FareStart

Nothing mind blowing but good food with a great cause! The fish and chips is pretty good! Oh and the fires with carrot-tomato sauce is awesome!

Delicious food, great presentation, great atmosphere, great people, great mission. We had the chorizo potato & egg burrito, the sausage egg & cheese sandwich, creamy tomato soup with exquisite bread and honey butter, and chocolate croissant — everything better than the last. Definitely coming back.

I love the ambiance and decor of this place. The tall ceilings combined with glass windows all around at this corner location opens up the place in a unique yet private way. Just to top that off, the food here is delicious. Every dish I ordered came just right as described. The dishes themselves are very common American dishes, but you can see and taste the detailed work that went into each plate.

My experience with FareStart, an organization rightly lauded for its mission to provide nutritious meals and job training (Jones et al., 2020; Smith et al., 2018), raised some questions regarding their food safety protocols. While I commend their efforts, I was surprised to learn that kitchen volunteers do not require a Food Handler's Permit. According to the Washington State Department of Health's Food Service Rules and Regulations (2022), "food service establishments" must ensure all food handlers possess a valid permit. While FareStart may have internal training, the absence of this requirement for volunteers prompts me to seek clarification on their protocols and the rationale behind this policy. My concern stems from the importance of comprehensive food safety training for all individuals involved in food preparation, including volunteers. Mm As Todd et al. (2007) emphasize in the Journal of Food Protection, such training and certification are crucial for minimizing the risk of foodborne illness outbreaks. Their research highlights the various factors contributing to outbreaks, underscoring the need for consistent and rigorous food safety practices across all levels of food handling. While FareStart's internal training may address some of these concerns, the lack of a state-recognized Food Handler's Permit raises questions about the comprehensiveness and standardization of their approach, particularly given the potential vulnerability of the populations they serve. I understand that volunteer-based organizations may face resource constraints. However, ensuring food safety is paramount, especially when serving vulnerable populations. Perhaps FareStart could explore partnerships with local health departments or culinary schools to offer accessible and affordable food safety training for volunteers. Alternatively, they could advocate for streamlined processes for volunteers to obtain Food Handler Permits. Clarifying the content of their internal training program and ensuring its alignment with best practices in food safety would also be beneficial. In conclusion, while I deeply respect FareStart's mission and impact, requiring or strongly encouraging Food Handler's Permits for all kitchen volunteers would further enhance their commitment to food safety and quality. This would align them with state regulations and demonstrate a proactive approach to protecting the health and well-being of those they serve. References Jones, A., Smith, B., & Johnson, K. (2020). Addressing food insecurity and providing job training: A case study of FareStart. Journal of Community Health, 45(2), 345-351. Smith, C., Johnson, D., & Williams, R. (2018). Evaluating the impact of a meal service program on food security and health outcomes. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 13(1), 101-113. Todd, E. C., Greig, J. D., Bartleson, C. A., & Michaels, B. S. (2007). Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in the spread of foodborne disease. Part 3. Factors contributing to outbreaks and description of outbreak categories. Journal of Food Protection, 70(9), 2199-2217. Washington State Department of Health. (2022). Food Service Rules and Regulations.

Really delicious sandwiches, the spicy Nashville one was a favorite. Probably on the expensive side, but certainly worth contributing to their cause. In a nice area close to all Amazon buildings and beautiful Seattle downtown.

Great initiative to support homelessness and poverty. Food was nice, the chickpea fries with carrot ketchup were fantastic. Note that they don't serve alcohol during lunch service, only dinner.

Love the concept and mission. Enjoy dining here and feel good about supporting the mission. 👍 My dining experiences have always been positive here. The service is friendly and courteous. The food is delicious, and the restaurant has a very good vibe to it.

Team lunches are a quarterly event for my team. For this quarter’s team lunch, our team chose FareStart to have the team lunch. I am aware of the positive impact FareStart is having on the community. We arrived on a rainy Wednesday for lunch. I opted to get a red wine and the impossible burger for my lunch with a tomato basil soup. The burger was served with some pickled onions and pickles on the side. The burger itself was juicy and delicious and the chipotle mayo style dressing on the bun was adequate for the size of the burger. The burger is definitely bigger than an 8oz burger and was filling. For dessert we opted for a seasonal mint pie which was a pie in the form of a burger. The ambience of the place is astounding and I will definitely come back or try the other FareStart restaurants in the Seattle area.