Open Gate International

@opengateintl We love sharing the stories, endeavors, and achievements of our graduates. . . Meet Diamon - she’s working towards becoming a personal chef and plans to go back to school and take a course in nutrition to help others eat healthier. Her five-year goals are to become a food critic and a celebrity chef. .... . We are so excited to witness her growth and achieve all of her dreams! . . We are in the business of changing lives! As the wise word of our founder @deidrepujolsadventures says, When a student walks into Open Gate International searching for their life's Purpose and graduates finding themselves closer to that discovery, we have done our job. Life skills and Culinary skills are our expertise. We will commit to anyone who commits to our program. #championingvictoriousfutures #futurechefs #vocationaltraining #culinaryarts #occhefs See more

Do you have a passion for food? . . . Can you imagine yourself in the kitchen, preparing the most exquisite cuisine?... . . . Do you dream about cooking like a professional? . . . Do you dream about becoming a chef, but traditional schools are out of your reach? . . . We have an answer for you! @opengateintl culinary program, you will learn the basics skills to get you in an entry-level position at any professional kitchen. . . . To apply, click on the link in our bio or send us an email to: [email protected] . . . #ococcupational #championingvictoriousfutures #culinaryarts #vocationaltraining #passionforcooking #oc See more

Our students learned the principles of baking level one- understanding of gluten, yeast, types of flours, creaming method, short dough and flaky dough. I love the beautiful and sweet creations!

What’s in store for next year? From starting our January 2021 program to opening Open Gate Kitchen in Moldova, we’ve got a lot cooking for the coming year. Learn more in our blog and stay tuned for a great year! https://opengateintl.org/looking-ahead-to-2021/

Merry Christmas from the OGI team! Sending warm holiday wishes to everyone celebrating today. We hope your day is filled with love and the perfect sweet treats.

2020 - A viral pandemic, remote learning, a grand opening and a graduation. That pretty much sums it up! Thank you to our wonderful staff, students and donors who have made 2020 a year we'll never forget. Our OGI "A Year in Review" just went up on our blog, be sure to check it out for more or our 2020 highlights. https://opengateintl.org/year-in-review/

Online shopping is the go-to plan this year! Remember to use our Amazon Smile link and help support OGI while holiday shopping. While purchasing your gifts to others, you are also supporting those living in vulnerable life situations! What's better than that? https://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-4441565

Have you always dreamed of an exciting career in the culinary industry? We only have a few remaining spots for our session beginning in January 2021!... Click to apply https://opengateintl.org/programs/

Spaces are filling up fast! Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of a party that is sure to be the talk of all the OC foodies this season! Your choice of a one-night interactive culinary adventure enjoying exquisite cuisines from Spain, Latin America, Southeast Asia & France! Link in bio to register!

On this day 20 years ago, Congress passed the Human Trafficking Protection Act. We celebrate the groundwork this laid for the federal response to human trafficking through prevention, prosecution and protection. Along with our partners, like Strike Out Slavery, we will continue to ensure survivors of trafficking and other vulnerable populations are equipped to stand on their own and create a future for themselves.

Thank you Chef Mathieu!! What a great day!!!

Such a privilege to welcome Chef Mathieu Choux to our US class today! He will be teaching our students several breads and pastries! Chef Mathieu has taught classes for OGI in several countries around the world! We appreciate you Chef!!

Hard worker. Creative. Patient. Just a few words to describe Sunder, who will walk across our stage on October 31 as a proud graduate. Read more about our graduates at https://opengateintl.org/our-2020-graduating-class/

You’re invited to an anything but typical and lots more fun FUNdraiser! Join us for a safe and distanced outdoor event full of amazing food that you get to enjoy and create! Oh, and live music and cocktails to - all in support of the OGI Culinary Arts Programs. Pick your date and register now!Link in bio!

We missed it by one day, but it’s never too late to celebrate #internationalchefsday honoring OGI’s Global Executive Chef Cinthia Worsey! We love and appreciate you Chef Cinthia!

One of the most important life skills Judy teaches our students is confidence. To showcase just how great our students are and to remind them to have confidence, we have their peers write down words that remind of them of each student. Janet's words included, strong, caring and determined. Learn more about Janet and her journey to graduation on our blog and let us know what words you'd use to describe yourself! https://opengateintl.org/our-2020-graduating-class/

That's what we teach here at OGI. It's a philosophy we hope our students take with them wherever they go. You can support our mission and help our students cultivate their talents by donating today. https://bit.ly/3fPOmEc

As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, we celebrate our team in Mexico who are changing lives through our culinary and life skills programs. We're sharing two graduate success stories on our blog, be sure to read more to see our international impact first-hand! https://opengateintl.org/mexico-graduates/

Thank you Kate Bryan of the 1 Girl Revolution podcast for inviting OGI Founder Deidre Pujols to talk about baseball, human trafficking, Down Syndrome awareness and using your platform for good... . Link in bio to listen!

Thank you to Andrew Turner from the @latimes and @thedailypilot for featuring OGI graduate Michael Rodriguez and his amazing journey through our culinary program progressing to full time employment at @opengatekitchen

Domestic Violence Awareness Month can get overshadowed with the upcoming elections dominating the daily headlines. **** OGI wants to shine a light on this critical topic as many of our students come to us from situations stemming out of various forms of domestic violence. **** Psychological Abuse is usually not considered a form of domestic violence, but in fact it frequently occurs prior to or concurrently with physical or sexual abuse which are the usual identifiers of d...omestic violence. Psychological Abuse includes: * Humiliating the victim * Isolating the victim * Deliberately doing something to make the victim feel diminished or embarrassed * Demeaning the victim in public or in private * Undermining the victim's confidence and/or sense of self-worth * Convincing the victim they are crazy OGI's curriculum includes life skills strategically designed to continue the rebuilding process and walking step by step with our students to a place of empowerment and freedom. NCADV. (2015). Facts about domestic violence and psychological abuse. Retrieved from www.ncadv.org

Integrity....More Than Just A Life Skill; It’s A Lifestyle ... One of the biggest challenges we face at OGI is introducing our students to the critical importance of being honest. Lying, being evasive and exaggeration have been survival tactics for most of them and if you heard what some of them have been through, you probably wouldn’t blame them either. ... This month in our life skills blog, we unfold the foundational character trait of integrity and its critical importanc...e to the future success of every individual. ... https://opengateintl.org/the-integrity-factor/ See more