-Courtesy of Punch Media
photo by Vincent Rebbecchi
Cooks Who Care (CWC), the not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of food and beverage industry workers, is unveiling a full lineup of summer pop-ups to be held in partnership with notable chefs, businesses, and organizations across the city, including a weekly residency at the Pyramid Club. Events start Wednesday, July 5, from 6 – 8pm and feature live cooking and mixology demonstrations, food and beverage samples, and more, followed by additional pop-ups at locales such as Rex at The Royal, Porco’s Porchetteria, Small Oven Pastry Shop, Wawa Welcome American Festival, and more.
This series will further promote Cooks Who Care Community Cookbook: Entertaining for Mental Health (Philly Edition), the recently launched book of recipes and home entertaining tips for cooks of all skill levels and learning styles. The book was released digitally in December of 2022, and in a print edition in May 2023. 100 percent of proceeds from book sales benefit the Cooks Who Care Community Fund that provides mini grants to food and beverage service workers in the Greater Philadelphia Region who are in need of mental health support. The print edition is currently available for purchase online HERE and will also be for sale at all Cooks Who Care summer pop-up events.
“With the Cooks Who Care residency, we really want to provide new and wonderful culinary experiences that people might not be able to enjoy elsewise,” said John Barchard, Co-Chair of Content Club at Pyramid Club. “We want guests to feel and taste Philadelphia as much as possible while stoking conversations about the restaurant industry improving mental health for all involved. Cooks Who Care represents a positive change in a landscape that is still recovering from the Pandemic, and that deserves attention.”
Barchard and Cooks Who Care are also collaborating on a new podcast series that will provide intimate conversations with chefs and mixologists from across the Philadelphia region, particularly those who have participated in the creation of the cookbook. Ahead of the podcast launch, Pyramid Club will release a Chef Perspective series of short videos via social media that the podcast will expand upon when it debuts later this year. The first video in the series, Pyramid Club Chef Perspective, can be previewed on YouTube HERE. Cooks Who Care’s residency is only accessibly to Pyramid Club members, but the organization is currently developing future events that will be open to the public. For details about Pyramid Club and membership, click HERE.
In addition to the weekly Pyramid Club events, the Cooks Who Care summer pop-up series will include:
- 7/1: Wawa Welcome America Festival | 11am
- FarmerJawn Agriculture’s tent in the vendor market will have the cookbook for sale
- 7/9: Young American | 4 – 8pm
- CWC and REUBY will take over the Mt. Airy restaurant with a special menu
- 7/20: Rex at The Royal | 6 – 8pm
- CWC will collab with Rex at The Royal’s Beverage Manager Joshua Scheid to offer drink specials, including the “Antonomasia” from the cookbook
- 7/22: Porco’s Porchetteria & Small Oven Pastry Shop | 11am – 2pm
- Chef Maria and Porco’s Porchetteria Chef-Owner Chad Durkin will offer samples of the Lemon Linzer Sammy sandwich
- 7/25: Feel Good BBQ and Greatness Café in Akron, OH
- Chef Mike Jarzenski will have the book for sale at both of his restaurants in Ohio.
“The outpouring of support we’ve received since we started the Community Cookbook has been truly incredible,” said Chef Maria Campbell, Co-Founder of Cooks Who Care. “From our previous ‘Break the Ice Nights’ pop-ups to the massive charity raffle we held earlier this year, it’s so gratifying to see the importance of this cause recognized.”
Campbell and team are looking to extend this summer pop-up series into the fall months, and welcome collaborative events from a variety of local, small businesses. Those interested in volunteering at Cooks Who Care’s summer pop-up series can do so by clicking HERE.
Cooks Who Care Community Cookbook: Entertaining for Mental Health (Philly Edition) is available to purchase digitally and download on amazon.com or directly through Cooks Who Care’s website. The print edition is available to order online HERE, with nationwide shipping now available.
Philadelphia RowHome Magazine's Blog 