East Bay Culinary Heroes _ Food News _ diablomag.com.pdf
Media
Text (Omeka Classic)
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96abb4e6cc745d9.html
East Bay Culinary Heroes
Entrepreneurs associated with the local food and beverage scene rise to the occasion in challenging
times.
By Emilie White
May 22, 2020
When the coronavirus crisis hit hard this spring, the East Bay’s culinary world faced a
wave of fear and uncertainty. Without visits from loyal clientele, beloved eateries and
nightlife hot spots had to consider layoffs and potential business closures.
But it should come as no surprise that, in such an entrepreneurial industry, many found
ways to adapt, keeping staff employed and doors open—while providing critical supplies for
the most vulnerable members of our community. Here’s a nod to some of the region’s most
noteworthy actors (among many others) who stepped up in this time of need.
Feeding the Front Lines
After an email from chef Tanya Holland about wanting more takeout orders, and a healthcare friend’s appreciation for a dinner from a generous benefactor, Berkeley author
Ayelet Waldman donated 25 meals from Brown Sugar Kitchen to Oakland’s Highland
Hospital.
“I went on Twitter, and said, ‘Hey Bay Area, if you can handle doing this, I’m going to buy
dinner for the hospital once a week,’” says Waldman. After a month of donations and
eager restaurant partners, Waldman’s new enterprise, East Bay FeedER, was serving about
100 hospitals and clinics each day with 500 meals from a rotating list of more than 40 local
eateries. “One order from us allows [the restaurants] to keep two people employed for a
week,” she says. “We have enough money that we will be able to keep this up through this
stage of the pandemic, and if we keep going, we can do it again if there’s another lockdown.
This period of crisis is showing … the best of our East Bay community in a way that’s really
remarkable.” eastbayfeeder.org.
Honorable Mentions
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
1/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
—Fourteen restaurants in Orinda banded
together to provide as many as 600
meals a day to workers at John Muir
Hospital.
More info here.
—Sunrise Bistro and Catering, Walnut
Creek: Over 3,500 healthy meals
delivered to first responders in Concord,
Oakland, and Walnut Creek.
More info here.
—Bakesale Betty, Oakland: Organized
fundraiser to sponsor a cookie or pie to be
delivered to front-line workers.
More info here.
Helping the Most Vulnerable
Ayelet Waldman and her team, East Bay FeedER, donate meals
When schools closed, local school lunch
to East Bay hospitals.
Reenie Raschke
company Choicelunch was suddenly cut
off from 17,000 East Bay students in need
of meals. But CEO Justin Gagnon realized that the company could still provide East Bay
residents with culinary staples otherwise unavailable due to shortages at stores and help
keep his employees and supply chain in business.
The turnaround was swift—after developing the Choicelunch Pantry on a Friday, the
program was launched the following Tuesday. Customers can pick up online orders in
Danville, Lafayette, San Jose, and Hayward, with an exclusive location for Rossmoor
residents. The company plans to diversify its offerings as the crisis continues. “The majority
of our clientele is families with young children, but what works for a family of six may not
work for a single person who’s 65 years old,” says COO Keith Cosbey.
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
2/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
“I got an email from one of my friends on
Easter Sunday, saying, ‘This is really a
blessing, to have a nice dinner and a
sense of normalcy,’” adds Gagnon. “It’s a
great affirmation for what we’re doing.”
pantry.choicelunch.com.
Honorable Mentions
— Monster Pho, Oakland. Partnered with
World Central Kitchen’s
#ChefsForAmerica initiative to provide as
many as 1,000 meals a week for
homeless shelters, foster care kids, and
nonprofit agencies that help families
dealing with hunger.
Ayelet Waldman
Reenie Raschke
More info here.
— Alameda County Community Food
Bank. As demand skyrocketed, the food
bank partnered with other agencies to
organize countywide data to help connect
residents with basic services like food
distribution.
More info here.
Ryan Mariotti, Justin Gagnon, and Keith Cosbey—the cofounders
of Choicelunch—offer food essentials.
Courtesy of Choicelunch
— Double Helping Hands. The Downtown
Berkeley Association recruited several
restaurants to supply inexpensive gourmet meals to the city’s homeless.
More info here.
A Grocery Alternative
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
3/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
In addition to family packs of popular
dine-in meals like chicken pot-pie,
Pleasanton’s Salt Craft restaurant began
offering individual items for home
cooking—such as house-made breads and
dried pasta—for hungry shelter-inplacers. Owner Matt Greco had long
hoped to integrate take-home meals and
staples into Salt Craft’s business plan, so
the structure was already established to
offer a grocery store alternative.
