Every October, Giving Kitchen plans a series of fundraising dining events at restaurants across the country to help aid food service workers in crisis. The events fall under the umbrella of Dining With Gratitude, and can range from single-night fundraisers like Mere Bulles' recent tequila-tasting extravaganza or monthlong initiatives to donate proceeds from a special food or drink item.
Giving Kitchen has made a massive impact on our local restaurant community since opening operations in Middle Tennessee in 2021, awarding an estimated $665,000 to more than 300 food service workers in need of assistance to pay rent or receive other help through the organization’s Stability Network. In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s impact on Western North Carolina, Giving Kitchen saw a serious spike in requests for assistance.
In the first week after the storm struck and all but decimated the Asheville restaurant community, Giving Kitchen received four times the amount of requests they typically receive. The response was part of the highest two-week period the organization has ever experienced, including the start of the COVID pandemic.
From 4 to 6 p.m. every day, The Iberian Pig gives you a gift: an excuse to eat ham and drink wine. The chef’s selection of cheese and jamón — …
So now more than ever, Giving Kitchen needs your support so they can support restaurant workers both locally and nationally. The good news is that all you have to do is go out to eat. That’s not so hard, is it? In Middle Tennessee, several restaurants are participating in Dining With Gratitude. You can check the ever-expanding list of participants here, or just pick someplace from this list:
- Ted’s Montana Grill
- The Iberian Pig (Oct. 28 only)
- Otaku Ramen with Black Dynasty Secret Ramen House and Fox Den Izakaya (Special Ramen Relief event at Otaku East on Oct. 29)
- Big Bad Breakfast
