Dayton restaurant partners with chef collective to help those impacted by Hawaiian wildfires

A look inside the new rooftop bar and restaurant, called The Foundry, at the AC Hotel Dayton by Marriott, that overlooks Day Air Ball Park from several stories above East First Street. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

A look inside the new rooftop bar and restaurant, called The Foundry, at the AC Hotel Dayton by Marriott, that overlooks Day Air Ball Park from several stories above East First Street. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

The Foundry in downtown Dayton is partnering with the Hawaii-based Lahaina Fires Chef Collective to help feed communities impacted by the Hawaiian wildfires.

On Monday, Sept. 18, the rooftop restaurant located atop AC Hotel Dayton will donate 20 percent of all dinner service proceeds to the chef-based charity. Proceeds will help the organization feed quality food to those in need one month after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through Maui.

“We’re inspired by Chef (Jason) Raffin’s work in Lahaina and we want the Dayton community to be a part of this cause,” said Ian Legors, general manager at AC Hotel Dayton. “Every meal enjoyed at The Foundry on September 18 will help raise donations to feed and bring hope to those in Maui.”

Raffin is a Maui-based chef who also lost his home and belongings in the wildfires but is continuing to help those in need through the Chef Collective. The organization is helping him coordinate with a local nonprofit to feed quality food to the impacted community with an emphasis on farm ingredients, micronutrients and long-term solutions to food insecurity, a release from The Foundry said.

“We have been making huge strides in fighting the food insecurity problems in Lahaina currently,” said Chef Raffin. “We are focused on creating excellent food rather than mass produced substances.”

The Chef Collective plans to increase its output of 400 meals per day to 1,000 meals per day as donation and distribution efforts begin to slow from other organizations.

The Foundry will help Chef Raffin and the team acquire a refrigerated truck, invest in two additional storage spaces and find more farm and kitchen help, the release said.

According to the Associated Press, the Aug. 8 fire is estimated to have caused $5.5 billion in damage with 115 people dead and 66 missing.

The Foundry will be open 4 to 11 p.m. on Monday with the kitchen closing at 10 p.m. Reservations can be made via OpenTable.

For more information, visit www.thefoundryrooftop.com or the restaurant’s Instagram page (@thefoundryrooftop). Monetary donations can be made to the Lahaina Fires Chef Collective at www.gofundme.com.

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