The Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Jacques Pepin Foundation joined together for a special event June 7 that raised

more than $195,000 to provide culinary job training opportunities for unemployed and underemployed adults. These funds will support initiatives like the Food Bank’s Community Kitchen program, now in its 20th year.

“We are so thrilled with the success of our first collaboration together,” said Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Both the Food Bank and the Jacques Pepin Foundation are committed to transforming lives through community education and these funds will be put to use to expand that vision.

Over the past year, the Jacques Pepin Foundation and the Community Kitchen program at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank have come together over their shared mission to educate and prepare the next generation of chefs for careers in the culinary field. Training programs also help lift participants out of poverty so they can support themselves and their families over the long-term.

Rollie Wesen, co-founder and COO of the Jacques Pepin Foundation, explains how this collaboration formed after he visited Community Kitchen and saw students and their teachers in action.

“I was so moved by the incredible work that Chef Heather and Chef Ron were doing. It was so exciting to see these students that were really at the edge of hope find their confidence and a pathway back into the workforce” Wesen said.

To launch this collaboration, the Food Bank hosted Savor, an event with Jacques Pepin at Newport Vineyards in Middletown. The fundraiser with Jacques P pin and special guest Sara Moulton, featured world-class wine pairings and a multi-course feast with plates prepared by: Matthew McCartney from Jamestown FISH, Rick Moonen from RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, Jeremy Sewall from Island Creek Oysters, Champe Speidel from Persimmon, Andy Teixeira from Newport Vineyards (Host Chef), Ming Tsai from Cooking with Ming, James Wayman from Mystic Oyster Club, Baking and Pastry Arts Faculty of Johnson & Wales University: Jaime Schick, Thao Rich and Maura Metheny. Other celebrity chefs in attendance included Rick Bayless, Michel Nisan, Claudine Pepin and Rollie Wesen. Live music was performed by the Pat McGee Band.

Guests were treated to a live auction with prizes including dinner with Jacques Pepin, a Best Cuisine at Sea cruise and a day on the set of Simply Ming with Ming Tsai.