Knockout Enterprise thrives in a blended work environment where people with all varieties of ability work together to run a successful food-focused business. The Knockout Enterprise features a combination of creative culinary and agricultural initiatives that connect to and from the Knockout Farm and the Knockout Kitchen. Scroll down to learn more about the Knockout Kitchen and what we’re bringing to a table near you!

KNOCKOUT LUNCHBOX STOREFRONT GENERAL INQUIRY FORM

Our Mission

KNOCKOUT PURPOSE

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

We craft our culinary delights with emphasis on safety, quality and meaningful experience 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.

KNOCKOUT CATERING

Experience exceptional catering with a heart! Our team, featuring talented Warriors, delivers delicious meals and unforgettable service for every occasion.

Learn More

KNOCKOUT POP-UPS

We’ve been taking residence at Bobby’s Eastside for a regular pop-up series. Come see us for our tasty bites and support the Warriors at Work.

Learn More

KNOCKOUT PICKLES

Our seed-to-jar artisanal pickle business. We offer employment for our Warriors & a supplemental revenue stream to OK; we are also committed to crafting a really dill-icious pickle!

Learn More

KNOCKOUT FARM

Our farm’s purpose is to learn, grow, & connect with our community while producing high-quality veggies to feed our enterprises & fuel our wellness programs.

Learn More

What We Offer

A FRESH APPROACH

The Knockout Kitchen offers a variety of high-quality, hand-crafted culinary delights. We have cultivated a menu and carved out some creative partnerships that allow us to pop up at large settings, as well as serve various private event needs.

Our current focus is geared toward serving businesses and organizations with a delicious array of lunch offerings. Our menu continues to grow, as does our team and ability to take on new events. See below for our current menu features. Call us if you have other ideas that you’d like to explore.

THE KNOCKOUT LUNCHBOX

Fresh-to-order sandwiches, salads, sides. Serve the team or the family and see how The Knockout Lunchbox will feed your appetite and fill your soul.

View Lunchbox Menu

Knockout Kitchen

OUR SPECIAL SAUCE

In the Knockout Kitchen we have built our enterprise on the purpose and quality of our work. We believe what makes us special is how we craft our menu and business with a collective approach that engages our amazing team, our amazing Warriors and our awesome community.



Mixed Ability Workplace

Our team has a mix of abilities and commits to a supported work environment where everyone contributes.



Farm to Table

Our kitchen connects to our farm where we plant, cultivate and harvest a range of organically grown food.



Warriors at Work

The Warriors are at work in production & prep, on the farm, in sales, marketing, delivery and quality assurance.



High Quality

All of our menus feature high quality ingredients and products, sourced from our farm and other great local providers.



Food with Mission

We are proud to embed this enterprise in the Opportunity Knocks Mission, where we have gathered an amazing community that supports this work.



Fresh Made

The Knockout Kitchen makes fresh to order meals with high quality ingredients put together by high quality humans.

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.

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

% Employment Rate for People with I/DD

Innovation

WARRIORS AT
WORK

Our approach to the culinary experience features high quality, fresh ingredients and a fresh made menu. In addition to that commitment to great food, is a commitment to creating quality experiences for Warriors to do quality work.

Top Skills

Meet the Warrior Culinary Team

Our aim is to sustain meaningful and gainful vocational skill-building opportunities, while also producing a revenue stream to support OK operations. Our Knockout purpose is to support an environment where Warriors can showcase and grow their abilities, while working in a collaborative team setting to make and serve high-quality food.