At La Soupe, rescued ingredients become dignified meals thanks to hardworking chefs and volunteers.
Discover how La Soupe—Ohio’s largest chef-led food rescue initiative—transforms rescued food into dignified, restaurant-quality meals for individuals facing hunger, as well as how you can get involved.
When some people hear the term “rescued ingredients,” they may think the food items that fall under that umbrella are objectionable or even unhygienic. But in Walnut Hills, a different story unfolds every week inside the La Soupe kitchen—one where healthy, high-quality surplus ingredients become the key to solving food insecurity.
The Scale of the Problem
According to the 2026 ReFED U.S. Food Waste Report, “nearly one third of all food is lost or wasted as it makes its way from farm to fork.” This statistic is disheartening, especially because roughly one in seven American households struggled with food insecurity as of 2024.
Still, progress is being made. ReFED found that from 2023-24, there was a 2.2% reduction in total surplus food reported. La Soupe is proud to be one of the noteworthy organizations that made this nationwide trend possible.
A Three-Pillar System: Rescue Transform Share®
La Soupe’s existence is predicated on one idea: High-quality food shouldn’t go to waste when people are actively battling hunger.
A pallet loaded up with rescued goods.
As Ohio's largest chef-led food rescue initiative, La Soupe rescues an average of 30,000 pounds of fresh food from local manufacturers, distributors, grocers, and farms every week.
Unlike a traditional food bank, La Soupe goes beyond sorting and redistributing rescued food. Professional chefs and dedicated volunteers use culinary skill to repurpose excess food items into restaurant-quality soupes and meals, which are then shared with over 180 community Share Partners throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
In fiscal year 2026 alone, La Soupe rescued 1.6 million pounds of food and turned it into 2 million healthy servings. This is what the Rescue Transform Share® model looks like in action.
A Masterclass in Zero-Waste Cooking
Chef Phil in the kitchen.
Recently, one of our Transform Chefs—Phil Walker— and a team of volunteers tackled a massive donation of chickens. What happened next is a lesson the restaurant industry has long championed but rarely practices at this scale: whole-bird, zero-waste cooking in service of the community.
Rather than using only the most convenient cuts and discarding the rest, the team broke every bird down with care and intention. Bones became the broth base for rich, nourishing soupes. Meat was portioned into ready-made community meals.
Nothing was wasted, and every part served a purpose. The ReFED report found that just 5.2% of total surplus food consists of fresh meat and seafood. Therefore, when La Soupe receives large-scale meat donations, our chefs must lean into agile creativity and dynamic sustainability—two of our core values—to craft the most nutritious meals possible.
How La Soupe Shows up for the Community
Dinner is set at the 5000 Club.
La Soupe cultivates a wide range of Share Partners, each bringing their own unique flavor to our communal table.
One of our Share Partners, the 5000 Club at Christ Church Cathedral, is a community dining program that feeds around 175 people weekly. Every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. on the dot, the 5000 Club turns an ordinary church basement into something truly special.
Round tables are draped in cloth and set with traditional dinnerware. The doors open to welcome guests, many of whom are experiencing homelessness.
Volunteers move through the room with warmth and intention. Every cup is filled, each meal is served with dignity, and all conversations foster a deep-seated sense of community.
For La Soupe, this is what food rescue looks like at its best: a table set with care, creativity, and concrete hope for a better future.
Why This Work Matters
In Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, food insecurity affects tens of thousands of residents. La Soupe’s distinct model not only addresses hunger head on, but also prioritizes the human dignity that can often be lost when people find themselves in crisis.
By rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste, applying professional culinary skill to every food donation, and partnering with high-impact community organizations like the 5000 Club, La Soupe ensures that surplus food reaches people in a way that respects and honors them.
Volunteer With Us
Volunteers are the heartbeat of La Soupe.
Volunteers are the heart of La Soupe’s outreach and programming. Whether you want to cook up flavorful dishes in our kitchen, help rescue food across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, or serve alongside the 5000 Club on a Tuesday evening, there is a place for you here.
The work of La Soupe and its Share Partners depends on the people who show up, roll up their sleeves, and believe that every neighbor deserves a good meal at a well-set table.
Learn how to volunteer with La Soupe here.
If this story moved you, share it. The more people in our region who know this work is happening right here in our backyard, the stronger this community becomes.