SAN DIEGO — If you're cooking this Thanksgiving, you may already have the ingredients for a tasty dish waiting for you in your cupboards. In this Zevely Zone, I preview Chefsgiving, a Thanksgiving dinner party that helps feed San Diego's hungry.
"I see a perfectly good honey bear sticking its head out. We are definitely going to need some of these," said Chef Davin Waite from Wrench and Rodent. Chef Waite met us at the San Diego Food Bank to show us how everyday items already waiting for you in your pantry could be used for a special dish. "Sometimes that stuff that hides in the back of the cupboard is that missing ingredient you need to make a magical dish," said Chef Waite.
We asked Chef Waite to surprise us with a delicious dish for Thanksgiving. He crafted curry and a peanut dressing salad. "These days it doesn't always have to be about the turkey, the gravy and the stuffing," said Chef Waite.
If you're searching for inspiration you may consider attending the fourth annual Chefsgiving at Pendry San Diego. Inspired by the spirit of Thanksgiving you can join some of San Diego's most renowned chefs as they prepare, service and share dinner with a cause. The Chefsgiving meal will include a take of each Chef's favorite Thanksgiving dish, served family-style with wine pairings from Prisoner Wine Co. You'll even get a chance to chat with the chefs. Tickets are $150 per person and include a $30 donation to the San Diego Food Bank.
"For just 150 dollars you have access to eight of the top chefs around preparing their take on their favorite Thanksgiving dish," said Casey Castillo from the San Diego Food Banks. Casey says 30 dollars from every ticket sold will help feed hungry San Diegans. "We are serving 550,000 people right now and we are giving them good quality food," said Casey.
Some of those ingredients were used by Pastry Chef Tara Cortez from Pendry San Diego to make a breath taking bread pudding. "I just happen to carry a fork with me," I said before digging in.
Here is the chef lineup:
Brandon Sloan, Chef de Cuisine, Provisional Kitchen, Café and Mercantile
Jojo Ruiz, Executive Chef/Partner, Lionfish and Serea
Chris Gentile, Chef de Cuisine, AVANT
Crystal White, Owner, Wayfarer Bread and Pastry
Davin Waite, Executive Chef, Wrench and Rodent
Travis Swikard, Executive Chef, Callie
Tara Cortez, Pastry, Pendry San Diego
Clément Le Déoré, Desserts by Clement
Chefsgiving helps feed thousands of San Diegans. We asked volunteers at the San Diego Food Bank for some of their favorite Thanksgiving day dishes. Here are a few of their responses:
"Pecan pie."
"My sister's mushroom stuffing."
"Green bean casserole."
"Roasted vegetable medley."
"Grilled turkey."
The 4th annual Chefsgiving takes place Thursday, November 18 at 6:30 pm at Provisional located at Pendry San Diego. To order tickets and enjoy a wonderful meal for a great cause click here.