About Yes, Chef! Behind the Apron™️

Behind every unforgettable meal is a chef with a story—often untold. Yes, Chef! Behind the Apron™️ was born in 2024 as an artistic photography project by Elaine Zelker to showcase the human side of chefs. What began as intimate portraits quickly grew into something bigger: a movement to spotlight the struggles, resilience, and triumphs of those who feed us.

Where We Started

In its first year, Yes, Chef! Behind the Apron™️  featured 21 chefs from across the Lehigh Valley—including Lee Chizmar (Bolete/Mister Lee’s Noodles), Shawn Doyle (Savory Grille), and Abe Lopez (Stoke)—each bravely stepping out from behind the apron to reveal who they are beyond the kitchen. The project raised nearly $25,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank, providing approximately 70,000 meals to our community.

Where We Are Now

Today, Yes, Chef! Behind the Apron™️ has grown into a multi-dimensional platform:

• Art & Storytelling: A gallery event and annual calendar that amplify chefs’ voices. The images this year, to be revealed at our upcoming event, are even more RAW and real—capturing the unfiltered essence of life behind the apron. The event WILL sell out at 350. 

• Mental Health Advocacy: Our Aprons Off! Retreat creates safe, restorative spaces for chefs to bond, heal, and address industry-wide challenges like burnout, depression, anxiety, and addiction.

• Media Expansion: Launching this winter, the Behind the Apron Podcast will bring raw chef stories and expert conversations to a wider audience.

• Fundraising & Food Security: Proceeds directly support hunger relief and culinary wellness initiatives.

Where We’re Going

The vision is bold:

• National Expansion: From regional storytelling to a nationwide platform spotlighting chefs everywhere.

• Documentary & Media Opportunities: Translating chef stories into compelling media formats that deepen impact.

• Sustainable Support: Yes, Chef! Behind the Apron™️ has officially been established as a nonprofit in Pennsylvania (May 2025) and is currently operating under the fiscal sponsorship of HSI (Humanitarian Social Innovations). This structure provides immediate stability and accountability while we build toward long-term sustainability—dedicating resources to food security and chef mental health programs nationwide.

We believe that chefs are culture bearers, truth tellers, and healers—and their voices deserve to be heard.