At a time the closing of restaurants is the top news story, it is vital to recognize the magnitude of these developments to Atlanta’s working people. This hardworking and often underinsured segment comprises 10 percent of the U.S. workforce and is the backbone of the nation’s $709 billion restaurant industry.
There are more than 200,000 restaurant workers in metro Atlanta. There is no denying Atlanta’s seat at the national table of top food cities, but it is the generosity and camaraderie of our restaurant community that makes it a rare gem in an industry known for fierce competition and larger-than-life egos.
This industry is notoriously philanthropic. Its members donate wine dinners, gift certificates for school auctionsand catering for various causes — in addition to the “pass-the-hat” internal fundraising they do to help their own. The recent restaurant closings inspired donations, job postings, free meals and pop-up events. This outpouring of support is a longstanding tradition in the service industry.
The Giving Kitchen is the formalized safety net of support that has always existed within this extended family for those who sacrifice their holidays and family time to make special events memorable.
The Giving Kitchen was inspired by the outpouring of love and support when Atlanta chef Ryan Hidinger was diagnosed with Stage 4 gall bladder cancer in December 2012. Ryan was well known for his work at Bacchanalia and Muss & Turner’s. The Staplehouse supper club started from his Grant Park home, gearing up to open as a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Ryan and his wife Jen built a network of loyal followers, but they never imagined the extraordinary goodwill that would immediately follow Ryan’s diagnosis. More than 50 of the city’s top restaurants raised $250,000 for Ryan’s care. Together with industry leaders, including the principals of Muss & Turner’s and Local Three, the Hidingers committed to lending a helping hand to others in times of need.
The Giving Kitchen was formed as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to fill the need for a crisis grant program for restaurant workers — as a way to do for others what the community came together to do for the Hidingers. Since Ryan’s passing in January 2014, the nonprofit has experienced exponential growth. It has evolved from a small group of passionate people with a unique idea, to a successful organization that has provided emergency assistance grants to those facing unanticipated crises.
Qualified emergencies can range from injury or accident to fire or death of an immediate family member. This fund has distributed more than $550,000 to cover basic living expenses for more than 325 workers, providing financial, mental and physical peace of mind. After an application process, financial review and proof of need, funds are distributed directly to housing and utility vendors.
Recent recipients include a dishwasher who broke his arm in a car accident; a line cook who was robbed at gunpoint on his way home from work; a bartender who broke two bones in his leg; and a server who experienced a catastrophic fire while seven months pregnant, losing all of her belongings. These grants were made possible by generous support from not just the restaurants but from vendors, suppliers, distributors and diners.
What started at Ryan and Jen’s dining room table has evolved into The Giving Kitchen and now Staplehouse — their dream restaurant in the Old Fourth Ward. Helmed by Chef Ryan Smith (formerly of Empire State South), the restaurant is a for-profit subsidiary of The Giving Kitchen; 100 percent of its net profits will be channeled back to TGK as an ongoing stream of support.
As if Staplehouse and The Giving Kitchen weren’t enough, Ryan Hidinger’s greatest legacy was that of a lighthouse, shining light upon the kindness and compassion of this remarkable community. That legacy shines brightest at times like these, when we are able to serve those who serve us.
Stephanie Harvey Galer is executive director of The Giving Kitchen.
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