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Anthony Bourdain’s Review of Knife Skills, the EDWINS Documentary – and What Mario Batali Thinks of Our Grads

Those of us in Northeast Ohio won’t have to wait long for a chance to view Knife Skills, as it’s slated to be part of the Chagrin Documentary Film Fest on October 4 and 5!


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Re-Entry Assistance is Just One Click Away with reLink.org!

ReLink.org is an up-to-date, user-friendly, and searchable platform that will connect anyone looking for reentry help to valuable resources like crisis counseling, addiction recovery, food, housing, healthcare, employment, transportation, and more.


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Edwins’ ‘La Grande Soiree’

The soiree featured many French favorites, fabulous desserts, wines, cocktails and live entertainment. EDWINS’ mission is to instill leadership skills in formerly incarcerated adults through an education in the culinary arts, all who are employees of the restaurant.


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Non-profit aids former prisoners through culinary arts

Clark Howard Radio Show producer Kim Drobes featured Cleveland-based non-profit EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute on an episode of her Clark.com podcast The Empowerment Zone back in early June.


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5 Social Enterprises Overcoming Barriers to Employment

Here are five social enterprises using the mechanisms of business to tackle the employment issue in their communities.


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EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute Board Announcement

As you may be aware, EDWINS founder and CEO, Brandon Chrostowski, announced his Cleveland mayoral bid earlier this year.  With his campaign staff and strategy all in place, the campaign will gain momentum in the upcoming months.  In order to allow Brandon the time and the focus he needs to devote to his campaign and […]


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The Steve Harvey Show: Harvey’s Heroes

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is Chef Brandon Chrostowski’s favorite holiday of the year. The chef and founder of EDWINS Restaurant and Leadership Institute credits the civil rights leader as one of the biggest inspirations in his life. In honor of the MLK Jr. holiday, Chef Chrostowski shared one of Dr. King’s  favorite dessert […]


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Fox Recipe Box: Pecan Pie

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is Chef Brandon Chrostowski’s favorite holiday of the year. The chef and founder of EDWINS Restaurant and Leadership Institute credits the civil rights leader as one of the biggest inspirations in his life. In honor of the MLK Jr. holiday, Chef Chrostowski shared one of Dr. King’s  favorite dessert […]


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January 2017 Newsletter

At EDWINS, we strive to live out the principles that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for and upheld: Civil Rights, social activism, racial and gender equality, and his declaration that, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” Read the rest of the newsletter here.


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See The Good Event at EDWINS

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day is on Monday and EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute is honoring him by cooking up some of his favorite dishes, including pig’s feet! Brandon E. Chrostowski, Founder of EDWINS, joins us to share information about an event next Tuesday where if you bring in one piece of good news […]


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Edwins Restaurant to open butcher shop

Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute has signed a deal to build the Buckeye neighborhood’s first meat vendor in more than 45 years. The 3,200-square-foot butcher shop, located at 13024 Buckeye Road, is scheduled to open winter 2017. “Edwins Butcher Shop is the next step in an overall plan to combat the problem of re-entry though […]


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Rare bourbon given to Edwins for fundraiser

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute has been named a beneficiary of a rare bourbon that could fetch upwards of $10,000. Edwins is one of 200 charities in the country and 11 in Ohio that are receiving the O.F.C. vintage bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. The Strongsville Chamber of Commerce is the only […]


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EDWINS to Open Butcher Shop in Buckeye Neighborhood in Mission to Better Lives of Many

Brandon Chrostowski promised that he was just getting started. In addition to EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, the fine-dining bistro that provides formerly incarcerated citizens a foothold in the hospitality industry, the philanthropist recently unveiled EDWINS Second Chance Life Skills Center, a three-building campus in Cleveland’s Buckeye neighborhood that provides housing, services and amenities to […]


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Edwins buys former butcher shop

To add more culinary training and a shop to its agenda, Edwins restaurant has acquired a former butcher shop building next to its Cleveland campus. The nonprofit that operates a French restaurant at Shaker Square that helps formerly incarcerated people gain job skills and re-enter society, just shelled out $50,000 to acquire a one-time butcher […]


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Holiday Wishes – and Dishes!

We’ve lit up our quadrant of Shaker Square, and we at EDWINS are sending you the warmest holiday greetings and a toast for a happy new year. Along with our holiday wishes, we wanted to share some of our favorite dishes – and a few recipes, too. May this season be full of love, wonderful […]


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Brandon Chrostowski’s Sweet Potato Puree

Edwins restaurateur Brandon Chrostowski in Cleveland carried this recipe idea home from France and added a few tweaks. Try its fruity sweetness next to a ham or turkey. Read the rest from Debbi Snook of The Plain Dealer here.


