Local Atlanta nonprofit to host 180° cooking challenge and fundraiser in Vine City
WHAT: This Saturday, May 12, local nonprofit City of Refuge will host its fourth annual Dinner in the City, a celebration of talent and skill. The benefit invites the community to enjoy a three-course meal prepared by alumni from its culinary arts training program. For over 20 years City of Refuge’s 180° Kitchen and most recently onsite restaurant Café 180 has served more than 230,000 residents, employees and guests each year.
The evening will kick off at 6 p.m. and guests will enjoy a carefully curated meal complete with an appetizer, main course and dessert prepared by the 180° Kitchen head chef Alex Cook and chef Michelle Taber along with alumni from the City of Refuge culinary arts training program. During the evening, two teams of alumni will face off in a Chef’s Challenge that will be judged by a stellar lineup of celebrity chefs, including David Rose, creator of TLC Experience and finalist on Food Network Star season 13; Steve Palmer of the Indigo Road Restaurant Group; Ryan Pernice of RO Hospitality; Federico Castellucci III of The Castellucci Hospitality Group; and Pat Pascarella, owner and executive chef at The White Bull in Decatur.
While indulging in dinner, guests will have the opportunity to hear from participants as they share a taste of their stories and how they became involved with City of Refuge.
Dinner in the City is part of a series of annual events that culminate with The Gathering, an event held each fall that celebrates life transformation and raises funds to assist the residents and students at City of Refuge.
Guests are invited to share experiences on social media using the hashtag #DinnerInTheCity. To learn more about happenings or how to get involved at City of Refuge, follow the organization on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
WHEN: Saturday, May 19 at 6 p.m.
WHERE: City of Refuge’s 180° Kitchen, 1300 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard
BENEFIT: All proceeds benefit the 180° Kitchen along with all of the transformational programs at City of Refuge.
About 180°Kitchen & Workforce Innovation Hub
The 180° Kitchen is a fully operational cooking, dining hall and culinary education facility that embodies every aspect of the City of Refuge mission to bring light, hope and transformation to Atlanta. Here, City of Refuge provides healthy meals to resident families, showing by example how better nutrition can place people on the path to better health and improved self-esteem. More than 15,000 meals per month are prepared and served in the 180° Kitchen at City of Refuge.
In addition to meal service, City of Refuge’s Workforce Innovation Hub provides culinary vocational training through its culinary arts training program, a certified 10-week program for an average of 15 students per class. The culinary arts training program provides job and life-skill training that empowers those once in crisis to lead lives of sustainable independence. Job opportunities are made available to every graduate of thisprogram, which has a 100 percent job placement rate. City of Refuge also recently opened the Café 180, an onsite restaurant open to the public that offers students of the culinary arts program the opportunity to gain hands on training for future employment.
About City of Refuge:
City of Refuge was founded in 1997 with the mission to transform the lives of individuals and communities in Atlanta and beyond. Today the organization resides in a warehouse that was graciously donated in the 30314 neighborhood, one of the poorest and most crime-ridden areas in the nation. Since inhabiting the “Where Good Works” center, City of Refuge has helped over 20,000 people across the country and internationally. The organization has created several programs designed to provide an impact in areas such as: housing, youth development, health & wellness, and vocation. City of Refuge is a leader in the business of social transformation and continuously works to empower and equip individuals with the tools to succeed.
