Party in the Kitchen
After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 21st Annual Party in the Kitchen.
The safety of our guests is our top priority and must be our guidepost in making such a significant decision. The unpredictable nature of this storm, as well as the state of emergency declared by Governor Kemp, weighs heavily in our thought process, and recent storm projections dictate that there is too much risk in moving forward.
We are so grateful to everyone who poured their hearts and souls into tonight's 21st Annual Party in the Kitchen, including our co-chairs, chefs, host committee and vendors, and we thank you for your understanding.
Please note that due to the challenging nature of coordinating chef schedules along with vendor and venue schedules, this event will unfortunately not be rescheduled for 2024.
Party in the Kitchen is our largest fundraiser of the year, and the cancellation of this event will make an impact on our ability to deliver the love, dignity, and nutrition to those we serve. However, with your help, we can still come together virtually to raise critical funds for our nutrition services:
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The silent auction will remain open until Sunday at 9pm! Bid on our fabulous auction items today! From luxurious getaways, exclusive restaurant packages, and other exciting experiences, there is no shortage of thrilling opportunities to bid on. Every dollar raised goes directly towards our programs.
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We’ve also included additional elevated auction items, so don’t miss out on spectacular opportunities such as:
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An exquisite chef dinner at the historic Randolph-Lucas-Jones House, prepared by the renowned Chefs Kevin Rathbun and Peter Kaiser. Includes wine pairs with Master Sommelier Michael McNeil and decor from BW Designs, Inc.! Bid on one of 10 spots for 2 at this exclusive dinner party!
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A 4-day, 3-night stay in St. Lucia with complimentary butler service, a private plunge pool, spa treatments for 2, all-inclusive dining plan and complimentary motorized and non-motorized watersports!
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Try your luck in our raffle! Win a brand-new Big Green Egg...and a free demo with none other than renowned Chef Kevin Rathbun for you and 8 guests! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you can enter as many times as you’d like. Just follow the link and click “Raffles” to enter. Raffle winner will be drawn at 9pm on Sunday, September 29th.
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Participate in the Wine Pull! Take a chance at winning a sommelier’s dream bottle in our wine pull! Just follow the link and click “Raffles” - from here, you’ll find the Wine Pull! Wine can be picked up at Open Hand during regular business hours.
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Donate to Open Hand. Just $100 covers delivery-related costs for 42 meals, sent straight to our clients’ doors, free of charge.
Thank you again for your understanding. We hope you will consider participating from the safety of your homes so we can continue to make this evening one of great community impact!
If you have any questions regarding the auction, raffle, or Party in the Kitchen in general, please contact our Resource Development team at 470-579-6431 or Info@OpenHandAtlanta.org.
Stay safe and be well,
Matthew Pieper
CEO, Open Hand
Thank you to our 2024 Host Committee:
Event Co-Chairs: Anne Barge Clegg and Roger J. Smith
Chef Co-Chairs: Peter Kaiser and Kevin Rathbun
Host Committee Members:
Tom Abrams and Britt Wood | Silvia Unterkreuter Adams
Marlene Alexander | Tracie Arnold
Sandra Baldwin | Cromwell Baun
Steven Carpenter | Tony Conway and Steve Welsh
Heather Froy | Su and Sekhar Ghosh
Marian Goldberg | Brittany Hartman
Jim Hilderbrandt | Jon Howard
Robert Joseph Jr. | Leslie McLeod
Charles Mendez and Nick Parker | Clayton Morey
Johanna Ellis Reisinger | Carmen and Bob Titelman
Jack Sawyer and Bill Torres | Butch Whitfield and Michael Lambert
Allen Yee | Judy Zaban
A special thank you to our sponsors for making Party in the Kitchen possible:
Chef de Cuisine
Sous Chef
Saucier
Helen and Jimmy Carlos | Sharlene and Robert Kaney
Johanna and Jonas Reisinger | Katherine Scott
Patissier
Adams Capital | Alliant Health Solutions | Aprio | AT&T | Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
Anne Barge Clegg | Emory University | Georgia Power | Sieglinde Gillfillan
The Hamond Hafitz Family Fund | Northside Hospital | Pam Rollins | Happy Sobell
Potager
Tom Abrams and Britt Wood | Marlene Alexander | Helen A. Carlos and Ron Hilliard
Debra Carlton and William Craven | Pamela Chawkin | Delta Community Credit Union
Diaz Foods | David Feroleto | Sudevi and Sekhar Ghosh | Julie and Paul Hagedorn
Harry Norman, REALTORS | Henry & Etta Raye Hirsch Heritage Foundation
Charles Mendez and Nick Parker | Roger J. Smith and Steven Carpenter
SouthState Bank | Renee Steinike | Allen Yee
Media
Event
We are honored to partner with some of Atlanta's best restaurants and chefs.
No matter your tastes, you're sure to experience delectable drinks and bites at Party in the Kitchen courtesy of our incredible restaurant partners. We are honored to have the support of such esteemed Atlanta restaurants and their chefs, including our Chef Co-Chairs, Chef Kevin Rathbun and Chef Peter Kaiser.
Meet Our Chef Co-Chairs
Chef Kevin Rathbun, Kevin Rathbun Steak
Chef Kevin Rathbun’s passion for food and hospitality started in Kansas City, where he started as a dishwasher. Following culinary school, Rathbun went on to New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta to work with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs including Bradley Ogden, Emeril Lagasse, Stephen Pyles, Ella Brennan and Pano Karatassos. In 1994, he was nominated for the James Beard Awards “Rising Star Chef” for his work at Baby Ruth. By 1996, he opened two different flagship restaurants with Buckhead Life Restaurant Group and served as the Corporate Executive Chef, overseeing several restaurants for the group. Rathbun then ventured out on his own in 2004 to open Rathbun’s. Krog Bar, Kevin Rathbun Steak and KR Steakbar followed. Rathbun has graciously chaired Party in the Kitchen for 10 years and contributed much more to Open Hand.
Chef Peter Kaiser, Kaiser's Chophouse
Kaiser’s first real job in the kitchen was at the elite resort restaurant Alpine Rose in Gstaad Switzerland where he was a line cook. He took this experience to his next opportunity, the Michelin Guide restaurant Chez Max in Zurich. Kaiser spent two years at Chez Max, including traveling around the world with owner Max Kell, before settling in the United States. Between 1986 and 2016, Kaiser would travel to Atlanta and work at restaurants in the Buckhead Life group. He went on to become Executive Chef at two different restaurants in the Here to Serve Restaurant Group. In 2017, Kaiser opened Kaiser’s Chophouse in collaboration with Chef Kevin Rathbun. Since its opening, Kaiser has become a frequent supporter of Open Hand, chairing Party in the Kitchen for the second year in a row.