Members of the Arkansas Legislative Hunger Caucus made sure no one went hungry at the Serving Up Solutions fundraiser for the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance on June 23. The celebrity waiters donned black aprons to serve appetizers and dinner to patrons at Noah's Event Venue.
Food banks, pantries and other hunger relief agencies in the participating legislators' districts will receive grants from the dinner's proceeds, which AHRA development director Lynne Phillips said raised about $130,000.
Food was provided by four of Little Rock's best-known chefs. Chef Capi Peck made the appetizers: Hawaiian ahi and avocado poke crisps and Arkansas heirloom tomato crostini. Chef Donnie Ferneau was responsible for the roasted beet and avocado salad with pickled fennel and orange. The entree of pork chops, warm potato salad and grilled cabbage was by Chef Matt Bell, and Chef Rosalie Monroe provided a blueberry lemon bread pudding for dessert.
The affair offered silent and live auctions that included a Trio's dinner party for 12, a dinner and wine pairing for 10 and a beer tasting for 12 called "Around the World in Eight Great Beers."
In addition to the grants, proceeds also support the programs and operations of the Alliance, which is a network of more than 400 hunger-relief organizations in the state. Programs include the Arkansas Gleaning Project, SNAP Outreach, the Arkansas No Kid Hungry Campaign and Cooking Matters.
-- Story and photos by Cary Jenkins
High Profile on 07/03/2016