Hundreds of Washingtonians flocked to the Marriott Marquis on Monday, June 8 for Food & Friends 33rd anniversary Chef’s Best, a celebration that highlighted the DMV’s restaurant scene and emphasized the importance of giving back.
Since its founding in 1988, Food & Friends has had the goal of providing nutritious meals to people in the Washington metropolitan area battling chronic illnesses. Food & Friends is not about just meals, but what they do for the people they are serving.
“They provide reassurance in moments of uncertainty and guidance when every decision feels overwhelming,” Carrie Stoltzfus, executive director of Food & Friends, told the crowd. “It’s not about just managing an illness, it’s about helping our clients regain a sense of control.”
During the event, guests sampled dishes and cocktails from 30 local businesses, including Pisco y Nazca and Moxy Hotel’s Lucha Rosa Rooftop Bar, both in Northwest, D.C., and Osteria Costa at MGM National Harbor.
Dafne Guizada, one of the food and beverage managers at Moxy Hotel said the event was perfect for networking while also providing more than beverages, but positive spirits.
“We’re here to present our Lucha Rosa cocktail, one of the best cocktails you can have in downtown D.C.,” Guizada told The Informer. We have great views at the Moxy on K Street and we’re here to spread our love throughout.
As Senior Executive Chef at Osteria Costa, Justin Figueroa explained that participating in Food & Friends furthers MGM’s philanthropic initiatives.
“It’s a great way to spend a lovely summer evening for a good cause,” Figueroa explained. “It’s a big deal for us. We’re always giving back… We’re a big box and we always want to give back, so come support us.”
Nathan Dupree, receiver and shipping coordinator at Food & Friends, explained Chef’s Best helps continue the organization’s work and mission of providing medically tailored meals to people across the DMV area.
“We need all the resources we can get to give over 2 million free meals to people with chronic illnesses and hopefully help them get better,” Dupree said.
Plus, Food & Friends has more big goals ahead, such as a $30 million new capital campaign called “Nourish Together: Building A Healthy Community,” announced during the Chef’s Best celebration. Having already raised more than $23 million toward the goal, the organization hopes to open a newly renovated facility to strengthen operations, increase meal productions and storage capacity and have room for more volunteers.
“We buy food to cook for our clients, we deliver food to people, we are expanding for a new building, and everything that we’re doing right now takes resources, and we want to reach more people,” Dupree told The Informer, before emphasizing the importance of events like Chef’s Best. “We want to grow to help more people… and we’re fundraising for that right now.”
