KC CULINARY WEEKEND FOR NO KID HUNGRY JUNE 11 – 12 TO RAISE AWARENESS AND
FUNDS TO HELP END CHRONIC CHILD HUNGER IN THE METRO AND BEYOND
Bake Sale, Country Brunch and Bloody Mary Smackdown, organized by culinary philanthropist Gina Reardon,expected to raise $100,000, equating to a million meals for hungry kids.
Food for thought: In large cities, including Kansas City, 25 percent of households with children are food-insecure, according to national nonprofit Share Our Strength (SOS). Kansas City caterer and culinary philanthropist Gina Reardon, owner of Catering By Design, is helping raise awareness for the cause with No Kid Hungry, a campaign launched by SOS. KC’s third No Kid Hungry event is slated for June 11 and 12—a two-day fundraiser featuring a bake sale with goodies from the city’s best-known chefs on June 11 followed by a Country Brunch and Bloody Mary Smackdown competition on June 12. Every dollar raised is the equivalent of up to 10 school breakfasts or lunches for low-income children. So far No Kid Hungry KC has raised more than $34,000; this year’s goal is $100,000, which equates to a million meals.
“As a cook and mother, I’ve always had a need to feed,” says Reardon of her passion to end childhood hunger in Kansas City. “There’s no greater satisfaction than preparing something for another that they find nourishing, memorable and satisfying. The idea of any child not having what they need healthy food to give them the very best foundation for a promising future, is unacceptable.”
Reardon has rallied some of the city’s top caterers, chefs, bartenders, food trucks, celebrity bakers—including Mayor Sly James—and restaurateurs to join the No Kid Hungry crusade. Some will be baking for the third year and others will be joining the inaugural Country Brunch/Bloody Mary Smackdown. Eddie Kennison and Katie Van Luchene will emcee the June 12 event; Rob Collins of WDAF is celebrity bartender.
“Kansas City chefs—as in any city— share the same desire to feed others,” Reardon says. “This city really is quite remarkable—we’re a brother and sisterhood of believers that our culinary gifts make a difference.”
Nancy Smith, co-owner of Michael Smith/Extra Virgin, and co-chair of KC Culinary Weekend for No Kid Hungry Country Brunch and Bloody Mary Smackdown, has helped bring a stellar culinary/restaurant team into the No Kid Hungry KC fold. “We love our city, our kids—we love food,” Smith says of her motivation to gather industry heavyweights. “Who could say no to feeding KC kids? Not us!”
More than 85 chefs, bakeries, bakers, bartenders, food trucks, celebrity bakers and restaurants will participate in Kansas City’s largest two-day event to raise awareness to end childhood hunger in the metro and beyond. A large contingent of community bakers will also join the June 11 Bake Sale, including 82-year-old Mary Brown. Mary and David Schulte are honorary chairs of KC Culinary Weekend for No Kid Hungry.
