With the annual We Dine Together fall fundraiser on hold this year, top Bay Area toques banded together (virtually) for an eight-week series (We Still Dine Together: Home Edition) of online cooking classes beamed from their restaurant kitchens to benefit Beyond Differences.
This Marin County nonprofit was founded by political adviser Ace Smith and his wife, Beyond Differences Executive Director Laura Talmus, in honor of their late teenage daughter, Lili Smith, who died from complications of Apert syndrome. The student-led organization strives to break the stigma of social isolation and online bullying by fostering new connections among middle and high school students at 6,500 participating schools nationwide.
On November 18, chef Dominique Crenn conducted the final segment with chef Jean-Christophe Bourguignon, wrapping up a stellar roster that featured chefs Hoss Zaré, Tanya Holland, Tony Gemignani, Heena Patel, Francis Ang, Erica Land, Antelmo Faria and Parke Ulrich.
Proceeds benefit the organization’s No One Eats Alone Day (February 12), a national school lunch event that, this year, includes an online curriculum to tackle social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WE DINE TOGETHER
Cause: Beyond Differences
Attendees: 213
Impact: $50,000
