Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) President Mary K. Grant last month honored Waltham resident and MassArt alumna Toni Elka (BFA Painting ’86), founder of Future Chefs, as one of six recipients of the 2024 MassArt Common Good Award.
Elka, a resident of Waltham, received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for her transformative work empowering Boston-area youth through culinary arts, providing life skills, professional development and mentoring to ensure successful transitions from adolescence to adulthood, according to a press release issued by MassArt.
“Toni has changed hundreds of lives over her tenure, and we are so proud to call her one of our alumni,” Grant said when announcing the awards. “Her work exemplifies the deep impact of art and creativity in shaping stronger communities and building brighter futures for young people.”
Elka founded Future Chefs in 2008, driven by a belief in the collective responsibility to prepare young people for productive, fulfilling lives. Over the past 17 years, Future Chefs has become a cornerstone in youth development, combining practical culinary training with mentorship and personal growth opportunities to equip teens with the skills and confidence to navigate their futures.
A legacy of transformation
The program reflects Elka’s passion for creating sustainable, community-centered models for local impact, rooted in her background as the granddaughter of a union organizer and farmer, and her own experience as a cook and caterer.
In addition to leading Future Chefs, Elka founded the Circle of Girls program, a pioneering arts-based prevention strategy for middle school girls, and served as the program director for the Boston chapter of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (CCAP).
Her innovative leadership earned her recognition as a Social Innovator by Root Cause in 2011, and in 2013, she became the first executive director to earn a Boston Neighborhood Fellowship from the Philanthropic Institute.
Elka also served on Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s Economic Development Transition Team in 2014, holds a certificate in Non-Profit Management and Leadership from Boston University, and has completed graduate-level coursework at Harvard’s School of Education and Radcliffe Seminars.
Last fall, after 17 years of extraordinary leadership, Elka retired from Future Chefs, leaving behind a legacy of transformation and empowerment for hundreds of Boston-area youth.
Her leadership inspired countless students to build confidence and find direction, with one student summing up the program’s impact in a CBS News article as a place that teaches “knife skills and life skills.”
“This year’s Common Good Award recipients reflect the many ways artists can drive societal change, change perspectives, and honor the diversity that helps communities thrive,” Grant said. “Each of these recipients have demonstrated innovative work in education, community building, and advocacy and stand as a testament to the essential role that creativity plays in shaping our collective future. We are honored to recognize their contributions to the common good.”
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