Uncle Food’s Diner has a new chef/coordinator!

Uncle Food’s Diner has a new chef/coordinator! Chef Curtis Paul has been with us for a month now, gracefully fitting into kitchen routines to produce delicious meals for our Tuesday community meal at Trinity Episcopal Church.

Curtis is co-owner of Agora, a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Grants Pass. He and his wife also share a catering business for special events.

It is clear that Curtis loves to cook, and his expertise has allowed him to easily produce delicious food for Uncle Foods Diner, including soups, chili, and delicious chicken and pork recipes.

Having experienced hunger growing up, Curtis is sensitive to the needs of others. He was looking for something socially meaningful to complement his other work.

His mother is a social worker, and he has lived and worked around people with special needs throughout his life. He believes in creating an environment of dignity and respect for everyone.

A graduate in Economics from UC Riverside, he is trained in cost management and has applied his skills to cutting costs and creating efficient systems for kitchen operations in a variety of settings.

Prior to working in the food industry, Curtis taught physical education for several years at The Grove Montessori School in Redlands, CA , and FYTT Elite, applying his strong values of community-building and team collaboration to teaching and mentoring with both students and faculty.

Working with our Uncle Food’s volunteers, he establishes rapport easily and runs a calm and organized operation.

At 6’7”, Chef Curtis is a powerful but quiet and friendly presence. When he began working with us, he was quickly named The Gentle Giant.

With a winning sense of humor, he says, “I’m too big to be mean!”

Curtis and his wife, Michelle, have three children and live near Grants Pass.

We are delighted to have him in the leadership for Uncle Food’s Diner.