Tsunami Update 5: Chefs Counter

By JULIETTE ROSSANT News has been streaming in about the ways Foodies can help Tsunami victims, and here are profiles of three group's efforts: Share Our Strength, the Institute of Culinary Education, and a group of chefs in Thailand. First Debbie Shore, associate director of Share Our Strength, which has already been already collecting funds for Tsunami relief, wrote to describe their next step: "To further support the relief efforts, we have joined a coalition of more than 40 organizations that collectively work with millions of children in school districts, afterschool programs, and youth-based community organizations. Working together, we believe our response to the tsunami disaster will be significantly larger than what we could each do on our own. Based on the belief that America's children will be looking for a meaningful way to help alleviate the suffering of other children millions of miles away, the coalition is launching Quarters From Kids. Some of SOS's corporate sponsors have jumped in as well. American Express Company is donating $1 million to Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations in the affected countries and is matching employee contributions. Jenn-Air parent Maytag and its employees will match all employee contributions dollar for dollar to organizations committed to the relief efforts. And Tyson Foods will donate up to $1 million in shelf stable food and financial aid by matching their Team Member donations dollar for dollar, through American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Feed the Children, UNICEF, Islamic Relief, and Catholic Relief Services. Second, the Institute of Culinary Education, is organizing two fundraisers that will benefit Tsunami relief efforts by Action Against Hunger (AAH) with the goal of raising $20,000, according to ICE's chief Rick Smilow. Tickets, which are 100% tax deductible are available through ICE at 1 (212) 847-0770: for ICE's location and directions, click here. Or, simply donate by check made to "Action Against Hunger" and mailed to ICE/AAH at 50 West 23rd Street, NY, NY 10010. On Tuesday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m., chefs/authors and TV personalities Sara Moulton and David Rosengarten and AAH's Executive Director Anne-Sophie Fournier will be the guests of honor and speakers at a five-course seasonal American dinner prepared by ICEs chef-instructors. Tickets are $150. On Monday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m., ICE will hold a demonstration class focusing on the foods of India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Julie Sahni, author of "Classic Indian Cooking" and countless other volumes, Corinne Trang, author of "Essentials of Asian Cuisine: Fundamentals and Favorite Recipes," and James Oseland, author of the upcoming The Cradle of Flavor: Essential Recipes from Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore, will demonstrate and offer for tasting some of their favorite recipes. Tickets to that event are $120. Closer to ground zero yet less obviously affected by the 2004 Tsunami are chefs in the region. Australia's chef Benjamin Chrisite is asking the Food and Hospitality community to support a Thai Food Promotion, in process of being organized by a number of Thai chefs forced to take leave due to the catastrophic downturn in Thai tourism. So, chefs are clearly on the move: how about you? If you want to contribute but don't know how, read previous articles on Tsunami relief, full of links to charitable organizations, news and information, and links to other Foodies active in relief -- and look for more to come from superchefblog. Previous articles: Tsunami Update 4: US Ex-Presidents Lead Funding Tsunami Update 3: Christmas Island New Year's Resolution: Eat Well, Help Others Tsunami Update 2: Race Against More Death Tsunami Update 1: Foodies Help 2004 Tsunami: How Foodies Can Help SOS: Baking from the Heart Benjamin Christie: Australian Emeril? Other blogger articles: Gothamist