Top Milwaukee Chefs to Create Dishes Inspired by Personal Reflections on Community
MILWAUKEE (June 7, 2021) – As SHARP Literacy gears up for a busy summer of educational programming in the wake of COVID-related learning loss, eight Milwaukee chefs are stepping up to support a not-to-be-missed fundraiser for the charity. “Unwrapped 2021,” will take place from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Thursday, July 15 at Sherman Phoenix, located in the Sherman Park community of Milwaukee, a key area of mission-driven work for SHARP.
Now in its sixth year, the annual Unwrapped event brings together wildly creative and philanthropic chefs who donate their time and talents to create gourmet appetizer, entrée and dessert bites using McDonald’s ingredients. This year, the challenge is for each chef to deconstruct the McDonald’s menu and use at least three core components in a dish that is reminiscent of the community in which they currently live or of their own childhood.
Guests can choose to enjoy dinner in person at Sherman Phoenix, take dinner to-go or donate meals to The Tandem restaurant. Led by Chef Caitlin Cullen, The Tandem has been providing a free delivery meal program to thousands of Milwaukee residents since March 2020.
“The summer slide has taken on a whole new meaning following COVID-related school closures making SHARP’s foundational literacy work more meaningful than ever,” said SHARP President and CEO Lynda Kohler. “By holding our event within one of the communities we serve and having our chefs reflect on their neighborhoods past and present, it’s our hope that we can blend summer fun with the serious message about the importance of our work in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Racine urban schools.”
Summer Inspiration
For Brian Taborski, executive catering chef for Saz’s Hospitality Group, summertime has always meant a little extra time to experiment in the kitchen. As a young boy raised in Lynwood, Illinois, Taborski always knew he wanted to be a chef, and at 14 years old began pursuing a career in the culinary world. His first summer job was a dishwasher in an Italian restaurant and, when he wasn’t learning all he could in the restaurant, Taborski was practicing his craft at home starting with cookbook recipes before eventually taking food courses in high school. A favorite Taborski family recipe was Summer Apple-Blueberry Crisp, which he will recreate for Unwrapped using McDonald’s unsweetened oatmeal, frozen blueberries, diced apples, frozen apple pie and McGriddles, among his other ingredients. “For me, the experience of visit farmers markets, growing your own food and enjoying a dining experience outside were all lessons I was fortunate to learn as a child growing up in Lynwood,” said Taborski. “The flavors of a sweet summer dessert are just about as good as it gets for me; and when you add in the charity component of what we are doing with SHARP Literacy, every bite is even more special.”
In addition to Taborski, other participating chefs include (in alphabetical order):
- Alexa Alfaro and Matt Alfaro of Meat on The Street
- Jason Alston of Heaven’s Table BBQ
- Monica Blake of Rise and Grind Café
- Marco Garcia of Modern Maki
- Angela Rondinelli of Downtown Kitchen
- Marcia Taylor and Mark Taylor of Lush Gourmet Popcorn
- David Wolfe of Joey Gerard’s – A Bartolotta Supper Club
Awards and Leadership
At the event, SHARP will present the newly named “Bartolotta Partners of the Year” awards, which acknowledge the spirit of partnership and cooperation that the late Joe Bartolotta brought to everything he did. This year’s awards will be presented to Beer Capitol Distributing, SHARP Board member and Treasurer Nancy Mehlberg-Tomko and McDonald’s owner/operator Jeff Steren. Beer Capitol has a long history of support for Unwrapped, with in-kind donations of beverages and a myriad of auction items throughout the years. Nancy Mehlberg-Tomko of SVC Certified Public Accountants, SC will be honored for years of personal and corporate support of the event, and for continually going above and beyond for SHARP Literacy. Jeff Steren will be recognized as a long-time community partner of Unwrapped, and for the generosity he’s shown other Milwaukee nonprofits.
Co-chairs of Unwrapped 2021 are Shane Blackman, Good Karma Brands; Marshall Chay, McDonald’s Owner/Operator; and Emily Phillips, Baird Financial Advisors.
Individual tickets for the event are $100 and may be purchased online at Unwrapped21.givesmart.com or by calling 262.844.1880. Various levels of corporate and individual sponsorships are also available. SHARP Literacy wishes to thank this year’s presenting event sponsor BMO Harris, gold-level sponsor Gruber Law Offices, and presenting in-kind sponsors 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, BizTimes Milwaukee, and OnMilwaukee.
About SHARP Literacy
SHARP Literacy, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Milwaukee nonprofit educational program whose mission is to partner with educators to foster a love of learning and advance children’s futures through innovative STEAM-based experiences and programs. The primary goal of SHARP Literacy is to provide elementary school students with an imaginative learning experience that builds confidence, self-esteem, and a greater awareness of the world. In 2021/2022, SHARP Literacy, Inc. will impact growth in foundational literacy skills in thousands of urban elementary school students and educators in 36 schools across Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha. For more information, visit www.sharpliteracy.org.
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