There was a friendly competition between some great local chefs and mixologists all for a great cause.
Working out of the test kitchen at Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland, the pros used rescued produce for their drinks and dishes.
“It’s a great way for our chefs and partners to use their skills and talents, but it’s also inspiring about what’s possible in everybody’s kitchen,” said Jackie DeCarlo, chief executive officer of MANNA, a Montgomery county organization that works to eliminate hunger.
“We know that there’s enough food, especially if we recover perfectly edible healthy food from restaurants, from caterers, from farmer’s markets,” said DeCarlo.
The competition caps off a week of calling attention to food needs across the D.C. area, and was used as a forum to announce nine local organizations have been awarded more than $67,000 total from Montgomery County to continue their efforts of making sure people don’t go hungry.
They include AfriThrive, Clopper Mill Elementary School, First Alliance Church, Food and Friends, Kings and Priests Court, Mid County United Ministries, Rainbow Community Development Center, Small Things Matter, and The UpCounty Hub.
“We know that the pandemic exacerbated the problem of food insecurity in our community and that the challenges remain for many of our residents,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich in a news release. “I am pleased to see the wide range of organizations that are receiving grant funding to help further the important work they do in helping our neighbors feed their families.”
