A “family meal” is a tradition in many restaurant kitchens, providing staff with a moment to relax and connect over a shared meal before a busy service.
Throughout the year, Parkhurst chefs come together for family meals at engagement events across our footprint, including our annual Parkhurst Dining Family Meal for the Kids. Held each June, the event brings dozens of talented chefs to Pittsburgh to connect with fellow culinarians.
Hosted at RLA Learning and Conference Center, each chef or team prepared a dish inspired by their own love of food, allowing them to share their favorite culinary traditions with each other and with guests. Among the selection of dishes were Shrimp Agua Chili, Cajun Style Boudin Sausage, and Smoked Brisket Sliders.
Chef Charlie Weaver prepares Smoked Brisket Sliders. 
Fresh fruit tarts all in a row. 
Marinated Walleye Tacos from Cameron Clegg and Tymara Shaffer 
Baby Gem Caesar Salad with Scallop prepared by Michael Macalus and Shawn Coulson 
Coco Lee, Derek Ruby, and Jesse McKivigan serve Philly Porchetta Sandwich, House-Made TastyKakes 
We loved having live music to serenade our guests. 
More guests strike a pose for a photo. 
Some of the baskets being raffled off. 
Two guests pause for a photo. 
A guest takes home a raffle basket! 
A look at the chefs who presented meals at the Family Meal for the Kids dinner.
“I am so proud of the ways our chefs showed up for this event,” said Tim Fetter, Senior Manager of Culinary Innovation and Standards at Parkhurst, who organized the Family Meal. “They thoughtfully curated every aspect of their menu offerings and embraced the opportunity to make meaningful connections with other chefs. While they might live several states away from each other, our chefs now have another familiar face to reach out to when they need support.”
Guests mingled in a dine-around format over small plates, drinks, and live music for a good cause. A 50/50 raffle and online auction helped to raise a record-breaking $14,000 for this year’s Caring for Kids Campaign, benefitting local children’s hospitals and charities.
Check out a video from the event below!
