Guy Fieri feeds first responders battling California wildfires
[Oct. 6, 2020: Kerry Breen]
As the Glass Incident Fire ravages California wine country, thousands of firefighters are battling the blaze — and celebrity chef Guy Fieri is helping out in the kitchen.
According to a post on Oct. 3 from the Sonoma-Lake Napa Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Fieri traveled to the firefighters' base camp over the weekend to help feed the 2,774 firefighters who have been trying to contain the fire.
"A MILLION THANKS to @GuyFieri and his talented team for bringing his delicious delights to #GlassFire base camp!" wrote the organization on Twitter. "He made a lot of people very happy & full today!"
Photos from the post show that Fieri fed firefighters a simple but satisfying meal of penne pasta and a green salad. According to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, he and his team boxed up about 2,000 meals in total.
The fire has consumed more than 66,000 acres of land in the Napa and Sonoma Counties, burning down restaurants and wineries. According to the most recent details shared by firefighters, more than 21,000 structures in the area have been threatened, with over 300 commercial structures destroyed. As of Tuesday, the fire was about 50% contained.
Fieri is a long-time resident of California, with a home in Santa Rose and a ranch in Napa County, and this isn't the first time he has helped people deal with the state's catastrophic wildfires. In 2018, he worked with chef Jose Andres to feed emergency responders and more than 1,000 people displaced by the blazes in Shasta County. That same year, he also surprised first responders working to control the deadly Camp Fire with a delicious dinner. In 2017, he joined up with the Salvation Army to help evacuees and volunteers in Northern California.
Fieri has also used his influence to give back to the restaurant community. Earlier in 2020, he helped launch the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF) to benefit laid-off workers in the restaurant industry after the coronavirus pandemic led to record layoffs and business closures. The fund raised $21.5 million, which was dispersed to 43,000 restaurant workers in one-time $500 grants.
“My entire career has been in the restaurant business,” Fieri said in theRestaurant Relief America press release. “From bussing tables to flambe captain to dishwasher to chef ... I’ve done it all. I’ve also spent the better part of the last 15 years traveling this great country meeting other folks who’ve dedicated their lives to this business and let me tell you something, they are the hardest working, most real deal workers you’ve ever met ... the heartbeats of their communities."
This Brighter Side of News post courtesy of Today.
Like these kind of stories? Get The Brighter Side of News' newsletter.