The Salt Craft team removed the seating
from their front patio and installed
stations for staff to leave orders for local
residents to pick up.
From left: Ryan Mariotti, Justin Gagnon, and Keith Cosbey
Lauren Feddersen
Greco’s no-quit attitude may stem from
his experience as a chef in New York City
during the September 11 terrorist
attacks. “You’ve got to just keep going,
good or bad, because it’s going to get
good again,” he says. “I’m happy we get
to supply people in such a necessary
way.” saltcraftpleasanton.com.
Honorable Mentions
— Bierhaus, Walnut Creek
More info here.
— Co Nam, Oakland
More info here.
— First Street Alehouse, Livermore
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
4/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
More info here.
Distilling Opportunity
Salt Craft owner Matt Greco provides groceries for
the community.
Courtesy of Salt Craft
The pandemic posed unique challenges
for newly closed tasting rooms—but
Sutherland Distilling Company in
Livermore seized an FDA-sanctioned
opportunity to help fill the nationwide
shortage for hand sanitizer.
Co-owner and distiller Eric Larimer, who
is also the COO for Norcal Ambulance,
and his distillery partner and Norcal
CEO, Barry Sutherland, had
experienced the lack of personal
protective equipment firsthand, and
focused on providing supplies to frontline
workers, as well as first responders.
Matt Greco
Courtesy of Salt Craft
Larimer estimates that the distillery is
now producing 500 gallons of sanitizer a
week.
“The hard thing has been having to turn
people away … [but] local residents
were not only understanding, they were
offering to help,” says Larimer, adding
that the company has caught up on
orders and is expanding their offerings.
“We had one guy who wanted to donate a
couple bottles of wine—that community
outpouring of wanting to do something
has been really cool.”
sutherlanddistilling.com.
Eric Larimer is involved with Sutherland Distilling Company’s
production of hand sanitizer.
Sean Glaspy
Honorable Mentions
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
5/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
— Bay Area Distilling Company,
Brentwood
More info here.
— Falcon Spirits Distillery, Richmond
More info here.
— St. George Spirits and Hangar One,
Alameda
More info here.
Eric Larimer
Sean Glaspy
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
6/6
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96abb4e6cc745d9.html
East Bay Culinary Heroes
Entrepreneurs associated with the local food and beverage scene rise to the occasion in challenging
times.
By Emilie White
May 22, 2020
When the coronavirus crisis hit hard this spring, the East Bay’s culinary world faced a
wave of fear and uncertainty. Without visits from loyal clientele, beloved eateries and
nightlife hot spots had to consider layoffs and potential business closures.
But it should come as no surprise that, in such an entrepreneurial industry, many found
ways to adapt, keeping staff employed and doors open—while providing critical supplies for
the most vulnerable members of our community. Here’s a nod to some of the region’s most
noteworthy actors (among many others) who stepped up in this time of need.
Feeding the Front Lines
After an email from chef Tanya Holland about wanting more takeout orders, and a healthcare friend’s appreciation for a dinner from a generous benefactor, Berkeley author
Ayelet Waldman donated 25 meals from Brown Sugar Kitchen to Oakland’s Highland
Hospital.
“I went on Twitter, and said, ‘Hey Bay Area, if you can handle doing this, I’m going to buy
dinner for the hospital once a week,’” says Waldman. After a month of donations and
eager restaurant partners, Waldman’s new enterprise, East Bay FeedER, was serving about
100 hospitals and clinics each day with 500 meals from a rotating list of more than 40 local
eateries. “One order from us allows [the restaurants] to keep two people employed for a
week,” she says. “We have enough money that we will be able to keep this up through this
stage of the pandemic, and if we keep going, we can do it again if there’s another lockdown.
This period of crisis is showing … the best of our East Bay community in a way that’s really
remarkable.” eastbayfeeder.org.
Honorable Mentions
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
1/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
—Fourteen restaurants in Orinda banded
together to provide as many as 600
meals a day to workers at John Muir
Hospital.
More info here.
—Sunrise Bistro and Catering, Walnut
Creek: Over 3,500 healthy meals
delivered to first responders in Concord,
Oakland, and Walnut Creek.
More info here.
—Bakesale Betty, Oakland: Organized
fundraiser to sponsor a cookie or pie to be
delivered to front-line workers.
More info here.
Helping the Most Vulnerable
Ayelet Waldman and her team, East Bay FeedER, donate meals
When schools closed, local school lunch
to East Bay hospitals.
