Gumbo takes a community of ingredients: Chef rallies food lovers behind culinary students

Community spirit simmered Saturday afternoon ahead of storms as The Prospect KC’s Gumbo Fest returned to Kansas City’s 18th & Vine district. The fundraising event marked a meaningful homecoming for the event after a temporary venue change, said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant.

“We moved our location off the Vine, but now we’re back,” said McAfee-Bryant who in 2024 moved The Prospect KC’s catering commissary and job training initiative into NourishKC’s community kitchen at 750 Paseo Blvd.

Saturday’s fundraiser for her organization’s Culinary Futures Program was hosted at the Zhou B Art Center, which McAfee-Bryant lauded as a community-focused cultural pillar.

“Just looking at what they’ve done in this school and in this area, it’s close to our own mission too,” she said.

Winners from the fourth Gumbo Fest organized by The Prospect KC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Gumbo Fest brings together chefs, students and food lovers for a hearty helping of live music, gumbo tastings and purpose-driven culinary competition, all in support of the nonprofit’s mission to expand food access and workforce opportunities through culinary training.

Inspired by former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial’s book “The Gumbo Coalition,” the festival aims to bring together an ecosystem of people invested in Kansas City’s east side.

“When we’re looking at this particular community and the people that we serve, it’s not just the people who run The Prospect KC that it takes to help uplift this community. We need everybody participating in this ecosystem, just like gumbo that we’re making,” said McAfee-Bryant.

A recipe for success

First place was awarded to students in The Prospect KC’s current Culinary Futures Workforce Development cohort — who are also part of Johnson County Community College’s apprenticeship program — continuing a tradition of student excellence in the competition. Prospect KC students also claimed the top spot at Gumbo Fest in 2023.

A competitor in The Prospect KC’s Gumbo Fest prepares a sampling for a diner; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“I love the program because there are some things you can’t learn at school, like how to make food for 200 people,” said Jayla Burns, one of the JCCC apprenticeship students. “It’s nice that there’s a place where you can learn some real-world experiences.”

For Burns, hearing her team announced as the winner felt like validation after days of preparation.

“With all the nerves building up and everything, it felt really nice,” she said. “Our kitchen is proud of us, so that’s a nice feeling.”

Burns described a meticulous process that included testing recipes, layering seasonings and preparing ingredients days ahead of the event.

Second place went to Team ‘MMM’, led by Prospect KC board chair Melanie Tull. The People’s Choice Award was claimed by a team led by Mikita Burton, media coordinator for The Prospect KC, alongside her son, Noah.

Beyond the friendly rivalry, Gumbo Fest serves a larger mission by helping fund The Prospect KC’s Culinary Futures Program, which provides participants with 16 weeks of workforce development, culinary training and support to overcome barriers to employment.

Anyone who skips an event like Gumbo Fest is leaving more than their belly empty, said McAfee-Bryant.

“They’re missing out on gumbo, they’re missing out on community and connection,” she said. “It’s just another way to pour into these students and these participants in our workforce development program.”