Riding with Purpose: Kimpton Chefs at Chefs Cycle

At Kimpton, food is a huge part of our daily lives. We’ve always had distinct, culinary-driven restaurants that showcase the best local and seasonal ingredients. We’re passionate about what we feed you, which is why tackling hunger really hits home. Last month, four of our chefs stepped up to the plate (pun intended) and joined No Kid Hungry to help end childhood hunger in America.

In the U. S., there are 16 million kids who struggle with hunger because they lack food. No Kid Hungry helps these children access healthy, nutritious food through school breakfasts and summer meals. In order to keep these programs going, No Kid Hungry holds fundraising events throughout the year, and one of them piqued our interest: Chefs Cycle.

Hitting the open road for Chefs Cycle. (Photo credit: Davey Wilson/Davey Wilson Photography)

In June, we created a Kimpton cycling team who strapped on their helmets and grabbed their best racers for the 300-mile ride along the California coast from Carmel to Santa Barbara – raising $20,000 in the process. Overall, the 2016 Chefs Cycle beat its goal to raise $1 million goal, and riders, volunteers and supporters celebrated at Finch & Fork.

(Photo credit: @chefsiao)

We’re so proud of our chefs who not only rode in the event but helped bring awareness to this cause.  Thank you to Executive Chef Brian McPherson of Jackson 20, Executive Chef James Siao of Finch & Fork, Assistant General Manager Marc Simonetti of Finch & Fork and Executive Chef Nathan Powers of Bambara SLC.

(Photo credit: @chefsiao)

For Marc Simotetti, the decision to join the Chefs Cycle ride was an easy one. “Having worked with Americorps I witnessed first-hand the challenges hunger presents to our nation’s students–it takes fuel to educate our future. Working around food all day, we take for granted that many children in our own community struggle to get the food they need. Chef’s Cycle for No Kid Hungry is an opportunity to raise awareness of the widespread childhood hunger that persists in America, and as a representative of the food-and-beverage industry, it is important for me to support our kids.”

James Siao, who helped rally Kimpton chefs for the ride, said, “Chefs Cycle has been a life-changing experience. The No Kid Hungry campaign’s mission is to make an immediate difference now and build towards the future. Raising over 1 million dollars to provide 10 million meals for kids shows that we’re all capable of accepting a challenge and banding together for an importance cause. We love what we do as chefs but this was a real opportunity to do something different for the community.”

(Photo credit: @marcsimonetti)