Celebrated chef and five-time cookbook author Curtis Aikens, a Food Network star, will speak Friday, April 17, at 6:00 p.m. at the Contemporary Club about his courageous journey in learning to read at age 26 and using these new skills to become a culinary icon and author. This FREE community event is sponsored by the Redlands Adult Literacy Program.
Reflecting his passionate support of adult learners, Chef Aikens recently joined a Redlands Adult Literacy Program writing workshop over Zoom and shared his personal story about how literacy changed his life. Chef Aikens described to workshop attendees how he did not learn to read until he was 26. Chef Aikens’ parents didn’t even know about their son’s struggle. Growing up in rural Georgia, Chef Aikens faked his way through school and was even accepted into college on a football scholarship. Echoing the comments that we hear from many adult learners, Chef Aikens said, “I felt too embarrassed to ask for help, too ashamed to admit I couldn’t understand anything on the page.”
Still burdened by his secret, at age of 26, Chef Aikens saw a public service ad on TV that gave him hope—a literacy organization said he could get help learning to read and write! Aikens reached out and began working with two volunteer tutors. Over time, they helped him unlock the world of books and the written word. His life was transformed. He eventually earned his master’s degree in education and became an avid advocate for literacy. He encouraged the attendees at the writing workshop to “Feel strong enough to reach out—tell your story to your community.”
A storyteller at heart, Chef Aikens’ enthusiasm is contagious. He told the writing workshop attendees, “The biggest challenge is to ask for help.” He encouraged them, “It’s okay to be vulnerable.” He also told them that the key to his success was sticking to his goals. He encouraged them to commit to their learning even when it is tough. He said, “I made sure I went to [my literacy] class every Thursday night. You can do it, too!”
Writing workshop attendee Rosalia Bautista said, “For me, it was a lot of emotion to hear him talk about how he grows vegetables and how his mama taught him how to cook. He gave me a lot of motivation to keep going with my teacher to learn to read and write in English. He makes it easy to learn.” When asked about her experience with the Redlands Adult Literacy Program, Bautista said, “I’m so glad to be here. Everyone has patience and passion for the community here to do their work.” She added, “The first time I saw the library, I thought, it reminds me of the buildings—the mission churches—in my town where I come from in Oaxaca. When I came inside the library, I’m [sic] so excited to see all the books. I see all the displays and the tables with information about the literacy program and I thought: This is my time to learn.”
Chef Aikens is passionate about the importance of adult literacy. At the workshop, he emphasized: “I tell folks, ‘If you can read, you can succeed.’” Chef Aikens’ story truly represents how “Literacy Changes Lives!”
Chef Aikens will speak about the “Power of Literacy” on April 17, at 6:00 p.m. at the Contemporary Club. He will share his personal story about his literacy and culinary journeys. In gratitude, adult learners and tutors are writing their own stories about the importance of food and cooking as a community gift to Chef Aikens. You are invited to participate, by writing your own story about food. If you choose to send in a story, please include your name and limit it to 500 words. Compositions should be sent to literacy@akspl.org by Friday, March 20.
We expect that Chef Aikens’ presentation will be a very popular event, so doors will open at the Contemporary Club at 5:30 p.m. This FREE literacy event is sponsored by the Redlands Adult Literacy Program, and made possible through generous contributions from adult literacy donors, the Friends of A.K. Smiley Public Library, and the A.K. Smiley Public Library Endowment fund.
Consider the impact of those two volunteers in Chef Aikens’ journey to literacy. You can change your life or the lives of others in our community. The Redlands Adult Literacy Program provides free tutoring help for adults who want to improve their reading and writing skills. If you know someone who would benefit, or if you would like to volunteer, please visit A.K. Smiley Public Library and ask for the Adult Literacy Coordinator. All information is treated confidentially.
The next Tutor Orientation Class is Tuesday, April 21, 2026. For more information or to save your space, contact the program at 909-307-7377 or email: literacy@akspl.org. To learn more, visit www.akspl.org.