Chef Gerard Craft of the Niche Food Group and Operation Food Search recently teamed up to bring some high-quality food and hospitality to folks in need.
Craft and a crew from his flagship restaurant, Niche, held a pop-up lunch at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 4246 Shaw Blvd., on Thursday, April 28. Individuals who receive food pantry assistance from the church were the invited guests.
The menu, which consisted of a mixed green salad, broccoli lasagna with a mushroom bechamel and lemon brown butter, and bread pudding topped with seasonal fruit (both above), was created with food surplus donated by Straub’s Markets, lending a sustainability component to the event. The meal was served restaurant style, with guests being served at their seats.
Tables were set with real tablecloths and floral centerpieces, and music was provided by Nick Lampman from local band The Mellow D’s. The result was a warm, inviting atmosphere for the guests.
“It’s nice to give people that sort of restaurant experience,” says Sunny L. Schaefer, executive director of Operation Food Search. Craft says he was shooting for the same level of hospitality he provides in his restaurant.
“The whole idea of extending hospitality to someone is almost even more important than the actual food. The act of being our guest, being in our house,” Craft says. “I think our whole team feels that way.”
Craft says he’d like the pop-ups to be a continuing project.
“This is something we’ve been talking about doing for about a year,” Craft says. “It kind of evolved and I hope it continues to evolve. We’ve even talked about doing it in the street in certain neighborhoods. Straub’s has been a huge help in making this happen, as well as Operation Food Search. With the partnerships we’ve created so far, I think it’ll gain momentum,” he says.
Eventually he’d like to invite customers from his restaurants to some events in an effort to foster awareness of the issue of hunger in St. Louis, and help forge personal connections to those communities in need, as hunger continues to be an issue statewide. According to the 2016 Hunger Atlas, released by the University of Missouri this week, almost half a million Missourians are hungry at some point during the year, and Missouri is in the top 10 of states with the highest percentage of households that are classified as food insecure or very low food security.
The Niche staffers assisting in the first OFS pop-up.
Left to right: Matt Wynn, Carter Austin, Chris Kelling, Gerard Craft, Nick Blue, Nate Hereford, Katiana Tactikos.
Down in front: Pat Skiersch, Nick Lampman (the only non-NFG employee played the guitar during service)
