The Knockout Kitchen

The Knockout Kitchen is an enterprise driven by the Warriors and Mission 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.

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Our Story

Our Culinary Quest

The Knockout Kitchen offers a variety of high-quality, hand-crafted culinary delights for small to medium-sized events. The Knockout Kitchen works in concert with the Knockout Farm to round out a full-circle food enterprise that creates at creates and supports meaningful vocational opportunities for young adults with intellectual and developmental differences.

Under the direction of the Knockout Leadership Team, we have cultivated a menu and carved out some creative partnerships that allow us to pop up and present ourselves in person, as well as serve your various private event needs. We craft our culinary delights with emphasis on safety, quality and meaningful expereince in a supported work environment that welcomes a mixed ability team and foster opportunities for Warrior employees to take autonomous roles in 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 OK Programs, where culinary activities have long been a mainstay. Those activities led us to launch a line of Knockout Pickles and eventually a full-service catering business through the Knockout Kitchen.

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 Knockout Kitchen Crew.

Our Story

our culinary quest

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.

Full Service

A Fresh Approach to Catering

The team at Knockout Catering Company will make your next event one to remember with delicious cuisine and memorable service. We believe in scratch made cooking from locally sourced ingredients and it shows in the flavor of our cuisine.

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.

Full Service

A Fresh Approach to Catering

The team at Knockout Catering Company will make your next event one to remember with delicious cuisine and memorable service. We believe in scratch made cooking from locally sourced ingredients and it shows in the flavor of our cuisine.

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.

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Very Locally Sourced

From Our Farm to Your Table

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.

Very Locally Sourced

from our farm to your table

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.

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Testimonials

What People are Saying

“It’s Right there in the Name!”

It’s right in the name; Knockout Catering provides knockout service! Not only do they have an expansive menu, all the food is locally sourced. Working with Joe and the Warriors is a great experience; top notch food and service, plus a program that makes an incredible impact on our community.

Michele Zurakowski, Exec. Director of Beyond Hunger, formerly OPRF Food Pantry

“Satisfy the stomach, satisfy the soul”

If there was ever a culinary outfit that rightly deserved the moniker ‘Knockout,’ this is it! Delivering quality that not only satisfies your stomach but also your soul, by empowering young adults who are hardworking, enthusaisic and more dedicated than I could ever be!

Elliott Bambrough, co-host of WGN’s Chicago’s Best

“Top Quality”

We’re big fans of Opportunity Knocks. The combination of a mission we support, great people and top-quality products makes its very easy for us to work with them.

Keith Huizinga, co-Owner of Kinslahger Brewing Co.

“Timely, Professional, Delicious!”

WSSRA has had the pleasure of using Knockout Catering for two events in the last year and their staff were very professional, the food was delicious, timely and the OK servers are the best! I would highly recommend you consider using them for your next event!

Marianne Birko, Executive Director of WSSRA (West Suburban Special Recreation Association)

Knockout Impact

Food with Purpose

We aim to produce high quality food. We also aim to produce a high quality experience. We also aim to build a stage that creates an opportunity for Warriors to perform, create and connect in a meaningful way

Warrior Chefs

People Served

Farm-based Menus

Knockout Impact

Catering with Purpose