Chefs to the Rescue: RJ Cooper and Rogue Sessions
Posted by Emily Byram on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
This week, we’re holding one of our closest supporters in our thoughts as James Beard Award–winning Chef RJ Cooper underwent open-heart surgery to correct a genetic heart defect. The great news is that RJ is out of surgery and on the road to recovery.
RJ Cooper has been a Share Our Strength champion and an advocate in the fight to end childhood hunger for more than 22 years. He’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for us as chef chair of Taste of the Nation DC and at other culinary events. He’s lobbied for children at risk of hunger on Capitol Hill, and was part of the early discussions with the White House and several other chefs about a project that eventually became Chefs Move to Schools. We are so grateful for his support.
As someone who works with chefs on a daily basis, I know how much generosity exists in the culinary community. But even I’m amazed that RJ’s surgery has exposed more than his heart – it’s exposed the hearts of many of his peers too.
Ten of the nation’s most exciting chefs have rallied to take the helm of Cooper’s D.C. restaurant, Rogue 24, in his absence. Each week, the chefs will present their own menu in a project dubbed Rogue Sessions, produced by Gilt City DC and the Food Network’s City Eats. A portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold will benefit Share Our Strength and our work to end childhood hunger in America.
The roster includes many chefs we are honored to have as supporters, including 2010 Share Our Strength Chef of the Year Bryan Voltaggio; 2011 Taste of the Nation Philadelphia Chef Chair Jennifer Carroll of Carroll Couture Cuisine; Tim Byres of SMOKE Restaurant in Dallas; John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, Miss.; and Spike Gjerde of Baltimore’s Woodberry Kitchen.
Each chef will host a one-week-long session through March 17, 2012. The sumptuous evenings will feature a 24-course dinner featuring twelve of the visiting chef’s dishes and twelve Rogue 24 favorites, with wine and cocktail pairings. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Gilt City DC.
Everyone at Share Our Strength wishes RJ a speedy return to the kitchen, and we want to thank all of the chefs taking part in Rogue Sessions for their incredible generosity.
January 17, 2012 | 0 comment(s) | Tags: gilt, no kid hungry, Taste of the Nation
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