The local restaurant world can be a highly competitive business. Competing restaurants are constantly positioning themselves against each other, trying hard to earn your dollar. The day-to-day world looks like any other business market. The ones who fight the hardest, make the right moves, and even sometimes play a little dirty come out on top more often than not.
Then there are days that remind you that the restaurant business is not like anything else. Despite the competitiveness, when someone is in need the whole community stops what they are doing to help. There is a general care and concern for fellow industry workers and other businesses that is hard to find in any other industry.
The most recent showing of that is on full display right now.
A few months ago we were working on a story with the Capital Hotel’s Ben Edwards. Right after the interviews Ben was injured in an accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. We amended part of the story before publishing, and with the family’s blessing put the story out.
Since then Ben was accepted into the Shepherd Center in Atlanta and left UAMS. They are a world-class organization that focuses on spinal injury recovery. Ben continues to push hard through the recovery, in all honesty he passed the point that I would have given up a long time ago. It is a fight that has been inspiring to a lot of restaurant folks in Little Rock.
Ben’s medical costs, while partially covered by insurance, are still expensive. Not to mention the loss of work and other expenses that come with this type of long-term recovery. The restaurant industry decided to rally in an even larger way and pull together a special event to raise funds for Ben’s continued recovery.
The event, Friends & Ben, will bring some top chefs and restaurants together for one fundraising night. These chefs are donating their time to help one of their own. The event will feature several chef stations along with wine and cocktails.
So far the following chefs and culinary teams have joined in with more to come:
Then there are days that remind you that the restaurant business is not like anything else. Despite the competitiveness, when someone is in need the whole community stops what they are doing to help. There is a general care and concern for fellow industry workers and other businesses that is hard to find in any other industry.
The most recent showing of that is on full display right now.
A few months ago we were working on a story with the Capital Hotel’s Ben Edwards. Right after the interviews Ben was injured in an accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. We amended part of the story before publishing, and with the family’s blessing put the story out.
Since then Ben was accepted into the Shepherd Center in Atlanta and left UAMS. They are a world-class organization that focuses on spinal injury recovery. Ben continues to push hard through the recovery, in all honesty he passed the point that I would have given up a long time ago. It is a fight that has been inspiring to a lot of restaurant folks in Little Rock.
Ben’s medical costs, while partially covered by insurance, are still expensive. Not to mention the loss of work and other expenses that come with this type of long-term recovery. The restaurant industry decided to rally in an even larger way and pull together a special event to raise funds for Ben’s continued recovery.
The event, Friends & Ben, will bring some top chefs and restaurants together for one fundraising night. These chefs are donating their time to help one of their own. The event will feature several chef stations along with wine and cocktails.
So far the following chefs and culinary teams have joined in with more to come:
- Ben E Keith
- Capital Hotel
- At The Corner
- Ciao Baci
- Matt Bell (South on Main)
- Yellow Rocket Concepts Team
- Tomas Bohm (Pantry)
- Jamie MCAfee (Pine Bluff CC)
Single tickets to the event are $100 and are all-inclusive. There will also be silent auction items available. 100% of the proceeds go to help Ben’s continued recovery.
Tickets are available here, if you are interested in sponsorship or giving above the single ticket price please contact Yvette Parker at ymparker@benekeith.com.
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