National

Taste of the Nation Makes Stop in D.C. to Fight Childhood Hunger

Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

It isn’t every day that can one find New

Orleans chef Isaac Toups serving liver moose with red onion marmalade next to D.C. chef Reid Shilling who prepared deviled eggs that were as good as anything grandma could make. But both executive chefs stood shoulder to shoulder under a tent in

Franklin Square Sunday afternoon during the D.C. stop of Taste of the

Nation culinary event series in which hundreds spent $95 each to sample fine foods while helping to raise funds in the fight against childhood hunger. Toups, owner of Toups’ Meatery in New Orleans, said coming to

D.C. and taking part in Taste of the

Nation was both special and much easier than competing on the Bravo TV show ‘Top Chef.” “Here, children in the greatest country in the world are going without food — it’s a travesty and I won’t stand for it,” Toups said. “Back at Meatery, we feed everybody — we feed the kids, we feed the adults.”

Pamela Taylor, spokesperson for No Kid Hungry, which sponsored the event, said, “In D.C. as well as across the nation, one-in-six kids are facing hunger. It is so important that they start their day with a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch. That’s why these programs are so important.”

This year’s event was held in the newly-renovated Franklin Park in downtown D.C. and featured culinary creations of bite-size fare, craft cocktails and delectable desserts created by celebrated chefs and mixologists.

No Kid Hungry, a national campaign with a $100 million budget, is supported by a number of organizations that include Citi, Sysco, Food Network, Kimpton and Open Table.

Guest chefs included: Matt Bell (Nashville), Timon Balloo (Miami), Brittanny Anderson (Richmond) and Gin Hall of Famed Mixologist Natasha Bahrami (St. Louis).

Featured restaurants included: All-Purpose, Bourbon Steak DC, Buffalo and Bergen, Captain Cookie, Cranes, Destino, Hiraya, Ice Cream Jubilee, Jackie, La Famosa, Metzger Bar & Butchery, Moon Rabbit, Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar, Preservation Biscuit Company, Queen Mother’s, Queen’s English, RASA, Ruthie’s All Day, Shilling Canning Company, Silver & Sons BBQ and Taco Bamba.

Shilling, owner of Shilling Canning Company at the Washington Navy Yard, said, “this event is great because it raises money for food desert awareness.”

“Kids don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” he said.

Chef Rock Harper, owner of Queen Mother’s Restaurant in Arlington, served fried chicken salad at the event. Harper, who specializes in fried chicken, talked about his business concept.

“Queen Mother’s was built on serving smiles, building community and honoring culture . . . to get people to empower themselves economically,” Harper said. “We hire people from the community exclusively.”

One of Harper’s employees, Alonzo Bradshaw, 28, said the event had a special meaning for him.

“I have been hungry,” Bradshaw said. “It was hard for my mother to raise two children as a single mother. We didn’t have a lot of lavish meals.”

Bradshaw now has his sights set on becoming a chef.

“It means a lot because I love to create,” he said. “When you feed somebody and they have a smile on their face, it brings you joy.” WI

3 Chef Rock Harper of Queen's Mother gives out samples at the Taste of the Nation culinary event to benefit No Kid Hungry on May 15. (Anthony Tilghman/The Washington Informer)

LEE MONTESSORI PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Lee Montessori Public Charter Schools (PCS) and Washington Leadership Academy are jointly seeking proposals from companies to provide vended meals at their shared 3025 4th Street building, and delivery of meals to Lee Montessori’s East End campus at 2345 R St. SE. Please email Joshua McComas (joshua@leemontessori.org), Lee Montessori Deputy Director of Operations, to request the full RFP. Proposals are due by Tuesday, May 31 at 5:00pm ET and should be sent via email to Josh McComas (joshua@leemontessori.org), Casey Sears (csears@wlapcs.org) and Jessica Jones (jessicajones@wlapcs.org). Prospective bidders should be prepared to conduct a food tasting for both schools before June 17. For additional information, please contact: Joshua McComas Deputy Director of Operations 3025 4th St. NE Washington, DC 20017 202-779-9740 joshua@leemontessori.org

5 Wanda Durant strikes a pose in front of the Taste of the Nation, No Kid Hungry event on Saturday May 15, 2022 in Northwest. ( Anthony Tilghman/ Washington Informer)