The Knockout Catering Co. is a social enterprise of Opportunity Knocks. We offer the finest and freshest dining experience featuring locally-sourced, scratch made menus that are prepared and served with love by the OK Warriors.
Thank you for your interest in The Knockout Catering Company. While we appreciate your patronage and support, we regret to inform you that the Warrior Chef team is currently on a brief hiatus. In early August we said goodbye to our head chef. We are taking a brief pause to reset our operations and reload the team with the talent and leadership that we require to take the enterprise to the next phase of the mission. We ask your patience as we regroup and get our team back in action in the kitchen. We will be back up and running soon enough and look forward to bringing you high-quality, Warrior-made delights.
Under the direction of OK’s Head Chef, Joe Hart, we created a menu, carved out a commercial production space and developed a safe and supported work environment that allows our Warrior employees to team up with our culinary team to work on all aspects of the operation, from menu planning, food prep, setup, food service, and breakdown.
Like most things at OK, each of our businesses developed organically out of our Warrior-focused program efforts in the culinary arts. The more work the Knockout Catering crew gets, the more paid Warrior positions we can support.
Since launching in 2016, Knockout Catering has seen significant growth, year after year. That growth has led to great experiences, awesome community connections and most importantly a visible platform to showcase the abilities of the Warriors that work within the ranks of the Catering Crew.
The Knockout Catering Co. offers a variety of high-quality, hand-crafted culinary delights for small to medium-sized events. The KCC is the second installment in the social enterprise programming at Opportunity Knocks, aiming to create and support meaningful vocational opportunities for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Under the direction of OK’s Head Chef, Joe Hart, we created a menu, carved out a commercial production space and developed a safe and supported work environment that allows our Warrior employees to team up with our culinary team to work on all aspects of the operation, from menu planning, food prep, setup, food service, and breakdown.
Like most things at OK, each of our businesses developed organically out of our Warrior-focused program efforts in the culinary arts. The more work the Knockout Catering crew gets, the more paid Warrior positions we can support.
Since launching in 2016, Knockout Catering has seen significant growth, year after year. That growth has led to great experiences, awesome community connections and most importantly a visible platform to showcase the abilities of the Warriors that work within the ranks of the Catering Crew.
From large groups to small affairs, from rustic comfort food to elegant dinner parties, Knockout Catering is sure to make you and your guests have an event to remember.
From large groups to small affairs, from rustic comfort food to elegant dinner parties, Knockout Catering is sure to make you and your guests have an event to remember.
When we say a portion of our ingredients are locally sourced, we mean it! The Knockout Farm is a fully functional urban farm entrenched in our enterprise efforts, producing fresh, organic, Warrior-grown crops that make their way through our catering kitchen and onto your plate. The farm also serves as a key learning space in our programs and a primary source for the key ingredients in our Knockout Pickles.
When we say a portion of our ingredients are locally sourced, we mean it! The Knockout Farm is a fully functional urban farm entrenched in our enterprise efforts, producing fresh, organic, Warrior-grown crops that make their way through our catering kitchen and onto your plate. The farm also serves as a key learning space in our programs and a primary source for the key ingredients in our Knockout Pickles.
Michele Zurakowski, Exec. Director of Beyond Hunger, formerly OPRF Food Pantry
Elliott Bambrough, co-host of WGN’s Chicago’s Best
Keith Huizinga, co-Owner of Kinslahger Brewing Co.
Marianne Birko, Executive Director of WSSRA (West Suburban Special Recreation Association)
Thomas role at Opportunity Knocks has grown from the roots. He started out as a part time staff in our programs and his responsibilities has grown ever since. He not only makes pickles for Knockout Pickles but he is also a member of the Knockout Catering team. He brings experience in the kitchen as well as an open mind to learn new skills and help develop opportunities for Warriors.
Madeleine lives in Oak Park and loves being at Opportunity Knocks. In addition to Warrior Catering Company Madeleine works at Scratch restaurant in Oak Park as a hostess and front of house employee. Her favorite parts about WCC is serving the food and taking people’s orders. Madeleine feels that her knife safety skills have improved. She enjoys interacting with customers.
Zoe is very excited to be a member of Knockout Catering. She hopes to bring an “international flair” to the menu. She describes her cooking as being very much influenced by Korean and Japanese cuisines. Her favorite part of catering is getting the chance to meet so many new people
Erik is from Elmwood Park and graduated from the OPRF CITE program in 2015. He works at Buona Beef Catering as well as Warrior Catering Company. His favorite part about Warrior Catering Company is hanging out with his boss, Joe Hart, and interacting with customers. Erik says that Warrior Catering has helped him learn how to be polite, dress professionally, and clean up after himself. Erik has also learned how to use a knife safely and feels that he can focus better since working for Warrior Catering Company.
Recently moved to a new bachelor pad in Elmwood Park where he lives with his twin brother Erik. He recently graduated from the CITE program. Besides catering, he also works for the cleaning crew at In and Out Fitness. He lives life to have fun. His favorite part of being on the catering crew is giving out the food to people and seeing how much they like it. He also like serving and communicating to the back of the house on how things are going.
Jackie is from River Forest and takes pride in being a hard worker. Jackie has a second job at the Brookfield Zoo. Her favorite part about Warrior Catering Company is serving the food. Jackie loves her boss, Joe Hart. Her favorite recipes are the potato salad, pulled pork sandwiches, and grilled cheese. Jackie enjoys working with her friends and is happy to have a job where she can earn some money! One of Jackie’s other favorite hobbies is eating, so it makes sense that she is a Warrior Caterer!
Georgia lives in Oak Park. She has Down’s Syndrome and is a junior in college at Triton and studying Culinary Arts. Besides WCC, Georgia also works for Empowering Gardens and is a cashier at Trader Joe’s. Her favorite part of WCC is being able to help develop new recipes.
Katrina is a student at the OPRF CITE program and has been a Warrior at Opportunity Knocks for three years. She currently works in the Rush Hospital kitchen in addition to Warrior Catering Company. Katrina’s favorite part about Warrior Catering is cooking and introducing herself to new people. Since Katrina has been an employee at Warrior Catering Company she has improved her knife skills and kitchen safety.
Rebecca has longed worked in food service from her roles at the Happy Apple Pie Co. and Trader Joe’s. She was really excited that Joe Hart saw enough of her talent in programs to want to add her to the team. Rebecca loves learning to make vegetarian recipes and gluten free alternatives and is excited to share her knowledge in menu planning. Her favorite part of catering is getting to work with such a fun team.
Charlie loves to cook and has learned a lot from his mom, whom he thinks is the best cook ever. He has enjoyed participating in After Opps and Life Shop cooking classes led by Joe Hart and was very excited to be offered a job with Knockout Catering crew. His favorite things to cook are burgers and chicken wings.