CHEFS SERVE HEROES
It all began with just one big charitable mind. Since April 20, more than 14,300 boxes of professionally-prepared meals have been given to medical staff and healthcare workers at 15 hospitals across the country.
The venture also sees support from 35 benevolent chefs from 33 renowned Bangkok restaurants. With an impressive collaboration of culinary accolades, the team comprises of Michelin star holders, celebrity chefs, cooking show personalities and artisan kitchen masters of several nationalities.
Featured dishes, meanwhile, include creations such as duck breast with tamarind sauce; egg and cress sandwich with broccoli salad; Korean pork bulgogi and onsen egg; chicken leg ballotine with liver stuffing; and chicken teriyaki steak with rice and crab stick salad. Chef Cares is the name of the project. It aims to honour frontline medical workers and reciprocate their heroic efforts through gourmet offerings while helping them to recharge and unwind.
“In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, these doctors and nurses are putting their own lives at risk for us,” said the project founder and philanthropist Marisa Chearavanont.
“Food, as a language spoken through acts of care, is a way to express our gratitude to these heroes.”
Joining Marisa are star-studded chefs including Dan Bark of Upstairs at Mikkeller Bangkok; Chumpol Chaengprai of R-Haan; Vichit Mukura of Khao; and Supinya Chansutta of Jay Fai.
Other big-name chefs on board are Pruek Sumpantaworaboot of Iron Chef; Francesco Lenzi of Lenzi Tuscan Cuisine; Nooror Somany of Blue Elephant; Frédéric Hamann of Institut Culinaire Disciples Escoffier; and Penny Jirayuwatana.
With a motto “crafted with care, shared with love”, the team has so far created more than 70 dishes for medical personnel.
“These men and women in white are bringing their compassion and expertise in equal measure,” Marisa said. “So we’ve come together to express our gratitude and recognise the power of collaboration and compassion.”
Among the hospitals the team has cooked for so far are Rajavithi Hospital, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital and Samutprakarn Hospital.