ORANGE COAST MAGAZINE
Bracken’s Kitchen Tackles the Pandemic-Induced Surge in Food Insecurity
Colette Nguyen -December 23, 2020
Bracken’s Kitchen has had its busiest year since it was founded in 2013. As O.C. residents faced unemployment and other financial challenges because of the pandemic, the kitchen ramped up its food production more than threefold, working with agencies to distribute meals to the hungry. By mid-June, the kitchen had surpassed its anticipated goal of preparing 600,000 meals this year. Founder and chef Bill Bracken says that at the beginning of stay-at-home orders, the biggest challenge was managing excess food waste coming in from local restaurants. But the organization pushed through. “We have several shelters that get meals from us, seven days a week, for lunch and dinner,” Bracken says. “If we close our kitchens, what would happen to them?”