“When I first heard Jen [Hidinger-Kendrick] speak at the 2024 Welcome Conference, I was deeply moved by her and her late husband’s story—the way their restaurant community came together in support of one another was overwhelmingly powerful. Later that day, I had the chance to meet Jen, and when she shared her vision of bringing Giving Kitchen to Chicago, I didn’t hesitate for a second—One Off Hospitality was all in,” says Donnie Madia, restaurateur and One Off Hospitality Group partner. “From there, we started planning, and with the incredible relationship that [Executive Chef and Partner] Paul Kahan and I have with Andrew Zimmern, the kinetic momentum was already there. We’re honored to help bring Giving Kitchen’s mission to life in Chicago, supporting our own chef and service worker community.”
At the core of the evening, attendees were able to hear the impact of Giving Kitchen’s mission from founding board members Ryan Turner and Chris Hall of Unsukay Concepts, a restaurant group in Georgia, and Giving Kitchen’s CEO, Allison Padilla-Goodman. Giving Kitchen Founder and Spokesperson Jen Hidinger-Kendrick told the story of her late chef husband’s 2012 sudden and terminal diagnosis of stage four gallbladder cancer and the immediate response from the Atlanta restaurant community coming together to raise funds in support of the couple. From tragedy, caring, and compassion rose Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that offers vital support to food service workers encountering a crisis. Their financial assistance program helps cover basic living expenses during times of crisis, such as housing (rent or mortgage) and utilities (power, water, and gas) for:
- The cashier who was out of work for a month recovering from surgery,
- The chef who is battling cancer,
and many more.
“Giving Kitchen is proud to help the food service workers of Illinois and we’re ready to offer stability to those who need us,” says Hidinger-Kendrick. “We are asking our restaurant community and friends of food service to join us with our vision: a food service community where crisis is met with compassion and care. Giving Kitchen is for everybody, and we want EVERYBODY in Chicago and the entire Great Lakes, to know: We are Giving Kitchen and we help food service workers.”
