Watch Cooking for a Cause

Cooking for a Cause is an inspiring series from Great Big Story that showcases the incredible culinary talents of chefs and cooks from around the world who are using their skills to create positive change in their communities. By cooking with purpose and passion, these chefs are giving back to their communities in a meaningful way and making a difference in the lives of those in need.

The series features a wide range of chefs and cooks, from professional chefs working in prestigious kitchens to everyday people cooking in their own kitchens. They come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, but they all share a common goal: to use food as a vehicle for social change.

Each episode of Cooking for a Cause focuses on a different chef or cook and their unique story. Some chefs are using their culinary skills to feed the homeless, while others are working to combat food waste by turning surplus ingredients into nutritious meals. Some are using food to bring people together and promote cultural understanding, while others are advocating for sustainable farming and fishing practices.

One episode features Chef Massimo Bottura, the founder of the non-profit organization Food for Soul. Bottura is a world-renowned chef who has earned three Michelin stars for his restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. Through Food for Soul, he has transformed abandoned buildings into community kitchens that serve free meals to people in need. In the episode, viewers see Bottura and his team create a stunning meal using surplus ingredients that would have otherwise gone to waste. The resulting dishes are not only delicious but also visually stunning, showcasing the creative ways that even simple ingredients can be used to create something beautiful.

Another episode features Chef Jose Andres, the founder of the non-profit organization World Central Kitchen. Andres is a celebrity chef who has appeared on television shows such as Top Chef and Iron Chef America. Through World Central Kitchen, he has mobilized a network of chefs and volunteers to provide free meals to people affected by natural disasters and other crises around the world. In the episode, viewers see Andres and his team in action as they work tirelessly to provide hot meals to victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Despite facing challenging conditions, including limited food supplies and no electricity, they are able to create a makeshift kitchen and provide more than 3 million meals to those in need.

Other episodes focus on smaller-scale efforts to use food for social change. For example, viewers meet Rachel Beyda, a high school student in Los Angeles who started a program to provide healthy meals to homeless residents in her community. Beyda learned to cook from her grandmother and is passionate about using her skills to make a difference in the world. She partners with local restaurants to collect leftover food and turns it into nutritious meals that she distributes to homeless residents. Through her program, Beyda has provided hundreds of meals to those in need and inspired others to get involved in their own communities.

Overall, Cooking for a Cause is an uplifting and inspiring series that showcases the power of food to bring people together and create positive change. It celebrates the incredible work of chefs and cooks who are using their skills and passion to make a difference in the lives of others. Whether by feeding the homeless, fighting food waste, or advocating for sustainable practices, these chefs are proving that food has the power to transform lives and communities.