Let Food Be Thy Medicine

February 18, 2018 10:07 PM

Watch Knife Skills (full video - 40 min), the Oscar-nominated short documentary about the opening of Edwins, a fine French restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, that is staffed almost entirely by ex-inmates with no prior restaurant experience. They have to learn everything there is to know about French food and restaurants in a very short period of time.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (7 comments total)

i loved this movie. i am enamored of all sorts of projects relating to prisoners being treated as humans. given opportunities to actually grow and learn and work with others in a respectful place.

delancy street in san francisco is a similar long running outfit with multiple business. http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/hww.php They have a restaurant, construction company, cleaning company and movie theater. I saw a movie there a couple years ago. The well built hosts had tats peeking out of their suit collars. ;)

and this movie It's Criminal is also an amazing documentary that i saw at a small screening last year. highly recommended.
posted by danjo at 9:02 AM on February 19, 2018 [3 favorites]

"not available in your area"

*tosses le creuset from pram*
posted by ominous_paws at 12:29 PM on February 19, 2018 [1 favorite]

I've eaten at Edwins a couple of times. The food is delicious and well prepared. The hostess and waiters are wonderfully capable and attentive. The place was packed, and the diners were clearly enjoying their meals and each other's company.

But it was not your typical French restaurant by any means. Edwins has a certain je ne sais quoi, or rough spiritual energy, not entirely separate from the 60s soul music playing in the background. You'll enjoy your dinner, I promise.
posted by Modest House at 3:17 PM on February 19, 2018 [4 favorites]

There's a documentary on Netflix called Breaking the Cycle about a Norwegian prison warden who tours US prisons, with the expected incredulity. One of the many, many programs his prison runs is an actual working restaurant in the prison, where the prisoners learn all aspects of the restaurant business. So they have prior restaurant experience for when, you know, they get out of prison. Meanwhile, in the American prison, he's arguing with the prison staff about why the prisoners can't take a dump without being watched in their cells... privacy and dignity are completely lost on the Americans.
posted by Huck500 at 9:10 AM on February 20, 2018 [3 favorites]

*tosses le creuset from pram*

buff baby
posted by Sebmojo at 2:35 PM on February 20, 2018

One of the many, many programs his prison runs is an actual working restaurant in the prison

Sounds a bit like this. I've been to the one in Sutton, and it was an excellent (if slightly surreal) experience.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 5:15 AM on February 21, 2018

buff baby

Thanks, I've been working out!
posted by ominous_paws at 6:11 AM on February 21, 2018