Hearth Cook-Off Raises Over $40,000 for Local Food Banks
Hearth Community Kitchen raised just over $40,000 for three local food banks at its fifth annual cook-off. More than 300 people attended the Portland event.
Cook-off raises record total
Hearth Community Kitchen's fifth annual cook-off raised just over $40,000 for three local food banks this past weekend, the organization's best result since the event began in 2022.
More than 300 people attended the event at Hearth's community space, where twelve local restaurants and a handful of home cooks competed in front of a panel of judges that included two James Beard-nominated chefs from the area. Tickets, raffle sales, and a matching donation from a local credit union all contributed to the total.
“Every year we think we've hit a ceiling and every year this community proves us wrong," said Hearth's executive director, Miguel Ontiveros. "The money matters, obviously, but so does the fact that 300 people showed up on a rainy Saturday because they care about their neighbors having enough to eat.”
Winning dish to support food banks
This year's winning dish, a braised short rib pho from a first-time competitor, will be added as a guest item on the menu of one of the participating restaurants for the month of November, with proceeds from that dish also going back to the food banks.
Hearth said the funds will be split between the Northeast Portland Food Pantry, Community Table, and a mobile food pantry program that serves outlying neighborhoods without easy access to a fixed location.
Hearth Community Kitchen is a nonprofit organization that runs meal programs, cooking classes, and fundraising events in the Portland area, with a mission of connecting food, skills, and community support.