More and more people joined them, and eventually the group expressed a desire to take on a new creative challenge together.  The Collective Kitchen model seemed like a great fit, since it is just that: a collective undertaking.  L’Arche is founded on the belief that we all have gifts to share, and in the Collective Kitchen everyone contributes in the areas of their gifts.  Some people are better at chopping, some prefer washing dishes, and some excel at recipe testing! The members of the group decide together which tasks each person will take on.  At the end of each session there is a delicious meal prepared, and each member brings a portion home to share and enjoy with the people they live with.  

In 2017, Nancy and Krista (two members of the Collective Kitchen) collected the group’s favorite recipes and published them in a cookbook entitled One Big Table.