End Childhood Hunger at Taste of the Nation NY

With a restaurant repertoire like Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, Telepan, L’Artusi and celebrity book signings by Marcus Samuelsson, Floyd Cardoz, and Sandra Lee, Taste of the Nation New York 2011 will kick off on this Monday, May 23rd at Center 548.

The premiere food tasting benefit of New York City, Taste of the Nation hosts spectacular food and wine events across the country benefiting organizations like Share Our Strength in its No Kid Hungry campaign. This year’s Taste of the Nation NY will benefit local New York non-profits such as City Harvest and the Food Bank for NY as well.

Appetite for Good interviewed co-owner of The Meatball Shop, Michael Chernow about the event:

Taste of the Nation is in support of the No Kid Hungry campaign. Why is childhood hunger such an important cause to you?

I am in the food business, food is my passion, people are my passion, people and food are my passion….. nobody should go hungry. If there is a way that we at The Meatball Shop can contribute to help prevent starvation or even hungry tummy growls of young kids, we will show up! I didn’t grow up rich, but I didn’t grow up hungry, I’d like to give back.

2. What other non-profits do you support?

Chefs Move to Schools, Share Our strength, Juvenile Diabetes, Ronald McDonald House, and more…

3. When and why did you start supporting philanthropic causes? What’s the inspiration behind this passion?

We started supporting these causes right from the start when we opened the restaurant. We feel lucky that we’re able to contribute to causes like this by creating and producing what we love most, food. Before we had a restaurant the option of contributing to causes like this were a stretch, money was not and still is not in abundance.

For years my wife and I have sponsored children in poverty with the help of Children International and Plan. Right now we sponsor a child in Tanzania, Shakilla, and a child in Honduras, Axel.

4. What will the Meatball Shop be showcasing at the event?

We will be bringing the buffalo chicken meatballs with blue cheese sauce and Franks red hot.

5. What are you looking forward to at the Taste of the Nation event this year?

We love the event!! Everything from the networking, to the charity. We have a ton of fun from preparing the food to breaking down the station. It is a nice feeling to know that we are putting our heart and soul into a much bigger project. To be part of the Taste events is awesome.

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