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This Is What Kevin Scharpf Has Been up to Since Top Chef
The Top Chef alum is working on a new project that helps feed school kids and educate them about nutrition.
Since we last saw him on Bravo's Top Chef, Kevin Scharpf has become involved with an exciting new project that provides no-cost lunches for school kids — and educates them about nutrition and freshly grown produce.
The Iowa-based chef, who owns Brazen Open Kitchen and Bar, is now the co-founder of Project Rooted. The nonprofit's co-founder Whitney Sanger said: "Our mission is connecting kids with real food from the ground up. That real food component is what makes our lunches very unique, everything is made fresh from scratch and includes things they’re not getting on a normal basis."
On Project Rooted's Instagram feed, the nonprofit described Kevin's tie to the cause, as well as his involvement. "Kevin is our energy, our idea generator, the passion behind the project," the post read. "Through his experiences as a chef he has developed a passion for local food systems and what this means for our community. Having a garden manager for Brazen and learning to grow their own resources for the restaurant as a family has inspired him to want to learn more about how we can connect kids to real food from the ground up!"
When the COVID-19 crisis forced local schools to close, Kevin, Whitney and their Project Rooted volunteers worked to distribute 850 meals daily, using six local distribution sites. The organization has also given community members some 2,000 free organic seeds, created more raised garden beds, and developed an incentive program for families in need to shop at farmers' markets. Learn more about the nonprofit here.