Reenie Raschke
company Choicelunch was suddenly cut
off from 17,000 East Bay students in need
of meals. But CEO Justin Gagnon realized that the company could still provide East Bay
residents with culinary staples otherwise unavailable due to shortages at stores and help
keep his employees and supply chain in business.
The turnaround was swift—after developing the Choicelunch Pantry on a Friday, the
program was launched the following Tuesday. Customers can pick up online orders in
Danville, Lafayette, San Jose, and Hayward, with an exclusive location for Rossmoor
residents. The company plans to diversify its offerings as the crisis continues. “The majority
of our clientele is families with young children, but what works for a family of six may not
work for a single person who’s 65 years old,” says COO Keith Cosbey.
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
2/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
“I got an email from one of my friends on
Easter Sunday, saying, ‘This is really a
blessing, to have a nice dinner and a
sense of normalcy,’” adds Gagnon. “It’s a
great affirmation for what we’re doing.”
pantry.choicelunch.com.
Honorable Mentions
— Monster Pho, Oakland. Partnered with
World Central Kitchen’s
#ChefsForAmerica initiative to provide as
many as 1,000 meals a week for
homeless shelters, foster care kids, and
nonprofit agencies that help families
dealing with hunger.
Ayelet Waldman
Reenie Raschke
More info here.
— Alameda County Community Food
Bank. As demand skyrocketed, the food
bank partnered with other agencies to
organize countywide data to help connect
residents with basic services like food
distribution.
More info here.
Ryan Mariotti, Justin Gagnon, and Keith Cosbey—the cofounders
of Choicelunch—offer food essentials.
Courtesy of Choicelunch
— Double Helping Hands. The Downtown
Berkeley Association recruited several
restaurants to supply inexpensive gourmet meals to the city’s homeless.
More info here.
A Grocery Alternative
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
3/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
In addition to family packs of popular
dine-in meals like chicken pot-pie,
Pleasanton’s Salt Craft restaurant began
offering individual items for home
cooking—such as house-made breads and
dried pasta—for hungry shelter-inplacers. Owner Matt Greco had long
hoped to integrate take-home meals and
staples into Salt Craft’s business plan, so
the structure was already established to
offer a grocery store alternative.
The Salt Craft team removed the seating
from their front patio and installed
stations for staff to leave orders for local
residents to pick up.
From left: Ryan Mariotti, Justin Gagnon, and Keith Cosbey
Lauren Feddersen
Greco’s no-quit attitude may stem from
his experience as a chef in New York City
during the September 11 terrorist
attacks. “You’ve got to just keep going,
good or bad, because it’s going to get
good again,” he says. “I’m happy we get
to supply people in such a necessary
way.” saltcraftpleasanton.com.
Honorable Mentions
— Bierhaus, Walnut Creek
More info here.
— Co Nam, Oakland
More info here.
— First Street Alehouse, Livermore
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
4/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
More info here.
Distilling Opportunity
Salt Craft owner Matt Greco provides groceries for
the community.
Courtesy of Salt Craft
The pandemic posed unique challenges
for newly closed tasting rooms—but
Sutherland Distilling Company in
Livermore seized an FDA-sanctioned
opportunity to help fill the nationwide
shortage for hand sanitizer.
Co-owner and distiller Eric Larimer, who
is also the COO for Norcal Ambulance,
and his distillery partner and Norcal
CEO, Barry Sutherland, had
experienced the lack of personal
protective equipment firsthand, and
focused on providing supplies to frontline
workers, as well as first responders.
Matt Greco
Courtesy of Salt Craft
Larimer estimates that the distillery is
now producing 500 gallons of sanitizer a
week.
“The hard thing has been having to turn
people away … [but] local residents
were not only understanding, they were
offering to help,” says Larimer, adding
that the company has caught up on
orders and is expanding their offerings.
“We had one guy who wanted to donate a
couple bottles of wine—that community
outpouring of wanting to do something
has been really cool.”
sutherlanddistilling.com.
Eric Larimer is involved with Sutherland Distilling Company’s
production of hand sanitizer.
Sean Glaspy
Honorable Mentions
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
5/6
5/23/2020
East Bay Culinary Heroes | Food News | diablomag.com
— Bay Area Distilling Company,
Brentwood
More info here.
— Falcon Spirits Distillery, Richmond
More info here.
— St. George Spirits and Hangar One,
Alameda
More info here.
Eric Larimer
Sean Glaspy
https://www.diablomag.com/food-drink/food-news/east-bay-culinary-heroes/article_2a81b408-9a1b-11ea-b96a-bb4e6cc745d9.html
6/6
Accrual Method (Dublin Core)
4751