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Edwins Second Chance Life Skills Center awarded $200,000 for development efforts in Cleveland’s Buckeye neighborhood

Edwins Second Chance Life Skills Center, a housing-focused component of Cleveland chef Brandon Chrostowski’s nonprofit Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute, has been named a 2016 Neighborhood Builder by Bank of America and will receive a $200,000 grant for the distinction. Founded in 2007, Edwins provides formerly incarcerated individuals experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, […]


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How big is Cleveland’s Heart?

Our city is riding high on a crest of significant achievements and a new wave of national recognition and acclaim. Cleveland is hot. The Cavaliers are the champions of professional basketball and the Indians have taken the Central Division of the American League. We just hosted a major political party’s presidential nominating convention. Downtown is […]


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EDWINS on TD Jakes

Brandon was on the TD Jakes Show, take a look at what he had to say!    


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EDWINS Newsletter – September 2016

EDWINS alum Craig Howard has impressed guests from all over the country, who have been happy to share their great experiences with him. Learn more about Craig, the Anisfield Wolf Memorial Award, the EDWINS Run for Re-Entry 5K, the Nurture an Idea Forum and our Town Hall Series on Re-Entry.


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August 2016 Alumni Spotlight: A Second Chance Star


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EDWINS Expands its Reach with New Dorms, Second Chance Life Skills Center

Brandon Chrostowski was just wrapping a particularly challenging dinner service at EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute when he answered his phone. The person on the other end of the line was freaking out about a broken toilet, which may or may not have been the cause of the flooded basement. “Now, I’m a landlord,” Chrostowski groans. […]


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Group gives former inmates a second chance


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WASHINGTON POST: 10 TOP PLACES TO EAT IN CLEVELAND, FOR CONVENTION-GOERS AND THE REST OF US

To read about it, Cleveland appears ready for its close-up for the Republican National Convention this month. Downtown’s Public Square — 10 acres of green park — just reopened, following an investment of 15 months and $50 million. Nearby, a new Hilton added 600 rooms to the city’s inventory. Local pride was only burnished with […]


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WE WERE KICKIN’ IT WITH KENNY!

CHECK OUT ANGELA, TYSHAWN AND BRANDON KICKIN’ IT WITH KENNY ON FOX 8


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OP-ED: HEEDING THE HUMANITY OF FORMER PRISONERS

I am a former criminal. I was thrown in jail for fleeing and eluding the police after leaving the scene where drugs were involved. What I learned most was not the error of my ways, but the error of the criminal justice system’s ways, and the error of a society that treats those of us […]


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MAY 2016 NEWSLETTER

Learn more about EDWINS by reading the May 2016 newsletter.


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A BATTLE OF THE CHEFS DECIDES CLEVELAND’S BEST SIDE FOR DINERS

Cleveland’s restaurant renaissance has been widely recognized. But closer to home, east siders still argue with west siders about which side of the Cuyahoga River has the best cuisine. Diners at a recent gourmet feast have cast their votes on the issue, and WKSU’s Vivian Goodman tallies the results. Get the full story from WKSU […]


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JOBS FOR EX-OFFENDERS PART OF NATIONAL REENTRY WEEK FOCUS

When Bloom Artisan Bakery & Café opens its second location today, it will not just be another new small business trying to make it in the big city. More than dollars will go into how the business measures success. In fact, how well Bloom can excel at using employment to transform the lives of ex-offenders will […]


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APRIL 2016 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Learn more about our graduates’ success by reading our latest Alumni Spotlight.


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TROUBLED EMPLOYEES GET SECOND CHANCE AT EDWINS RESTAURANT IN SHAKER HEIGHTS

Students with a troubled past are getting a second chance at one Shaker Heights restaurant. Edwin’s Restaurant has made a habit of employing people whose checkered past makes it tough to get hired. See the full feature from NewsNet5 here.


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NORTHEAST OHIO RE-ENTRY BUSINESS SUMMIT LOBBIES EMPLOYERS TO HIRE EX-OFFENDERS

Countless job seekers are still finding it difficult to land employment. Many ex-offenders have found it almost impossible. But it shouldn’t be, says Brandon Chrostowski, founder, president and CEO of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute on Shaker Square, which is dedicated to employing formerly incarcerated people in the hospitality industry. Read the rest of the story […]


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RESTAURANT TEACHES FORMER INMATES TO COOK, HELPS THEM GET BACK ON THEIR FEET

One restaurant is helping people who need a second chance. Edwin’s, a popular, upscale French restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, teaches people who were once incarcerated how to cook. Most of its staff has a prison record, as well. Read the full story from the Huffington Post here.


