Carroll’s Kitchen sits in the heart of downtown Raleigh on Martin Street, emitting aromas of freshly baked bread and hearty soups into the air. But the restaurant does far more than serve up delicious eats — Carroll’s Kitchen employs women who have been homeless or imprisoned, in effort to transition them back into society and achieve their utmost goal of ending homelessness for women in Raleigh.
The nonprofit social enterprise restaurant’s concept is attributed to a historic family — most commonly known as “the Carrolls.” The Carrolls were a philanthropic 20th-century family who founded a soup kitchen during the Spanish flu outbreak to feed those who were ill after contracting the flu.
Carroll’s Kitchen works to live out this philanthropic legacy through providing critical tools for success to local women in need. Sara Acosta, communications director of Carroll’s Kitchen, has been proactive in trying to lessen homelessness for awhile now, having worked for a local homelessness advocacy organization for three years prior to joining the Carroll’s Kitchen team. Acosta talked on how the restaurant finds the women they later bring into the program.
“We work with a set of community partners who we trust to refer our candidates to us that they encounter … that might be a social worker at a shelter or someone with a post-incarceration organization,” Acosta said. “So, when they meet a candidate that they think would be a good fit, they let us know and we have a phone and in-person interview process. Then a woman does a trial in the kitchen for a few days to see if she wants to commit.”
The restaurant has seen much growth since its opening, operating solely as a breakfast and lunch spot, through an evolving menu and catering options.
“This business model has been very successful,” Acosta said. “We have a lunch rush from about 11:45 everyday and we close at 2 p.m. It’s a sustainable model, so the business from the restaurant supports the business and our nonprofit program.”
Along with each woman employed by Carroll’s Kitchen comes a unique story and individualized needs. The transition from prison or from a homeless shelter into greater society can be overwhelming to say the least, often is marked with grief and trauma. It is, nonetheless, a process made possible by community support and reassurance.
Carroll’s Kitchen acts as a safe first step for women hoping to build career skills, gain confidence and achieve a greater sense of community after a time of insecurity.
Carroll’s Kitchen is currently employing six women in their program, including Francis Field, who has been a part of the program for about six months now. For Field, the job offered a way to gain expertise in a particularly versatile field: food.
“Learning new culinary skills is something that I will apply elsewhere, like at home and whatnot,” Field said.
The restaurant’s cuisine is predominantly American with a fresh European flair. Menu items include everything from Eva’s chicken and turkey soup to apple butter and brie kolache, along with seasonal items like the pear + blue salad. Among these tasty options, however, there seems to be a favorite among frequent customers.
“Our signature item is the kolache yeast roll,” Acosta said. “They are eastern European yeast rolls filled with varied fillings in the middle and then they are baked.”
Popular kolache rolls include the broccoli egg and cheddar, pulled pork and cream cheese crumble, all of which melt in one’s mouth all too easily. Customers can order a fresh dozen of kolache rolls to be picked up the next weekday.
In order to keep the restaurant up and running, Acosta said that donations help offset the extra expenses of providing job training, life skills and housing for women in the program. They also regularly bring in volunteers to help out in achieving their mission.
In its entirety, Carroll’s Kitchen is run by women, for women. It is a refreshing reminder that part of being involved in the community includes lending a helping hand, and helping those in need rise above the obstacles they have faced. The nonprofit restaurant will open its second location at Morgan Street Food Hall, a community-style dining location that is expected to open later this year.
Carroll’s Kitchen is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and is closed on the weekends.
Carroll's Kitchen is a nonprofit restaurant dedicated to ending women's homelessness. The organization seeks to empower women through job training, life skills and housing.
