It trains and is staffed largely by former prison inmates and was the subject of the 2017 Academy Award-nominated documentary short, Knife Skills.

For six months, he held a position at the entree chaud and patisserie station at Senderens' Paris restaurant, Lucas Carton.

He had originally written a business plan for the organization in 2004 with the goal of offering professional culinary training, housing, clothing, counseling, and life-skills classes to current and former inmates.

[9][17] Initially, he developed an EDWINS program for currently imprisoned inmates at the Grafton Correctional Institution and the Northeast Pre-Release Center,[7][9] which he began in 2011.

[17][19] In July 2013, he purchased a building in Cleveland's Shaker Square and began renovating it to accommodate the restaurant and training center.

[15][24] In August 2016, the EDWINS Second Chance Life Skills Center—a campus composed of three buildings with dormitories, a library, a test kitchen, and fitness center—was completed.

[4] In the September primary election, Chrostowski finished fourth out of nine candidates, accruing 9.5% of the vote and losing to long-time incumbent, Frank G.

Chrostowski had met Lennon at a dinner party held by his former Chanterelle bosses, Karen and David Waltuck, in September 2013.

[22][29] In January 2018, Chrostowski led a group of EDWINS trainees preparing a dinner of fine French cuisine at the James Beard House in Manhattan.

[36][37][38] Chrostowski has continued his pursuit of building the best culinary school for returning citizens by opening the EDWINS Bakery on December 20, 2019.

Because of the commitment that Chrostowski has for the community and excellence exhibited in culinary arts, he was recognized by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) in March 2020 and named a recipient of the prestigious Silver Plate award.

With an endless drive to serve those who are incarcerated Chrostowski expanded the EDWINS education inside of various prisons and jails nationwide via tablets.

[52][53] Because of the work Chrostowski pursues he has earned additional recognition in 2022 by having EDWINS named as one of fifty-two places for a changed world by the New York Times[54][55] and received the James Beard award semi-finalist nomination for outstanding restaurateur in the United States.