The TKC launched in 2016 with a group of early advocates for teaching kitchens as a public health intervention, under the leadership of Dr. David Eisenberg. In 2020, the TKC became a 501c3 and now has 48 member organizations. 

The epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States have profoundly negative impacts on people, the healthcare system, and the economy. Underlying chronic disease leads to a higher mortality rate for COVID-19. Food insecurity is a major risk factor for health. Enter teaching kitchens: where people learn to eat, cook, move, and think more healthfully—for a lifetime of better health.