Fighting Food Waste and Hunger at Ro’s Kitchen in Columbus

Plus, expert picks for bun bo Hue, Hanoi-style pho and other Vietnamese favorites.

Chef Terence Zheng (right) instructs Ro’s Kitchen volunteers at ECDI Food Fort (Photo: Bethia Woolf)

Inside Ro’s (“Transformative”) Kitchen

By Bethia Woolf

Many of us are seeking meaningful ways to give back to our communities. Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Ro’s Kitchen, a program under Columbus Food Rescue, and it was an experience that left a lasting impression.

The Impact of Columbus Food Rescue

Columbus Food Rescue plays a crucial role in our community by addressing two significant issues: food waste and food insecurity. In 2023 alone, the organization saved 1.1 million pounds of edible food from going to area landfills. This rescued food—sourced from farmers, grocery stores, restaurants and distributors—is then redistributed to food pantries and partner agencies that serve those in need.

Consider this: Nearly one million pounds of food end up in Franklin County’s landfill every single day. Simultaneously, over 11 percent of Franklin County residents—more than 147,000 people—are food insecure, with 49 percent of them earning too much to qualify for federal food assistance. Columbus Food Rescue bridges this gap, ensuring that good food reaches those who need it most.

Prepared meals ready to be delivered at Ro’s Kitchen (Photo: Bethia Woolf)

Ro’s Kitchen: A Creative Solution to a Complex Problem

While much of the rescued food can be distributed as-is, some items require preparation due to the volume, perishability or because clients lack cooking facilities. That’s where Ro’s Kitchen comes in. 

As a transformation kitchen, Ro’s Kitchen takes large donations of seasonal produce—like an abundance of squash or cabbage—and turns them into ready-to-eat meals such as soups, stews and side dishes. These meals are essential for people who lack access to cooking facilities.

Ro’s Kitchen, which was named in honor of “The Food Soldier” Roshelle Pate, supports a diverse range of clients, including individuals with substance abuse disorders, trafficking survivors, recent immigrants and unhoused individuals. Currently, the organization provides meals to nine partner agencies. 

Operating out of the ECDI Food Fort, Ro’s Kitchen rents kitchen space three days a week, soon expanding to four, thanks to grant funding. Since its launch in May 2024, the program has grown from serving 250 meals per week to up to 500.

Meet Chef Terence Zheng

Leading the charge at Ro’s Kitchen is chef Terence Zheng. Growing up in his family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Zheng initially pursued engineering but found his passion in the culinary world. He describes his role at Ro’s Kitchen as his favorite job yet, likening it to “ ‘Iron Chef’ every day, but for a nonprofit.” His creativity and logistical prowess are vital, as 90 percent of the ingredients used are donated. The team supplements donated ingredients with staples like flour, sugar, oil, salt and spices.

A Day in the Life of a Volunteer

During my volunteer shift, the morning team had completed most of the prep and cooking. Our tasks involved portioning, packaging, labeling meals and cleaning the kitchen. The day’s menu featured rice with sweet potato and pigeon pea dal, a South Indian cabbage side dish, and a delightful chocolate and pear bread pudding—all crafted from donated ingredients, including bread, pigeon peas, sweet potatoes, cabbage and chocolate.

One of the great things about volunteering at Ro’s Kitchen is the flexibility. There’s no need for a regular commitment; you can sign up for shifts that fit your schedule via an online calendar. Shifts typically run 10 a.m.-1 p.m or 2-5 p.m. I met fellow volunteers from diverse backgrounds—a lawyer, a genetic scientist and a data analyst—all drawn to the work for different reasons: the sense of doing something valuable, the enjoyment of cooking and the social connections.

How You Can Get Involved

If cooking isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other ways to support Columbus Food Rescue. You can become a food rescuer, delivering donations from donors to partner agencies; or you can help identify surplus food that can be donated. Columbus Food Rescue accepts donations of all sizes—from bags of leftover bagels to boxes of produce—and operates seven days a week, morning to evening.

For more information on how to get involved with Ro’s Kitchen or Columbus Food Rescue, please visit local-matters.org/columbus-food-rescue.

