Our Mission and Team
Chef’s Outreach Association, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, was started and founded by Chefs Keith Butler & Victor Schmidt in Pittsburgh, PA in 2023.
Our mission is to provide education and resources to under-served and minority youth, teaching them how to work with food, become a Chef, work in the culinary field, and the importance of healthy eating. Our partnerships with University of Pittsburgh’s Dietetics program, local organizations, celebrated chefs and generous donors makes this possible.
Chef Keith Butler is a Pittsburgh native. At a very young age he always expressed a genuine
passion for Culinary Arts. As a young adult Chef Keith trained with his mentor and uncle the
late Robert “Dr. Bob” McCall, a well-known local restauranteur, which helped develop his enthusiasm for Culinary Arts. He later became a Culinary Arts graduate of Community College of Allegheny County.
For over 25 years Chef Keith has instructed Culinary Arts at various institutions, workshops, and events. Chef Keith is on staff as a chef instructor at Bidwell Training Center, and is a member of 100 Black Men National Health and Wellness Committee, the Pittsburgh Public Schools Advisory Culinary Arts Board, and the Nutritional Chef for Flourishing Communities and The Community Liver Alliance. He has also volunteered with other organizations and has received accolades and awards for his accomplishments and outstanding merit.
Chef Keith has performed countless cooking demonstrations throughout Pittsburgh including
“WQED Cooks”. He is the creator of the Facebook group, “Pittsburgh Chefs and Foodies Unite”,
which offers its members a platform for networking, recipe sharing, career opportunities and
resources in the food industry. In his “spare” time, he is owner and Executive Chef of “Hannah’s Catering”.
He co-founded “Chefs Outreach Association” in 2023, a 501(c)(3) Non-profit organization designed to educate the community on all aspects of culinary arts and focus on healthy cooking while promoting generational health. Chef is honored to partner with Register Dietitians, PhD Students, and other chefs to facilitate area and national healthy eating and cooking educational events.
Chef Keith firmly believes in giving back to the community. He will continue to dedicate himself
in the Culinary Arts industry, through community outreach and educating the community on
health and wellness.
Chef Victor Schmidt is a distinguished culinary professional with a rich background in food service and leadership. Formerly the Executive Chef at Carnegie Mellon University, Chef Vic excelled under the management of two different companies, most notably navigating the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under FLIK’s banner, he played a pivotal role in a partnership with a leading medical device manufacturer, orchestrating the delivery of over 10,000 meals to team members and their families during a critical time.
Inspired by his roots as the son of Erich Schmidt, a humble farmer, Chef Vic’s journey reflects a blend of resilience, innovation, and dedication to his craft. He is excited to partner with his longtime friend and colleague Chef Keith in the Chefs Outreach Association.
Chef Justin Dixon, also known as Chef Dix is a chef, entrepreneur, hip-hop artist and author. He specializes in professional catering and has cooked for Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, a former City of Pittsburgh Mayor, and even provided appetizers for President Barack Obama and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg!
Chef Dix’s many accolades from groups like the National Black Chefs Association and Chef’s Outreach emphasize his dedication to the culinary arts as a way to engage in community. His expansive career includes roles as a head chef, kitchen manager, business owner and assistant food service director.
You can find Chef Dix on social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, and watch his streaming cooking show “Choppin It Up with Chef Dix”!
Leslie McPherson, Nutrition Coach, is a sports performance and nutrition coach dedicated to helping athletes build strength, improve endurance, and confidently complete their fitness goals. A lifelong competitor, she’s a CrossFit athlete, professional bikini bodybuilder, and marathon runner who brings both experience and passion to her coaching.
Plant-based in her own lifestyle, Leslie specializes in helping athletes use nutrition and strength training to perform at their best—whether they’re training for their first race or their next big event. She has been coaching since 2010 and training clients since 2017.
Based in Point Breeze, Leslie works at Global Human Performance, where she’s known for creating a supportive, energetic environment that challenges her clients to reach their full potential. Outside the gym, she runs a vegan food blog designed to help people feel more confident cooking and enjoying plant-forward meals. When she’s not coaching or creating recipes, she’s spending time with her dog or listening to romance fantasy audiobooks.
Jennifer Snyder, Dietician is in her senior year at the University of Pittsburgh studying Nutrition and Dietetics. She is passionate about food insecurity and nutrition education. Jenny is the President of two student organizations at Pitt: Food Recovery Heroes (FRH) and the Student Dietetic Association (SDA). FRH is an organization dedicated to eliminating food waste and food insecurity on campus and beyond. FRH packs the surplus food from the dining hall into individual meals, as well as wraps surplus pastries from places like Panera and Einstein Bros. Bagels to then donate to our on-campus pantry or several local community organizations. SDA is a group for anyone interested in nutrition or health and wellness in general! In her free time, she loves to read, hike, and spend time with loved ones. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh and loves getting involved in the community, especially because Pittsburgh has so many unique and diverse neighborhoods!
Wendy Maletta is a Relationship Builder, Brand Specialist and Certified Professional Coach with strong ties to Chef’s Outreach Association through her mom, Judy Dodd. She is contributing her expertise to us through website management and event planning. A servant leader by nature, Wendy co-founded and was the first Executive Director of Dress for Success Pittsburgh. Her career path also includes consulting with nfm agency since 2012 as an event producer, account manager, business development specialist and most recently, as the liaison to Giant Eagle’s Community Engagement programs. Her most notable projects include producing Pittsburgh’s Light Up Night for 7 years, two world-record attempt events, conferences, retreat workshops and weekends, headline concerts, fundraisers, and hundreds of celebrity appearances and retail grand opening celebrations.
Wendy spent most of her life in Pittsburgh, PA and currently resides in Arlington, VA. She is honored to share her gifts in the community as a volunteer for Chef’s Outreach, Grace Community Church (Cranberry Twp, PA) Women’s Ministry Leadership, and Grace Community Church (Arlington County, VA) Compassion and Justice Ministry.
Learn more about Wendy on Linked In
