Chefs Rally Worldwide to Raise Funds for the Tsunami Relief Effort

Chefs and restaurants and the dining public have gathered together since December 26, 2004 to contribute time, money and culinary know-how to help those in need following the most horrific natural disaster in modern times. Here are some briefs reported to Asian Restaurant News: San Francisco, California: Asian Chefs Association of San Francisco produced the Chefs without Borders Tsunami Recovery Fund Evening at the San Francisco Hilton. The total dollars raised was $90,000.00. A $350 ticket Included a Premium Wine and Caviar Reception followed by a Celebrity Chefs Tasting Reception for $200. 100% of the donation went towards the Tsunami Recovery efforts through Give2Asia.org and the Asia Foundation. Vancouver, B.C. Canada: Thai House Restaurant Group Raises $30,000 for Canadian Red Cross Asia Relief Efforts The Thai House Restaurant Group, including other restaurants in its group, Urban Thai Bistro, Chilli House Thai Bistro and Samba Brazilian Steakhouse announced a fundraising total of $30,000, representing 60% of all dine-in food revenue earned by its restaurants during two evenings, as well as a matching contribution from the Restaurant Group and money donated by their employees. Honolulu, Hawaii: Hawaii Chefs Cook at “A Wave of Aloha” Tsunami Fundraiser Takes in More than $120,000 Singha Thai Cuisine’s Chef Chai Chawasoree, originally from Thailand, wanted desperately to help in the effort, so he asked other chefs and vendors to join him for a fundraiser at Aloha Tower Marketplace. All were stunned at the community's response because what started off as an idea quickly grew - with only 10 days’ planning - to a fundraiser with 2,000 attendees, 1,500 more than originally planned for. It got so big that organizers had to turn people away. Addison, Texas: Tsunami Relief Effort Fundraiser Donates 20% of Proceeds from Food Sales - Contemporary Indian Restaurant Clay Pit of Addison donated 20% of its proceeds from food sales during a three day period to help the victims of the Tsunami disaster. Proceeds went to the American Red Cross. Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand: Top chefs from around New Zealand joined together to raise funds for the Boxing Day tsunami in Asia. 'The Tsunami Dinner' events - featuring a six-course menu - were staged throughout the country on 3 evenings, in Auckland, with dinners also in Christchurch and Wellington. Tickets to the gastronomic fundraising dinners, priced at $200 each, sold out quickly. In each center they also invited one ethnic chef who hailed from the affected regions to participate and cook a special traditional dish as part of the six-course dinner menu. The New Zealand government also threw its support behind these efforts with various government officials offering to wait on tables at the events, in addition to purchasing tickets. Funds went to the Red Cross. Iowa: Hy-Vee Donates $100,000 to Tsunami Relief Hy-Vee, Inc. has contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross to aid the victims of last week’s tsunami disaster in South Asia. Hy-Vee Chairman Ron Pearson and CEO Ric Jurgens announced the contribution on behalf of all 220 Hy-Vee and Drug Town stores and 48,000 employees in the company’s seven-state operating area. Hy-Vee’s China Express has also been ranked as one of the Top 100 Chinese Restaurants” by Chinese Restaurant News. Sources: Asian Chefs Association of San Francisco (ACASF) www.acasf.com chau@chilipepperevents.com Thai House Restaurant, Vancouver, Canada desmond@thaihouse.com Singha Thai Cuisine, Honolulu, Hawaii email: singha@lava.net Additional Article source: KGMB9 News Clay Pit Contemporary Indian Cuisine, Addison, Texas tinku@claypit.com Le Bon Bolli Restaurant, Christchurch, New Zealand lebonbolli@xtra.co.nz Hy-Vee, Inc. and Hy-Vee Chinese Express, Des Moines, Iowa www.hy-vee.com