Chicago’s Chef Cliff Rome Launches First Round of Culinary Enrichment at Rome’s Joy Culinary and Hospitality Institute

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Legendary South-Side chef Cliff Rome — known for his many ventures under Rome’s Joy Companies — has officially kicked off the first cohort of his newly relaunched culinary training initiative at the Rome’s Joy Culinary and Hospitality Institute (often abbreviated “RJC Institute”). The program represents the next chapter in a decades-long mission to elevate local talent, create equitable opportunities, and invest in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville and South Side communities.

🍳 From Humble Beginnings to Culinary Legacy

Chef Rome’s story is rooted in community, family, and a lifelong passion for food. Growing up in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, he first experienced the warmth and tradition of home cooking — watching his grandmother stir big stockpots full of greens as a child. 

After studying cooking at culinary school and interning under culinary great Wolfgang Puck, Rome honed his craft working at legendary restaurants including Spago and even studied in Paris. 

In 2000, he founded Rome’s Joy Companies — a diverse hospitality group that today includes a flagship restaurant, catering, event spaces, art gallery, a sausage business, and more. 

Over the years, Rome has built both flavor and opportunity — using his platform not just to serve great food, but to uplift people. He launched previous training and mentorship efforts (such as a program called Mise En Place Chicago) to help young people — often from underserved communities — gain real skills and jobs in the culinary field. 

What Is the New RJC Institute?

The new Rome’s Joy Culinary and Hospitality Institute (RJC Institute) is described on the official Rome’s Joy website as part of the company’s “Training” division. 

Its mission: to provide hands-on culinary and hospitality training — not just kitchen techniques, but also professional standards, community investment values, and career pathways in Chicago’s food industry. According to Rome’s Joy’s leadership page, the company remains committed to empowering at-risk youth and reinvesting in communities through training, mentoring, and employment. 

RJC Institute appears to build upon (and perhaps expand) what Mise En Place offered — but under a formal training “institute” banner tied more visibly to Rome’s broader business operations.

The First Cohort — What We Know

• The first round of the program has now begun. While exact enrollment numbers have not been publicly disclosed, social media updates from the RJC Institute page indicate the initiation of a class — students gathered, engaging with Chef Rome directly on what it takes to succeed in culinary and hospitality work.  
• The tone of the kickoff session, per posts, emphasized discipline, dedication and “the grit and grind required to achieve your dreams” — a hallmark of Rome’s mentorship philosophy.  
• The Institute aims to combine practical culinary skills (cooking, kitchen operations, sanitation, hospitality service) with broader life and workplace readiness — echoing prior training efforts under Mise En Place.  

Why This Matters — For Participants 

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• Real career pathways: The Institute builds on Chef Rome’s track record of placing trainees in long-term employment — at his own businesses and other Chicago institutions (e.g. universities, catering firms, hospitality employers).  
• Empowerment through ownership: By rooting the Institute in his own hospitality company, Rome ensures graduates understand how successful kitchens and hospitality businesses operate — giving them not just skills, but context and ownership mindset.
• Community reinvestment: Rome has long believed in reinvesting in Chicago’s historically Black neighborhoods, especially Bronzeville and the South Side. The Institute reinforces that mission by creating opportunities locally, and helping residents build sustainable careers without leaving their communities.  
• Sustainable future for Chicago’s food scene: As Rome expands into large-scale projects (for instance, his 2025 partnership to run food services at the Obama Presidential Center)  , a steady stream of trained and mission-driven labor becomes essential. The RJC Institute could help supply that.