What is the CEO Cook-Off?
The CEO Cook-Off will engage Toronto business leaders to prepare a high calibre meal for their peers, in a friendly yet competitive atmosphere, with the goal of raising funds for Daily Bread. Under the guidance of two renowned Chefs, Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station, and Doug Penfold of Cava Restaurant, six CEOs will swap their suits for kitchen aprons by preparing dinner for 80 guests in Daily Bread’s on-site kitchen. CEOs will fill a table of ten with their peers to enjoy the meal that their host CEO has prepared. To add a little competition to the process, we’ll have a fundraising leader board to see which table has received the highest payment. The table, and CEO, who receives the highest payment wins the CEO Cook-Off!
Who can participate?
C-Suite Executives can attend and participate in the CEO Cook-Off event. Upon registering, each CEO is required to invite ten of their business peers. These individuals can be CEOs, Managing Directors and Senior Business Leaders from their own company and/or clients.
Where and when is it happening?
May 22, 2019, at Daily Bread’s warehouse on 191 New Toronto Street, Toronto, M8V 2E7
Participating CEO chefs are to arrive at 4:00pm.
Doors open for CEO’s guests at 6:00pm.
How will the event raise the funds?
Each CEO is required to invite ten CEOs, Managing Directors and Senior Business Leaders to enjoy the food that their host CEO has created. At the end of the meal, guests will donate what they believe the value of their CEO’s meal is worth.
To add a little competition to the process, there will be a fundraising leaderboard so all participants can see which table has received the highest payment.
The table, and CEO, who receives the highest payment wins the CEO Cook-Off!
Why is this important?
The CEO Cook-Off will be a lot of fun – but the cause at its heart is very serious. Hunger and food insecurity continues to be a growing problem in our city. Last year alone, meal programs across Toronto saw over 2.5 million meals being served to individuals and families in need. According to our most recent “Who’s Hungry” report, there has been an increase in the number of food bank visits since 2008. Last year alone at Daily Bread, we saw close to 1 million visits.
The funds raised from the CEO Cook-Off will help address these issues by helping Daily Bread provide more fresh fruit and vegetables to communities in need, ensure our kitchen continues to feed up to 20,000 individuals per month at partner agencies in the city, and our drivers distribute enough food for over 825,000 food bank visits.
What will the CEOs be doing on the night?
Getting hands on and doing some cooking! CEOs will be split into two groups and work with a celebrity chef and two to three other sous-chefs.
Together, they will assemble a starter and create a main dish (devised by the chefs). The desserts will be made by the chefs and their team, so the CEOs can relax at their table and enjoy the rest of the evening with their invited guests.
Do I need to know how to cook to participate?
No! Every CEO will be under the expert guidance of a celebrity chef and their team of sous-chefs. There will be lots of support on the night, and everything is carefully planned to make it as enjoyable as possible for all involved.
Our Chefs
Carl Heinrich Chef and Co-Owner,
Richmond Station
Carl Heinrich is the Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Richmond Station. Born in Calgary and raised across Canada, Carl started working in kitchens when he was 13 and studied at the Stratford Chef’s School before training in NYC with Daniel Boulud. He is the recipient of the 2015 Pinnacle Award for Chef of the Year and winner of the Food Network’s Top Chef Canada in 2012.Carl’s cuisine is inspired by quality local ingredients and driven by technique. He makes food that he knows his mom would like to eat and keeps flavours pure. Avid gardener and home cook, Carl lives in Toronto with his wife Julia and two kids, Theodore and Jane.
CEOs
Tessa Ohlendorf
Managing Director, Mighty Hive
Mark Andersen
Managing Director, Slalom Consulting
Stephen Brown
President, FUSE
For event and sponsorship information, please email Louise Geoghegan or call 416-203-0050 x241