Karen Coccari Bellas is the Owner and Creative Director at Sorriso Kitchen, a unique eatery in Chatham, New Jersey, serving a creative, farm-to-table menu of breakfast and lunch items while also supporting the special needs community. Being the Mom of a special needs child, she’s learned how to look at the gifts we’re all given in our lives through a different lens. Her son LJ inspired Karen to unlock the power of her gifts to put them to use in creating a workspace for her son where he could be a part of the community while still being respected and safe. She and her husband channeled their gifts together to open a restaurant in their town in which LJ could work. And out of that came the idea of closing it to the public one day a week to offer the restaurant up as a classroom for real-life job training for individuals with special needs. Karen Coccari Bellas is the Owner and Creative Director at Sorriso Kitchen, a unique eatery in Chatham, New Jersey, serving a creative, farm-to-table menu of breakfast and lunch items while also supporting the special needs community. Being the Mom of a special needs child, she’s learned how to look at the gifts we’re all given in our lives through a different lens. Her son LJ inspired Karen to unlock the power of her gifts to put them to use in creating a workspace for her son where he could be a part of the community while still being respected and safe. She and her husband channeled their gifts together to open a restaurant in their town in which LJ could work. And out of that came the idea of closing it to the public one day a week to offer the restaurant up as a classroom for real-life job training for individuals with special needs. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Sorriso Kitchen has a recipe for success! It serves up delicious, fresh food and helps ECLC's students with special needs gain work skills!

Step inside Sorriso Kitchen in Chatham and you'll notice they're doing much more than serving up delcious food. They're also serving their community in the most amazing way. HOW? It all started with their son, LJ.