KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Local Black chefs are getting together to host a unique dining experience called the “What About Me? She Blazes Dining Experience.”
The event will feature eight local, Black women chefs, cooking a dish for an eight-course meal.
“Everybody will have a different flavor profile, something different to bring to the table. I think people will really enjoy themselves and be wowed by how we can come together and do something good,” said Chef Natasha Ellington, who helped organize the event. “We are saying we want to be included and not only do we want to be included. We want to lead the conversation.”
Ellington is among seven other Black women collaborating for the event, including Polly Smith, Owner, Necessary Catering cooking a special fish dish for course five.
“It’s exciting for me to do an event with other women with the same passion that I do and also look like me. There’s not that many make executive chefs that are African American, so to do something where it’s all minority, it’s an amazing thing. I didn’t even know about half of these women and I live in this city,” Smith said. “But it’s also going to a great cause, that’s dear to my heart.”
Proceeds will go towards GYRL, Giving Yourself Real Love. The local nonprofit raises awareness to domestic violence and mentoring survivors.
Like minority chefs, also a topic some say does not get the attention it needs.
“Domestic violence is a crisis. It’s a major crisis in our country and even really around the world, and the pandemic has really made it work,” said CEO of Hope House, MaryAnn Metheny.
According to National Statistics for Domestic Violence, one out of every three women in the country will experience domestic violence in their lifetime and everyday three women die.
Those numbers only escalating since the pandemic.
“The violence was always bad, but during this pandemic, the injuries and types of abuse that we are seeing from the people we are serving has been off the charts. It’s been really bad,” Metheny said. “People were sheltering in home, they were not able to access services like they have been before.”
Metheny says their outreach programs and clientele has doubled in the last year.
Through the “She Blazes event, they plan to raise awareness through food.
The event will Wednesday April 28 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Soiree Steak and Oyster House in the 18th and Vine Jazz District.
“It all goes hand in hand,” said Anita Moore, Owner and Chef at Soiree Steak and Oyster House. “It only makes sense for us to be down here in the district, the historic district of 18th and vine, jazz music.”
Tickets are $150 each available here.
Tickets will also be sold at the door.
There will be live music and a silent auction at the event.
For the full list of participating chefs, click here.