Suns’ Ayton, mom, Fox Restaurants team in kitchen to help cause
Seeing his mom’s Caribbean sea bass meal on the Fox Restaurant Concepts menu brings back childhood memories for Deandre Ayton.
“That’s the thing she used to cook when we were kids back home,” Ayton said. “When it’s time for dinner, whoever outside enjoying the activities with you, she’s inviting them to dinner as well and cooking that same dish.”
The Suns big man partnered with Fox Restaurants Concepts to showcase Andrea Ayton’s dish as 10% of sales of each meal purchased will be donated to Helping Hands for Single Moms, a non-profit organization “with a mission to assist low-income, singlemother families” and help them pursue a post-secondary education.
Starting last week, the meal costs $31 without the wine selection as it is available at The Henry and Culinary Dropout locations in Arizona.
“Seeing this dish on this platform that I can use and show the world where my mom came from and where I came from and what I grew up on, it’s insane,” Ayton said.
“It makes you speechless.”
Ayton said his mom couldn’t wait to show him the news release about her meal.
“She was so proud,” he said. “It was like she got drafted and saw herself in the newspaper. She kept showing me the paper. She’s like, ‘Yep, that’s me.’ To see the priceless smile on her face is like, yeah, I’m glad I got to do this and glad she got to do something she loves to do.”
From Jamaica, Andrea Ayton infuses her Caribbean roots into the dish includes jerk spiced rice, sofrito, pigeon peas, coconut lime slaw, and spicy mango preserve.
“We are honored that Deandre Ayton is joining his mother, Andrea, a strong advocate of providing college education for single mothers, for this fundraising collaboration with Fox Restaurant Concepts,” said Helping Hands for Single Moms founder and CEO, Chris Coffman, in a news release.
“Food connects communities, and the sharing of cuisine furthers the opportunity for conversation and awareness of meaningful missions including that of Helping Hands for Single Moms.”
The dish will be on the menu through February 2023.
“We are excited to be able to give back to our community in such a meaningful partnership with Deandre Ayton and Helping Hands for Single Moms, both who have done so much good for Arizona,” said Fox Restaurant Concepts founder, Sam Fox.
“We connected with Deandre over a shared love of food and family, and we hope our guests really enjoy this special dish and keep coming back for more.”