Rashari Newton, a foodie with a passion for taking care of others, joined the Food Shed staff at the start o
f the new year to lead the co-op’s Grab & Go department.
The Grab & Go is known for its soups, sandwiches, roasted chickens, specialty cheeses, Yaya’s Greek almond dips, and Central Bakehouse sourdough breads. It is one of five departments at the Food Shed, a community-owned, full-service grocery store in Woodstock, Illinois. The co-op’s mission is to promote healthy food choices, strengthen the local economy, champion environmentally sustainable practices and empower the community.
Rashari said she has been inspired by Food Shed owners, her colleagues and the community on their collective vision to bring healthy food options to McHenry County residents. Her focus is expanding the Grab & Go offerings.
“We have the ability to offer the community freshly prepared meals with a home-cooked touch,” Rashari said. “So, if you’re tired from a long day at work, just picked up the kids from school, you can stop at the Food Shed on your way home, knowing there will be a variety of hot prepared meals—meatloaf and mash potatoes, lasagna, chicken thighs and more— offering that home feeling, knowing they were made here in the kitchen.”
Rashari brings over a decade of professional kitchen and management experience to the Food Shed. She worked for an independent contractor that served senior living facilities in McHenry County and beyond. Rashari cooked as well as trained cooks, managed budgets and payroll, and ensured kitchens were compliant with state and local health department rules.
She is excited to share those skills with the Food Shed and the opportunity to be more creative.
“There are no limits to what we can do in the kitchen,” Rashari said. “I want to hear what the customers want and deliver for them.”
A family tradition
Growing up in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, Rashari began cooking when she was 8 years old. She was taught by her father, also a professional cook. In reminiscing about those days, Rashari recalled how her dad would take her to Chicago markets, showed her how to shop for food, how to identify good and bad meat. Her dad learned from another great cook, his mother.
Rashari is continuing the family tradition and passing on her passion for food with her three children and husband.
“When I’m at home in the kitchen, my children and my husband know that mom is feeling good,” she said. “I love trying different recipes; it’s just my safe space.”
Taking Grab & Go to the Next Level
When it comes to the Food Shed, she is inspired by fellow staff members and how much they care about the co-op, the products on the floor, the customers and each other.
“As for my goals, I am looking forward to luring in more customers and taking the Grab & Go department to the next level,” she said.
Article by Food Shed Co-op Staff Member
Christine Stebbins
February 2026