Volunteering with Ro’s Kitchen isn’t just about fighting food waste or addressing hunger. It’s about building community and making a tangible difference, one meal at a time.

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Expert Picks: Bún Bò Huế and Other Vietnamese Favorites

By Erin Edwards

You know phở (pho). That’s the delicate and restorative beef (or chicken) Vietnamese noodle soup, believed to have originated in northern Vietnam and now sold (and beloved) the world over.

But do you know pho’s funkier, bolder cousin from Central Vietnam: bún bò Huế? 

The topic came up over lunch with our friend Kim Chi Dao, whose family immigrated to California from the Huế area in Central Vietnam. She is an encyclopaedia when it comes to most foods and is passionate about a good bowl of ruddy red bún bò Huế.

Huế was once an imperial city, home to the last royal dynasty in Vietnamese history from 1802 to 1945. Its cuisine is known for being spicier than other regional Vietnamese cuisines and often employs more seafood in its dishes. 

“They call the people from my region hot-heads, because we eat so much spicy food,” Kim says with a smile. “We love strong flavors.”

While the marriage of star anise, cinnamon and ginger are foundational to a pho broth, it’s the trifecta of lemongrass, shrimp paste and chili that are key to bún bò Huế. The former broth beguiles and comforts you, but the latter punches you in the face—but in a good way.

Bún bò Huế (Photo: Bethia Woolf)

Starting with simmered beef bones and lemongrass, bún bò gets its funkiness from fermented shrimp paste and is best when dosed with Vietnamese ớt sa tế, a condiment that’s similar to chili crisp but packed with minced lemongrass.

Unlike the thin rice noodles used in pho, bún bò Huế employs a medium-to-thick noodle that’s cylindrical (almost like spaghetti), which adds a whole different mouthfeel to the soup. “There's more of a chew when you have bún bò Huế,” Kim says.

The soup often includes sliced beef brisket, giò lụa (pork sausage) and pork knuckles. Sometimes cubes of blood pudding. A bevy of herbs and veggies—like banana blossoms, mint, limes and bean sprouts—should be served on the side, and you can add them to your soup as you see fit.

For a good example of bún bò Huế in Columbus, Kim recommends Mi Li Cafe’s version, because it has the proper balance of funk, heat and savoriness. 

We asked Kim what other restaurants she recommends for specific Vietnamese dishes. Here’s what she said:

Hanoi-style pho from Lan Viet in North Market (Photo: Bethia Woolf)

Hanoi-style pho

According to Kim, Lan Viet in North Market is the place to go for an excellent version of Hanoi-style pho. “It's not too sweet. You can really taste that beefy flavor,” she says. “It's not trying to amend anything or trying to hide the mistakes by adding extra sugar or extra sauce. You can taste the cleanness of it. You don't feel like you ate a bunch of salt or a bunch of MSG."

Bánh xèo (Photo: Bethia Woolf)

Bánh xèo

For these crispy (they should be anyway) stuffed rice pancakes, Kim and Bethia both recommend Huong Vietnamese Restaurant. “It's a very hard dish to make,” Kim says. “We tried making it—it's not easy!” 

Bánh mì

For the best Vietnamese sandwiches, aka banh mi, Kim says Buckeye Pho is her favorite. (Columbus Monthly agrees with her.) Kim also recommends the sandwiches at Racha Tea, which replaced Indochine Cafe several years ago.

Saigon Egg Rolls at Mecha (Photo: Bethia Woolf)

Chả giò

Kim swears by Mama Mai’s Famous Egg Rolls (chả giò) at 614 Pho, which remind her of her mom’s egg rolls. One order includes three rolls stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, onion and either tofu or pork. (She prefers the vegan version.) Kim also recommends the Saigon Egg Rolls at Mecha Noodle Bar in the Short North.

Cá kho tộ (claypot catfish)

None in Columbus that we know of! If you have leads for claypot catfish, let us know.

If you want to explore more Asian soups, check out our Dine Like an Expert guide to Korean soups and stews.