RISE Culinary Institute is a nonprofit training program based in Salt Lake City, Utah, dedicated to empowering refugee and immigrant women through hands-on culinary education, community support, and cultural celebration.
Founded by award-winning restaurateur and entrepreneur Lavanya Mahate, RISE was created to be more than a school—it’s a sanctuary for transformation.
We believe that when women rise, families rise. Communities rise. Generations rise.
To empower refugee and immigrant women from low-income households through culinary training, cultural celebration, and career pathways that lead to economic independence and lasting confidence.
Many refugee and immigrant women arrive in the U.S. with rich culinary traditions—but face barriers to employment, language, and economic opportunity. RISE bridges that gap.
We meet women where they are—with compassion, culturally responsive training, and holistic support that honors their story and ignites their future.
Since launching, RISE has helped women from countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela, Sudan, Bhutan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo gain skills, courage, and careers.
Graduates have gone on to work in local restaurants, launch their own catering businesses, and speak on public stages—sharing their food and their voice with pride.
To create a world where every woman, no matter where she starts, has the tools, confidence, and community to rise into her full potential.
RISE was born from my own journey as an immigrant who once couldn’t work.
I know what it means to start over. I know the power of being seen, heard, and supported.
And I know that food, when paired with opportunity, can change everything.
