Chef Shawn Clayborn, head chef and kitchen manager at Detroit’s Pope Francis Center, is preparing to serve over 300 Thanksgiving meals at two locations, a testament to her commitment to feeding those in need year-round.
Clayborn, who grew up near Detroit’s Eastern Market, calls the work “an honor” and brings her passion for cooking to the forefront as she helps provide comfort and nourishment to the city’s homeless population.
Thanksgiving dinner will feature turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, collard greens, cornbread, and mashed potatoes with gravy—a lineup crafted with love and expertise.
The culinary professional, who joined the nonprofit center in 2023, has embraced the challenge of creating nutritious meals for more than 200 people daily from the day center’s kitchen.
This summer, Clayborn’s role expanded with the opening of the 60,000-square-foot Bridge Housing Campus, a transitional housing facility designed to help residents move from homelessness to permanent housing.
Equipped with a commercial kitchen, Clayborn now oversees meal preparation for both the housing campus and the center, serving 350 meals a day with the help of volunteers.
“I’m on the ground floor, watching the program grow,” Clayborn said. “It’s amazing to see it turn out exactly as planned.”
From Dentistry to Culinary Arts
Clayborn’s journey to culinary arts is as remarkable as her work. Initially aspiring to become an orthodontist, she spent 10 years as a dental assistant before pivoting to her true passion—cooking.
Inspired by her father, who learned Southern cooking from his grandmother in Alabama, Clayborn honed her skills at Dorsey College’s Culinary Arts program.
Her experience includes stints at local establishments like the Roostertail and Detroit Receiving Hospital, where she served meals to hundreds, building the expertise she now uses to serve Detroit’s most vulnerable.
A Heart for Service
Beyond the kitchen, Clayborn teaches cooking and life skills to residents at the housing campus. Her deep respect for those she serves has reshaped her understanding of homelessness.
“I’ve learned there are so many levels to homelessness—mental illness, trauma, or even the loss of a loved one,” Clayborn said. “We all need to learn about and help each other.”
This Thanksgiving, as Detroiters gather for parades and football games, Clayborn will be in the kitchen, ensuring every plate is filled and every resident feels a sense of family.
“I’ll forfeit the game to make sure the holiday meal is a success,” she said, expressing gratitude for the volunteers who help her bring hope and dignity to the community.
