As they have so many times in the past, Orlando’s culinary community is coming together once again to help one of their own.
On Wed., May 12, about 20 or so restaurants will participate in BBQ Around Orlando to benefit the wife and four children of Charles “Chuck” Cobb, the chef/owner of Git-n-Messy Barbecue who was killed last month while riding his motorcycle. He was 34.
The fundraising is an initiative of Ryan Manning (MX Taco) and Joseph Creech (Hunger Street Taco). The two contacted other chefs around town who have all agreed to donate the proceeds from the one-day sales of a featured dish.
Despite the event’s name, however, barbecue won’t be the only thing offered. Denny Tornatore, owner of Torntatore’s, the College Park Italian restaurant, said in a message: “Chuck ate at our place a day before his accident. He had fettuccine Alfredo with sausage. So in honor of him we will feature that.”
Alejandro Martinez, owner of Stefano’s Trattoria in Winter Springs, is putting up the proceeds from the sales of Tortellini Stefano, which should bring in plenty of money because it’s one of the popular restaurant’s biggest sellers.
But there will be barbecue, too. All local 4 Rivers Smokehouse locations will participate, and Swine & Sons is offering a pulled pork sandwich. My friend Amy Drew Thompson at the Orlando Sentinel has a good list of participants – and the list is expected to grow – so check out the link to her story here.
All you have to do is show up at one of the participating restaurants and order the featured menu item (ask your server if it isn’t evident). Tip your server as usual, but I’m sure if you’d like to leave a little extra for Cobb’s family you can arrange to do that with the restaurant’s manager.
