Just Say Chef!

Chef Carlos A. Thomas’ culinary activist platform, “ Feed the Hood ,” feeds thousands of families in south- western Pennsylvania and abroad. Feed the Hood, provides tasty, nutritious, and affordable meals to the community. Chef Carlos (affectionately known as Chef Los) has spent most of his life working to untangle the strongholds of hunger, poverty, and food insecurity. In high school, Chef Los received a special certificate in the culinary arts, and he strengthened his understanding of how to perfect nutritious and tasty meals after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu-Pittsburgh Institute with a degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management. Unique to Feed the Hood, is its random, no-questions asked, pop-up locations. This process de-stigmatizes the process of the hungriest people getting fed. Often, hungry people hide their hunger and need due to social stigmas. In addition to providing meals, Feed the Hood promotes improving diversity among the Food and Service industries at large. Chef Los lives by this quote by Frederick Douglass: “I didn’t know I was a slave until I found out that I couldn't do the things I wanted.” Propelling him to believe that our choices reflect the bondage that captivates us in life... Chef Los attended Edinboro University where he studied Marketing and Business Management before transferring to Point Park University. Chef Los is now aiming to feed the country through his recent business venture  Confluence Catering LLC . Through  Confluence Catering  and Feed the Hood he has fed thousands of people and has partnered with grocery stores and neighborhood markets to provide nutritious meals. Chef Los is a BME Award nominee and he the documentary-style project “Perception of Complexion” by EJ Brown profiled him and his culinary movement.