Chefs fuel Ground Zero recovery with massive operation

Following the September 11th attacks in New York City, chef Don Pintabona and other restaurant professionals launched “Operation Chefs With Spirit” to feed the workers at Ground Zero.

Pintabona, accustomed to serving high-profile clients, felt compelled to use his skills to help after witnessing the destruction from his Brooklyn home. He discovered a torn dictionary page with words like “persevere” on one side, inspiring him to find a way to sustain the recovery effort.

Pintabona quickly mobilized a team, securing boats from Spirit Cruises to cook and deliver meals around the clock. He and fellow chefs like Charlie Palmer and Daniel Boulud, along with countless volunteers, transformed a crisis into a massive logistical operation. They received donations of food from the U.S. Open tennis center and restaurants throughout the city, and even from out of state, quickly amassing enough supplies to serve 75,000 meals in just three days.

Volunteers filled all sorts of roles, from food preparation to inventory management, with coordinator Jim Stewart matching skills to needs. Beyond providing nourishment, the operation offered a space for first responders to rest, connect with each other, and process the trauma of the attacks. Massage therapists volunteered their services, and volunteers like Megan Murphy offered a listening ear.

After roughly two months and a million meals served, the Red Cross took over the food provision, but the bonds formed during the crisis endured, with the team continuing to stay in touch and reflect on their shared experience.