Today, I thought I’d share my thoughts on something I think is so cool and I’m hoping it provides a little Spoonful of Pixie Dust during this stressful time in our lives. When I first heard about it, it made me pause and think more about the kind and caring people in this world. We are all dealing with such stress and uncertainty right now in the midst of this Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some of us have become overnight homeschool teachers for our children, some of us have adult children who work in essential places and are right on the front lines coming into contact with others on a regular basis. Regardless of what we’re all doing to stay safe right now, one thing we all need is to stay properly nourished to stay alive.
In the past, we’ve shared with you how Chef José Andrés – the owner of Jaleo at Disney Springs – has stepped right up to assist in feeding people during times of need such as when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and when Hurricane Dorian hit The Bahamas last year; he is at it again during this time of crisis.
You may have heard that his restaurants in New York and Washington D.C. have all been closed in addition to the Disney Springs location. Some of these restaurants have been repurposed as ‘community kitchens’ serving affordable plates of the day that will be available for purchase to take out.
In a statement, José said, “We as a restaurant company want to help provide food for those who want it in a safe manner. We feel these community kitchens can help during this challenging time, and those who cannot afford to pay we will welcome as well.”
The community kitchens are operating out of the restaurants’ side doors with a limited number of staff members who are volunteering from 12 – 4 pm daily and offering only takeout service. All restaurant employees are being provided with paid leave and current health benefits for at least the first two weeks of this program which began March 17, 2020.
Take a look at the list below for details and information on where to find these community kitchens, and if you live near any of them, let us know if you’ve enjoyed a fresh meal there!
New York City
Mercado Little Spain, Hudson Yards, New York: Little Spain’s Spanish Diner will operate a community kitchen from the glass garage doors. The rest of the mercado will remain closed.
Washington DC Metropolitan Area
America Eats Tavern, Georgetown: A community kitchen will operate from the front door.
Jaleo, Bethesda: A community kitchen will operate from the side door.
Jaleo, Crystal City: A community kitchen will operate from the side door.
Jaleo, Penn Quarter: A community kitchen will operate from the side door.
Zaytinya, Penn Quarter: A community kitchen will operate from the side door.
Beefsteak, Dupont, Foggy Bottom & Montgomery Mall: The D.C.-area fast-casual locations will offer delivery only, available via their website.
