A Taste of Asia at Tarrant Area Food Bank

By Lexy Vorhies
Volunteer Blogger, Tarrant Area Food Bank

The aroma of Asian cuisine was in the air while serene Japanese music played in the background. Nerves were high, as well as excitement, for the inaugural event in Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Empty Bowl Chef Series.

The theme for the cuisine of the night was Asian Persuasions. Chef Kevin Martinez of Tokyo Cafe shared a cooking demo of a three-course meal. On the menu: roasted pork belly, seeded tuna salad, short ribs, and Japanese cheesecake for dessert.

When asked about what was the best part of helping out with the Empty Bowls Chef Series, head Chef Martinez responded, “This event brings awareness to a need, and we get to play around with food and do what we love and help out. We get to do something that we enjoy and it benefits other people.”

Empty Bowls Event Motivates Others to Attend Chef Cooking Event

As guests entered  Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Demonstration Kitchen,  TAFB board members welcomed them with a smile. They asked the audience if they were aware of what TAFB does and if they had attended the annual Empty Bowls event before.

“I attended the Empty Bowls event in February and really enjoyed that,” guest Colette Romero said. “I went with my husband and a couple of my stepsons. As a student in the Culinary School of Fort Worth, Colette enjoyed sampling different types of cuisine during the event. “I thought this would be a nice opportunity to try a different restaurant I haven’t been to, and because I’m in culinary school I just think this is fun.”

The event attracted patrons from all over Tarrant Area Food Bank’s service area. Some guests knew about how TAFB fights hunger in the community. Others were simply there to learn more about TAFB while getting a unique cooking lesson.

A Sincere Thank You to Generous Sponsors and Volunteers

We would like to say thank you to Kevin Martinez of Tokyo Cafe, our presenting sponsor, American Beacon Advisors, and our event sponsors, Fort Worth & Western Railroad, Proper, and the Jerry C. and Harriet J. Williams Charitable Fund. Another thank you to our Empty Bowls Chef Series committee and the local artists who donated handcrafted bowls. Thank you to everyone who came out to the first Empty Bowls Chef Series event.

While this year’s series is sold out, we’d love to have you join us for one of our many other events. Visit tafb.org/events for a list of upcoming events.