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EDWINS PRESS KIT

For more information about the restaurant please view our Press Kit here


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EDWINS FOUNDER HELPS TO CARVE SUCCESSFUL PATH FOR GRADS

French-trained chef Brandon Chrostowski came to Cleveland in 2008 as general manager for L’Albatros in University Circle, but five years later he struck out on his own to follow his passion: training formerly incarcerated people for jobs in the restaurant industry. Since opening three years ago, Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute at Shaker Square has […]


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MARCH 2016 NEWSLETTER

Take a second to see what we have been up to by reading our monthly EDWINS Newsletter


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CNN HEROES

We’re excited to announce our founder and CEO, Brandon Chrostowski, has been named a 2016 CNN Hero! The internationally recognized award honors those making a significant difference in their communities. Brandon is one of only 25 individuals around the world to receive the prestigious award. Thanks to everyone who’s made this award possible and vowed […]


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GLOVES TO COME OFF IN EAST VS. WEST CHEFS BOUT AT EDWINS

Food and wine events tend to be stuffy, somber affairs that leave guests ducking out the back door long before the night’s official end. (Guilty!) That’s the exact opposite of what Brandon Chrostowski has planned for the inaugural East vs. West competition going down at EDWINS restaurant. Get Doug Tratter’s complete take at Cleveland Scene here.


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EDWINS RESTAURANT IS SAVING LIVES ONE PLATE AT A TIME

A young woman seated at a table in the front of Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Wednesday afternoon could not conceal her growing impatience for class to start. She strummed her fingers on the white linen tablecloth and made no effort to stifle a yawn. Edwins wasn’t scheduled to open its doors to diners for three […]


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EDWINS TOWN HALL SERIES ON REENTRY


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EDWINS IN THE NEWS

Did you catch Brandon on Channel 3 News at 7pm talking about tomorrow’s ‘See the Good Tuesday”? As well as on FOX 8 in the morning?   FOX 8 Morning Show   Also Brandon had an OpEd published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer  


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FORMER INMATES WILL SHOWCASE COOKING SKILLS TO SHOW U.S. SENATE WHAT A SECOND CHANCE MEANS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Every member of this culinary team has had to face the judges, and not just the Cooking Channel kind. The cooks and prep staff are ex-convicts, and now it’s their time to face men and women who actually make federal law — in order to dazzle their taste buds. Read the rest […]


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CHANGING THE FACE OF REENTRY

CHANGING THE FACE OF REENTRY Did you miss Brandon Chrostowski’s speech at The City Club of Cleveland? He spoke to a sold out crowd of attendees hopeful for change and eager to learn about EDWINS remarkable mission. Listen here: http://bit.ly/1NWFnjb Watch here: https://cityclub.org/events/changing-the-face-of-re-entry


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EDWINS SECOND CHANCE CAMPUS COMES TOGETHER ON CLEVELAND’S BUCKEYE ROAD

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brandon Chrostowski isn’t blind to the blight on this corner of Buckeye Road and South Moreland Boulevard, on the city’s East Side. But in the abandoned apartments and bereft brick buildings, he also sees potential.     Read the rest of the article from Michelle McFee here.


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RESTAURANT REFORMER

Brandon Chrostowski believes in second chances. Without them, he wouldn’t be in the position he is now. He’s told his story before: At 18, he was arrested and faced a five- to 10-year sentence for an offense he declines to specify. Instead, the judge was lenient, and he served only a year of probation. “There are […]


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COOKING, NOT CRIME: EX-CONS HOT IN CLEVELAND

It’s a serious understatement to observe that, as a young man, Brandon Chrostowski did not seem likely to become a top French chef at restaurants in New York and Paris. Nor was he likely to lead a Cleveland organization helping those newly-released from prison to get positions in such restaurants. Prior to getting his first […]


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JULY 2015 NEWSLETTER

The July EDWINS newsletter is here! Read about a former student’s culinary journey, updates on our new Le Burger and more. http://bit.ly/1J0pD73


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NEW YORK TIMES RESTAURANT REPORT: EDWINS LEADERSHIP & RESTAURANT INSTITUTE IN CLEVELAND

It is easy to root for Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute — and part of its likability comes from the slightly uneasy experience of anticipating the meal. Read the rest of the article here: EDWINS


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EDWINS DORM PROJECT BEGINS!!!!!

Founder and CEO Brandon Chrostowski says he realized that education and training were only one facet of a former prisoner’s efforts to move forward in life. Those who have been arrested and jailed often have no support system, or family and friends willing to help, when they are released. They need a safe place to […]


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View our GuideStar Profile

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Annual Report and Audit

Download the 2016 Annual Report here.

Download our most recent financial audit here.

For Media Inquiries

EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute is a proven successful mix of award-winning French cuisine, and top-tier table service combined with a unique and revolutionary social cause. Our mission is to give formerly incarcerated individuals a foundation in the hospitality industry while providing a support network necessary for successful re-entry.

For media-related inquiries, please contact Stacey Vaselaney of SLV Public Relations, slvaselaney (at) slvpr.com

100 Second Chances

View the criticality acclaimed short film “100 Second Chances”

EDWINS Second Chance Life Skills Center

Watch the EDWINS Second Chance Life Skills Center video created by Grafton Correctional Institution inmates.

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