More than 100 chefs and mixologists lended their talents to support Share Our Strength's annual Taste of the Nation gala last night at the Navy Pier Ballroom. In addition to a smashing good time, the event raised about $251,000 with all proceeds from the sold out event going to support NoKidHungry.org in the fight against childhood hunger by 2015.
Amid all the traveling, openings, side projects, and general 80-hour work weeks, everyone had an impressive amount of energy serving the 1,500 guests in attendance. Which made us wonder about the last time these chefs were home and if there was anything in their fridges.
We asked a few of them and were surprised to hear everything from the bare minimum (ketchup, beer, and an apple for Mercadito's Patricio Sandoval) to the opulent (Australian honey truffles and Wagyu beef for Tru's Anthony Martin) to the totally odd (8-9 gallons of tree lilac syrup for Moto's pastry chef Ben Roche). And for those of you who have been wondering what's happening with Tony Mantuano's upcoming Italian bar, he assures us it's still in the works as his fridge is filled to the brim with experimental pizza dough.
Check out the rest of the answers in the video above. [The Feast]
—Original video produced by Drake Booth/The Feast
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