Many of us have been cooking more at home, using YouTube videos and websites to help inspire and direct our efforts in the kitchen. But wouldn’t it be cool if you could directly reach out to a local chef for advice? Well, now you can, thanks to a national initiative called “Ask Chefs Anything,” which is bringing its series of online auctions to Nashville after previous iterations in San Francisco, Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and Los Angeles.
The concept for #askchefsanything is the brainchild of two NYC hospitality vets who were looking for a way to support immigrant restaurant workers who have been severely affected during the pandemic. Gaeleen Quinn and Anna Polonsky reached out to some of their notable chef friends to get them to donate time to an auction in which bidders could compete for the chance for a rare 30-minute one-on-one conversation with a chef. Winners can ask about recipes, restaurant recommendations, personal preferences — pretty much anything.
The Nashville auction kicks off today, July 16, and will run through this Sunday, July 19. You can bid on the chance to interact with some real local luminaries, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to a restaurant food distributor who will in turn supply the groceries at a highly discounted rate and enable the organization to feed hundreds of the most vulnerable households in Nashville.
Here’s the roster of culinary talent that #askchefsanything has put together here in Music City and beyond:
Arnold Myint, BLVD, PM and Suzy Wong's House of YumAllan Benton, Benton's Country Ham
Brian Baxter, The Catbird Seat
Brian Morris, Hattie B's
Bryan Lee Weaver, Butcher & Bee
Byron Stithem, Proper Sake Co.
Carey Bringle, Peg Leg Porker BBQ
Carl Meier, Black Abbey Brewing Co.
Carla Hall, Top Chef, The Chew
Charlie Nelson, Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
Deb Paquette, Etch and Etc.
Elizabeth Falkner, Chef and Food Network Judge
Hal Holden-Bache, Lockeland Table
Jessica Benefield and Trey Burnette, Two Ten Jack
Josh Habiger + Trevor Moran, Bastion + Locust
Julia Sullivan, Henrietta Red
Kahlil Arnold, Arnold's Country Kitchen
Lisa Donovan, Pastry Chef
Mailea Weger, lou
Maneet Chauhan, ‘Chopped’ Judge and Morph Hospitality Group
Margot McCormack, Margot Cafe & Bar
Matt Bolus, The 404 Kitchen
Matt Tocco + Harrison Peaks, Strategic Hospitality Beverage Director + Patterson House Bar Manager
Pat Martin, Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and Hugh-Baby’s
Philip Krajeck, Rolf & Daughters and Folk
Sarah Gavigan, The Otaku Group
Sean Brock, Joyland, The Continental, and Audrey
Tandy Wilson, City House
Teresa Mason, Mas Tacos Por Favor
Vivek Surti, Tailor
[Edited: Several new local and national names have been added to the already august list of participants, so be sure to check out the auction site for new participants such as: Andrew Zimmern, Bianca Morton, Alice Randall, Bailey Spaulding, Erin Murray, Karla Ruiz, Alex Burch, Kathleen Cotter, Karl Worley, Matty Hargrove, Sara Gasbarra and Tom Morales.]
Want to know the secret behind Arnold’s Country Kitchen’s delicious greens? Bid on Kahlil. Interested in sake? Byron Stithem’s your man! More into whiskey? Pay for your chance to kibitz with Matt Bolus or Charlie Nelson. Can’t get that pie crust just right? There’s no more engaging authority than Lisa Donovan. If you’re looking for an entertaining half-hour of barbecue lore, Pat Martin and Carey Bringle should be on your bid list.
Bidding opens today on the organization’s auction website, so bid early and often!
