Local chefs cook for a cause

Sweet aid: Jael and Dan Rattigan (pictured) provide chocolate treats for many nonprofit ventures, including MANNA FoodBank’s Empty Bowls event. Photo courtesy of MANNA FoodBank

In a time when many people are struggling — including more small businesses than you would think — Asheville restaurants are giving back. Even while some are wearily eyeing the bottom line, many in the local food community are willing to donate their time and resources.

Alisa Hixson is a volunteer extraordinaire with her finger in a lot of charitable pies — she is the special-events coordinator for MANNA FoodBank and the planning committee for Dinner in the Garden at ArtSpace (see more about the special events in which she's involved in the next few pages), as well as the leadership committee for Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program.

Hixson says that she's always impressed by the outreach from the local food community. "Chefs cook for love. They're giving in the way that they best know how to give their love, by making food."

In this section are just a few of the events coming up in which local restaurants are lending a helping hand — and how you can, too.

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