Welcome Hall Mission unveils new kitchen to expand food aid across Montreal
Posted April 1, 2026 10:02 am.
Last Updated April 1, 2026 4:42 pm.
Welcome Hall Mission officially opened its new centralized kitchen in St-Henri on Wednesday, a facility expected to significantly expand the organization’s ability to feed people in need across the city.
The multi-million-dollar kitchen, years in the making, is designed to increase daily meal production from about 1,500 to as many as 10,000 meals.
“This centralized kitchen represents a transformative step forward in how we serve our community,” said Sam Watts, CEO of Welcome Hall Mission. “By combining operational efficiency with compassion, we are not only increasing access to nutritious meals but also creating meaningful pathways to employment for individuals who need it most.”
The facility will support not only the organization’s shelters and programs, but also partner organizations that rely on prepared meals. It will also distribute pre-prepared food through Welcome Hall Mission’s two free grocery stores, expanding access to nutritious options for vulnerable Montrealers.
“Being able to feed montrealers who need food and good food this is something thats gonna be able to do that,” said Watts.
Head Chef Gabriel Faraone, who oversaw the kitchen’s development, says the kitchen represents both an important professional milestone and a chance to make a real difference.
“This kitchen allows us to scale our impact in a way that was never possible before,” he said. “Not only can we produce high-quality meals efficiently for those who need them most, but we can also create a dynamic, hands-on training environment where participants gain real-world culinary experience and confidence. It goes back to our motto of Shelter. Food. Love.”
In addition, the kitchen will serve as a hub for the organization’s Micro-Entreprise training program, offering culinary training and job readiness support to individuals facing barriers to employment.
“We train young people for the food industry and related fields,” said Faraone.
The new space is equipped with high-performance, industrial-grade equipment and is designed to meet strict food safety standards, including MAPAQ, HACCP and ISO 22000 certifications.
“The technology that we have is incredible… yields are gonna be higher,” Watts explained.
Welcome Hall Mission says the kitchen will also prioritize eco-responsible practices, including local sourcing and food waste reduction.
Once fully operational, the kitchen is expected to employ between a dozen and two dozen staff at any given time and operate seven days a week.
For Awoua Yigo Coulibaly, who is a participant of the micro-enterprise training program, she says she’s grateful not just for the opportunity, but for the team. Originally from Burkina Faso, she says she’s found a supportive and understanding environment, and hopes the training will help her build a future.
“Participating in this program, I was so happy. I was like is this real in the kitchen, it’s meant everything to me,” Coulibaly explained.
“If I had the means, I would love to have my own restaurant and to help other people because I was a refugee like others.”
The organization says the expanded capacity will help meet growing demand for food assistance in Montreal, where community groups collectively produce tens of thousands of meals daily.
The project, supported by donors, represents a major step in strengthening Montreal’s social safety net while combining immediate food aid with long-term solutions.