The KC Culinary Weekend for No Kid Hungry itinerary:
June 11, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. : In the green space adjacent to the Brookside Commerce Bank, 6336 Brookside Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri, sweet and savory baked goods and the signature No Kid Hungry Blend of The Roasterie Coffee will be available for sale. As of April 1, the following have signed on to provide items:
Bakeries/Caterers/Chefs/Restaurants: Andre’s Chocolates & Confisserie Suisse, Annedore’s, Cafe Sebastienne, Cami’s Cake Co., Catering by Design, Chelsea’s Bakehaus, Cowtown Cheesecakes, Coffee Girls Café, delish! Catering, Di’s Sweetie Pies, Emily Kate’s Bakery, Farm to Market Bread Co., Healthy Decadence, Heirloom Bakery & Heart, Ibis Bakery, Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, Jasper’s Restaurant, McLain’s Bakery, Moxie Catering, Olive Events, One More Cup, Pistachio Bakehouse, Small Batch KC, Smart Cookies,Swoon Cookies, Three Women & An Oven, The Westside Local, Yum Bake Shop
Celebrity Bakers: Rob Carson, Christa Dubill, Charles Ferruzza, Ward Holmquist, Laurie Ingram, Mayor Sly James, KSquared (Katie Van Luchene + Kimberly Winter Stern), Jenny Vergara
Community Bakers: Lynn Boddington, Rachel Brown, Kathy Carr, C. Florene Clifton, Nicole & Jamie Dingley, Anne Ducey, Carradee Fisher, Jeff Fromm, Karen Geary, Pam Gray, J.C. Gregg, Doris Holderness, Aja James, Jessica James, Licia Clifton-James, Erin Lewis, Meg McLaughlin, Rehan Nana, Jane Reardon, Joanne Reardon, Susie Scanlon, Margaret Scardino, Jenny Sciara, Kathleen Streb, Janet Switzer, Amy Thompson
Next Generation Bakers: Noah Belcher, Mae Dingley, Nick Groves, Zach Hoefen, Lillian Hosty, Lola & Luca Sciara
June 12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: At The Guild, 1621 McGee, Kansas City, Missouri, a Country Brunch featuring some of the city’s best-known caterers, chefs, bartenders, food trucks and restaurants. Eddie Kennison and Katie Van Luchene will emcee the event, which will include a silent auction and a 100-chance $100-per-ticket raffle of a $5,000 piece donated by Helzberg Diamonds and culinary packages. George Nigro of Nigro Brothers Charity Auctioneers will lead bidding on the live auction. Big Time Grain Co. will provide live music.
Country Brunch Bakeries/Caterers/Chefs/Food Trucks/Restaurants: Anton Kotar, Anton’s Taproom; Howard Hanna, The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange & Ça Va; Theresia Ota, Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar; Robert Padilla, Trezo Mare; Michael Smith, Michael Smith/Extra Virgin; Colby & Megan Garrelts, Bluestem/Rye; Jennifer Maloney, Cafe Sebastienne, Jason Craine, Charisse; Jeff Stehney, Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que; Stewart Lane – Lon & Stewart Lane’s Inspired Occasions; Patrick Ryan, Port Fonda; Michael Foust, The Farmhouse, Ted Habiger, Room 39; Pablo Munoz, Westside Local; Mary Berg – delish! Catering; Paris Brothers; Cosentino’s Price Chopper; SPIN! Pizza; Bruce Lemay, Crazy Good Eats; Shanita McAfee-Bryant, Magnolia’s; Nathan Nichols, Gram & Dun; Craig Christopher, Beer Kitchen; Dolce Bakery; The Doughnut Lounge; LeMonde Bakery; Meshuggah Bagels; The Waffler; The Funnel Cake Truck; Cirque du Sucre by Natasha’s Mulberry & Mott
Bloody Mary Smackdown Celebrity Bartender: Rob Collins, WDAF Fox4
Bloody Mary Smackdown Bartenders: Kenny Cohrs, Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar; Andrew Niemeyer, Extra Virgin; Brock Schulte, The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange; Zac Snyder, The Westside Local; Scott Tipton; Bread & Butter Concepts; Margot Thompson, The Farmhouse; Beer Kitchen, William Woods
Bloody Mary Smackdown Judges: Doug Frost, Grand Sommelier & Master of Wine; Ryan Maybee, J. Rieger & Co. Whiskey; Berto Santoro, President U.S. Bartender’s Guild
No admission to the June 11 Bake Sale; Country Brunch/Bloody Mary Smackdown tickets are $80 general admission; VIP tickets are $160 and include early admittance, VIP seating and a swag bag filled with goodies.
Sponsors include Helzberg Diamonds, Commerce Bank, Barbara & Peter Gattermeir Family Foundation, Kirk Foundation, Cosentino’s Sun Fresh & Price Chopper, Renee Shelton, Anne Russ, Bryan & Nancy Beaver, Barkley, The Guild Event Space, J Rieger, Country Club Bank and Missouri Bank and Steuve Siegel Hanson LLC. The Independent Magazine is the media sponsor. For tickets, visit www.kcteam4nokidhungry.com. For sponsorship information or to donate for the silent and live auctions, contact Gina Reardon at 816-651-5432 or ginareardonkc@aol.com.