and appliances to stock the kitchen, and furniture for the dining room.

“Pots and pans, utensils, dishware, and tables and chairs is what we need most,” Miller said. Used equipment or furniture in good condition would also be welcome, he said.

Tierra serves about 200 developmentally disabled people a day.

For more information, call (818) 352-1419.