Gabriel Rodriguez is the Director of Culinary Education at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment. He most recently served as Lead Chef Instructor at the Center and uses his 25 years of experience in the hospitality and food industry to oversee the culinary, baking, and hospitality education and employment programming. Gabriel’s love for cooking began when he was a child—he remembers his grandmother sitting him on the counter and helping her crack eggs. Prior to joining Homes for the Homeless (HFH), Gabriel worked as an Adjunct Professor at his alma mater, Johnson & Wales University, where he taught Culinary and Hospitality classes. He also previously served as the former Director of Culinary Arts for the Greyston Foundation, an organization that offers job-training and employment to people who face barriers when entering the workforce. A Bronx native, Gabriel is looking forward to giving back to his community by sharing his passion and knowledge of culinary arts. Gabriel earned his Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management with a minor in Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University.

Jayda Gabriel is a Chef with a focus on pastry arts instruction at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment. With African American, Haitian, and Puerto Rican roots, she draws from a rich blend of Southern, Caribbean, and college-taught European baking practices. From French macarons to Italian gelato, Jayda specializes in making technical recipes accessible, using clear instruction and real-world techniques that students can apply beyond the classroom. Jayda began her career working in kitchens across New York City, including as a pastry cook at Marta, a fine dining Romanian-Italian restaurant, where she developed a passion for gelato and Maison Kayser, a French artisanal bakery chain, where she mastered the pressure of high production kitchens and discovered her love for teaching. She stays current with industry trends, bringing that knowledge into the classroom and offering students insight into both timeless techniques and the latest in the world of pastry. Whether in a classroom or a professional kitchen, her goal is always the same: to teach with clarity, encourage creativity, and make the craft of pastry something anyone can learn and enjoy. Jayda received her associate’s degree in Occupational Science in Pastry Arts from Sullivan County Community College.

Jennifer Hernandez is the Culinary Outreach Coordinator at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment. She recruits students, guiding them through enrollment and connecting them with resources like Culinary Essentials, Pastry Arts, Hospitality, workshops, and the NYC Food Protection Certification. With experience in nonprofit administration, social services, and program coordination, Jennifer has supported community outreach, enrollment, and workforce development in previous roles at ACACIA Network, The Floating Hospital, and the Puerto Rican Family Institute. She earned her Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Office Administration in Business from Katharine Gibbs School. A passionate advocate for accessible education, she looks forward to continuing to introduce people in HFH’s shelters and surrounding community to the Center’s resources, so they can benefit from the opportunities it offers. Her favorite dish is pasteles en hoja con arroz, gandules y pernil—a Puerto Rican holiday staple that has been passed down in her family for generations.

Dorrant Anderson is the Culinary Employment Coordinator at Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment. In this role, he supports students in preparing for job opportunities by facilitating employment training workshops, resume and cover letter development, mock interviews, and food protection certification support. His love for the culinary arts began in his mother’s kitchen, where he first discovered the joy of cooking the traditional dishes of his Jamaican heritage. After earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising from New York Institute of Technology, Dorrant returned to his passion for the culinary world, spending four years as a cook and kitchen manager at St. Francis Friends of the Poor before becoming a kitchen coordinator at E. Terra Kitchen—a commercial kitchen that provides space and resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs. His combined experience in communications and the culinary field allows him to effectively guide students not only in navigating their careers in food service but also in developing transferable skills for any professional path. A Bronx native, Dorrant is excited to work in his home borough and give back to the community where he was raised. When he’s in the kitchen, he enjoys cooking and refining Jamaican dishes such as ackee and saltfish with fried dumplings or breadfruit.