Over and over we’ve seen how times of strife can bring out the very best in the culinary and hospitality communities. Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, stories of hope, faith and unwavering compassion have risen above the fear and united the community.
Eager to continue helping those who are helping others, Chef Works is giving away 7,000 neckerchiefs, which can also function as a utility scarf and used as face covers while the world continues its efforts to flatten the curve.
“We have an obligation to support our community however we can,” said Neil Gross, CEO of Chef Works. “This just made sense. We have a culinary garment that can also be used as an extra level of protection for you and your loved ones. It was an easy to decision to make these available to the public at no cost.”
The utility scarfs are free (available in the U.S. only and the only cost is shipping) and can be used as a supplement to the safety measures you are already taking. Chances are you already have a neckerchief with all of your culinary apparel. But if you don’t – rather than watching a DIY video on how to make one – Chef Works wanted to make acquiring one easy.
Most states are aggressively recommending that the public covers their faces when leaving their homes for essential business (grocery trips, medical appointments, etc.). This does not require a medical-grade mask. In fact, officials are emphasizing that medical-grade masks, such as the N95, should be reserved for healthcare workers.
Protecting your face, along with social distancing and vigilant hand-washing, are believed to be the best practices to minimize exposure and help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“There has never been a more important time for us to be leaders in our community,” Gross said. “For those who don’t have access to face masks or some form of facial protection, we’re hoping that this will give them peace of mind and help reduce their risk.”
In an effort to continue supporting frontline workers, Chef Works is also donating more than 20,000 aprons to organizations across the country that are supporting culinary, hospitality, healthcare and assisted living, among other industries.
A big shout out and THANK YOU to Chef Works for their donation of 200 aprons to help our kitchen staff.
More help = more hope for those who are relying on all of us during this special time of need. https://t.co/vzYYFtzNFt pic.twitter.com/0QqbBa1ysR
— Los Angeles Mission (@TheLAMission) April 7, 2020
“To the soup kitchens feeding the homeless, the wellness centers feeding children, the restaurants delivering food and to the healthcare professionals feeding the sick, we’re here to support you,” Gross said. “There are so many great organizations out there who are donating their time, goods and services to lift up those who need it the most. We’re so grateful for all of their efforts and wanted to help them and stand with them the best way we know how.”
Please note that the free aprons are not available at www.chefworks.com, so if your business is interested, please email us.
To ensure there are enough free utility scarfs for anyone who wants one, Chef Works is limiting three per customer/order while supplies last. There are 5,000 available in white and 2,000 available in red. We only ask the customer pay for shipping.
Because we remain open as an essential company to the healthcare industry, we are able to ship to Hawaii and Alaska during this time.
Stay caught up with the Chef Works blog:
- Food critic, writer and TV personality Troy Johnson is hopeful for a “massive flood” of people at restaurants.
- A Q&A with New York Executive Pastry Chef Caroline Schiff
- Some social media bits to (hopefully) make you smile