Los Angeles is burning. Here’s how the city’s restaurants are stepping up to help
- Restaurants and chefs across every level of dining are donating food and services to feed displaced Angelenos and service workers.
- Some restaurants and bars have flipped their dining rooms into donation centers.
On Wednesday, evacuees trickled into the Pasadena Convention Center in a steady stream, many holding only one or two bags containing belongings saved before the multiple fires in the region might claim their homes. Parked out front was the Yeastie Boys white-and-black food truck staffed by two employees handing off brown paper bags stuffed with fresh bagels and schmear.
“All the inventory we had for the day, we’re dropping off,” said Yeastie Boys staff member Juan Perez. “All the bagels [and] cream cheese that we made for today, we’re putting it to good use.”
These L.A. restaurants and coffee shops are staying open to shelter evacuees, offering discounts and, in some cases, free food to evacuees and first responders to the numerous ongoing fires in Southern California.
Like many Angelenos, Yeastie Boys owner Evan Fox was unaware of how devastating the fires would become. He didn’t call off his early morning baker on Tuesday evening, and as the flames engulfed thousands of acres into Wednesday morning, the entrepreneur realized he could not send his seven food trucks and hundreds of bagels onto the streets for business as usual.
“At 6 a.m. it was like, ‘Wait a minute,’ he said. “Immediately that was the [decision], and I just felt really good about it.”
Fox’s bagel trucks fanned out to Pacoima, Pasadena, downtown and Westwood, passing out more than 1,000 bagels. On Thursday, they returned to the Pasadena Convention Center with World Central Kitchen, the global humanitarian aid organization spearheaded by celebrity chef José Andrés.
Five people have died, but officials say the death toll is likely to be higher. More than 9,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed and at least 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders. Experts say L.A. is not out of danger yet and these fires have the potential to be the costliest wildfire disaster in American history.
As soon as Fox posted to Instagram about his bagel donations, texts from fellow chefs and restaurateurs began to pour in, asking him how they could also be of service.
In the darkness, a light: Dozens and dozens of L.A.-area chefs and restaurants are announcing free meals for first responders, evacuees and others affected by the region’s fires this week. Some restaurants, now closed due to the emergency, are clearing fridges full of produce, meat and dairy meant for regular business, hoping to put otherwise wasted food to good use.
Others are volunteering their kitchens for communal efforts. Some are accepting monetary donations in order to buy ingredients to make and donate meals to evacuation centers.
In Silver Lake, Bé Ù chef-owner Uyên Lê taped a new sign to the front window of her Vietnamese takeout restaurant. Written on cardboard, it said: “WE [heart] LA. Evacuees & first responders FREE MEALS.”
Lê could see the fires from her apartment on Tuesday night. The next morning, she woke up at 5 a.m. to a red sun. Once she heard that her own neighborhood was not directly affected by fires, Lê opened Bé Ù for service on Wednesday. She posted online that those displaced and those fighting the fires could get free banh mi, noodle bowls, lemongrass chicken wings or anything else from her menu.
“I consider this business a place of community, resilience and support,” she said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s always been a part of our mission. … I also think it’s important to show leadership at a time like this, and hopefully, other folks who have the capacity to attend [to] areas where they feel safe can also continue to provide resources and support for our community members.”
On Thursday morning in Glassell Park, bakery and dinette Bub and Grandma’s owner Andy Kadin and his team baked extra bread to distribute to those in need. Soon after, Villa’s Tacos owner Victor Villa shared that he and his team were making “as many Villa’s Trios as possible to pass out to our firefighters and first responders,” and asked for leads on drop-off locations. Salvadoran spot La Pupusa Urban Eatery posted that not only would the Pico-Union restaurant serve free meals to firefighters, but also accept donations, which the staff will be bringing to evacuations and safe zones.
‘It’s like Armageddon.’ Restaurant owner describes fire that burned Moonshadows, Reel Inn and others
The Reel Inn, Cholada Thai, Canyon Bakery and more restaurants have been devastated by the sweeping Palisades fire.
Silver Lake’s Cafe Tropical, normally closed for dinner service, offered dinner on Wednesday evening to donate all proceeds to the Los Angeles Fire Department; then, the team made 500 breakfast burritos for LAFD as well. Next door, bar Silver Lake Lounge announced it would accept donations for affected families and first responders. The Beverly Grove location of sandwich specialist Uncle Paulie’s flipped to a donation center as well, sourcing water, individually packaged snacks and other items for LAFD. In Koreatown, burgers-and-bar destination Love Hour is offering free meals for first responders and those affected by the fires, as well as sourcing blankets, hygiene products and other supplies that the team plans on distributing this weekend.
In Chinatown, Baker’s Bench opened for business on Thursday with a self-serve, pay-what-you-can model, with staff compiling activity packs for children. Culver City’s location of Fat & Flour, another acclaimed bakery, shared that all food items would be charged on a donation-based system.
Those looking to assist residents affected by the Los Angeles County firestorm have a number of options to donate money, materials or their time.
In Studio City and Santa Monica, popular smashburger spot Heavy Handed offers free meals for fire, police and first responders — and announced the team is also available to drop food to groups in need. Local taqueria chain Guisados announced it will donate food to community shelters throughout the week. At Little Fish in Echo Park, 20% of the seafood-focused restaurant’s proceeds will benefit firefighting and displacement-aid causes Thursday.
Others, such as Venice alfresco pizzeria Fiorelli Pizza and West Hollywood French restaurant Chez Mia, are accepting donations in order to make more meals to donate to those in need.
Iconic restaurants across L.A. County have been destroyed by fires, including Moonshadows and Gladstones in Malibu, and Fox’s and Side Pie in Altadena.
Some L.A. chefs and restaurants have joined up with Andrés’ team at World Central Kitchen, including Evan Funke of Mother Wolf, Funke and Felix; Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Socalo and Border Grill; Roy Choi’s BBQ; and Nate’n Al’s chef Tony Leitera.
In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday morning, Andrés stood outside of the former Patrick’s Roadhouse space surrounded by fire trucks, their lights flashing. The parking lot along PCH is serving as a de facto meeting ground for various groups of firefighters battling the Palisades fire.
“We are setting up here the World Central Kitchen truck,” he said. “We feed them from here: sandwiches, fruit, water.” Hot food, he said, would be coming soon to help bolster their strength. The L.A. chefs were rallying.
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