Kim Hafner Chef

Teaches at Burnt Toast Kitchen NYC

Kim's professional cooking began in 1999 at The Herbal Bear, a school in the Catskills for individuals wanting to learn about herbal medicine and healing. She was a co-chef there, shopping for ingredients in Brooklyn and driving three hours to provide meals for the students during their weekend classes. 

Fast forward to 2011. She mentioned above that after 15 years in nonprofits, she decided she needed a change.  Kim went to culinary school. She completed the Chef Training Program at Natural Gourmet Institute, where she interned at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in the country. From the moment Kim stepped into the kitchen, she knew it was for her. 

Now to get a job. Kim cut her teeth on a private cheffing gig and worked with the same family for five years. Simultaneously,  she applied to restaurants. Kim got her first restaurant break at MOB-USA, a newly established vegan restaurant, in Brooklyn. After a year, Kim became co-sous-chef there. She moved on to Pickle Shack, another emerging vegetarian restaurant/craft beer bar, also in Brooklyn. Then onto Dirt Candy, a well-known- well-loved, award-winning vegetable restaurant, run by a female chef.

To support her goals. Burnt Toast Kitchen NYC was born from her experience and learning from each chef she worked with.