Melanie Highlander

Chef

Melanie (she/her) started at the cafe back in 2013 as a volunteer and was hired on as a Prep Shift Leader a couple of years later. When life pulled her away from Stone Soup's kitchen, she remained involved in various capacities over the years- event planning, referring volunteers to the organization, and working in partnership with the agency during her time as Program Coordinator at the Franklin County Community Meals Program.

Melanie's love for food and the culinary arts stemmed from her time at Franklin County Technical School, and her "kitchen chops" have always been something she could fall back on. Her experience preparing and working with plant-based products and nutrient-dense meals aligns with the Cafe's mission, and she is happy to be part of a robust team! As she likes to say, "It takes a lot to feed a lot."

She feels drawn to supporting her community to build sustainability, and when Kirsten called for kitchen support, she answered.