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APPLY TO BE A PLANT TO PLATE INTERN
Frequently Asked Questions
Because your first job can be more than a paycheck.
At Plant to Plate, you’ll earn money while gaining real work experience, learning practical skills, and trying things you may have never done before. You’ll work alongside chefs, educators, and mentors who will get to know you, support you, and help you discover your strengths.
You’ll also become part of a community where you can build confidence, explore who you are and what matters to you, and learn how to take on challenges and responsibilities.
You don’t need to have your future figured out. You just need to be curious, willing to learn, and ready to show up. We’ll help you discover what you’re capable of—and what might be possible next.
Yes! Every Plant to Plate intern has the opportunity to earn up to $360 through paid work experience at $18 per hour for up to 20 hours.
But the value of the internship goes far beyond the paycheck. Interns gain real-world work experience, practical skills, professional connections, mentorship, and a stronger sense of confidence in what they’re capable of. They leave with experiences they can put on a résumé, relationships that can open doors, and a better understanding of themselves and what they might want to pursue next.
All Plant to Plate classes are two hours, from 4:30–6:30 p.m. We offer two cohort options:
Tuesday & Thursday Cohort
Meets twice a week at, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Anaviv Catering’s kitchen and our garden near the Ferry Building in Richmond. This cohort includes our full range of personal and professional development, gardening, and cooking experiences.
Wednesday Cohort
Meets once a week, Wednesdays from 4:30–6:30 p.m. at Richmond Police Activities League. Students receive the same personal and professional development curriculum as the Tuesday/Thursday cohort, with fewer gardening and cooking sessions.Both cohorts provide hands-on learning, mentorship, paid work experience, and opportunities to build the confidence and skills that prepare young people for work, school, and life.
Plant to Plate is looking for high school juniors and seniors who are ready to learn, grow, and be part of a team.
To apply, you must:
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Be a junior or senior in high school during the 2026–2027 school year.
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Be able to commit to regular attendance and punctuality from October 2026 through April 2027.
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Be willing to participate, try new things, take on responsibility, and learn from others.
You don't need to have experience in gardening, cooking, or hospitality. Curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn are what matter most.
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The Plant to Plate internship runs from October through April, with recruitment beginning when the school year starts in mid-August.
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Mid-August–September: Applications, interviews, and intern selection
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Late September: Orientation and program kickoff
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October–April: Weekly classes, hands-on learning, mentorship, and paid work experiences
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Late April: Culminating graduation celebration
The program is a seven-month commitment designed to give interns enough time to build relationships, develop skills, take on meaningful responsibility, and grow in confidence over the course of the school year.
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You may go into this program alone, but you will certainly come out with great friends.
Preet Sheemar
2019 Graduate
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