Celebrity Chef Ball

Over 50 top Chicago chefs, including many Michelin, James Beard, and Bib Gourmand awardees will gather at The Celebrity Chef Ball on Friday, October 14 at The Geraghty (2520 S. Hoyne Avenue) to support homebound neighbors struggling with food insecurity. Proceeds will support Meals on Wheels Chicago in their mission to end hunger and isolation for seniors and people with disabilities.

Meals on Wheels Chicago (MoWC) provides nutrition, independence, and dignity to low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities living in every neighborhood of the city, many of whom live on incomes below the poverty level. The program began in 1987 delivering 1,218 meals and now, in their 35th anniversary year, serves over 4.7 million meals a year.

This MoWC signature soiree is a unique and extravagant dining experience for guests where every table is a chef’s table! During this intimate fine dining experience, guests are seated in a “pod” of three tables, each with their own team of chefs and a mixologist. These exclusive chefs will work in teams of three to personally prepare and present a 6-course meal right in front of guests.

Participating in the event are dozens of acclaimed Chicago area chefs such as:
• Jared Wentworth of Moody Tongue
• Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia/Proxi
• Fabio Viviani of Siena Tavern
• Ian Jones of Elizabeth
• Troy Jorge of Temporis

Chef Paul Virant is a long-time supporter of Meals on Wheels Chicago and participant in this year’s Celebrity Chef Ball. “For people who are homebound, having a nutritious meal delivered to you by a warm and friendly driver is the highlight of the day. We should never underestimate the healing power of presence. Presence at a spectacular event. Presence when you are working with people you truly like. And the small quiet moment of presence when you hand someone a meal and ask them how they are doing.”

Today 1 in 6 seniors suffers from food insecurity. With the cost of food continuing to rise, many seniors are forced to sacrifice other basic needs like medicine to afford food. In response, Meals on Wheels Chicago has expanded its reach by launching a food pantry called Nourish Chicago Pantry that provides fresh produce, proteins, and other grocery items. Sponsors of Celebrity Chef Ball will help provide meals and food for the home delivered meals program and Nourish Chicago Pantry.

Heidi Clifton, Celebrity Chef co-chair and chef liaison is instrumental in driving awareness of this important mission. “I think it’s important to raise money and awareness for Meals on Wheels Chicago and what they do,” said Clifton. “The donations go to work tomorrow. This isn’t a cause where we wait for research or medical advances, you can feed a senior the next day. We easily forget that cooking a nutritious meal is not as easy for our homebound seniors and those with disabilities. We all need to eat, and the chances of us or our families needing a service like Meals on Wheels in our lives, makes this such a worthy cause.”