Coronavirus: Chef Launches Charitable Collective, Hires 15 Chefs

BLUE POINT, NY — As stories of restaurant workers and unemployment filings abound during the coronavirus pandemic, one Long Islander managed to put 15 chefs back to work this week. Ryan Carroll, a Sayville native, launched Carroll's Kitchen, a collective of out of work restaurant workers cooking affordable meals for delivery, rehiring laid-off kitchen staff and donating meals to in-need institutions across Long Island.

The chefs of Carroll's Kitchen cook out of the kitchens of restaurants forced to close during the COVID-19 business shutdown. The owners of Bistro 25 East in Blue Point and Chachama Grill in East Patchogue donated the use of their space to Carroll, and other closed restaurants are donating produce and other ingredients.

Only eight days after launching the collective, Lindsay Ryder, an assistant at the project, told Patch that they've been able to bring on 15 chefs, with more being added every day. The family-style meal is cooked in the donated kitchens then delivered by volunteers to anywhere in Nassau and Suffolk—a third Nassau County kitchen was just added, she said.

Carroll told a Sayville community group on Facebook how losing his job led to his brainchild.

"I graduated from The Culinary Institute of America. Before COVID-19 I was a chef working in New York City under John Frazier at the Times Square Edition. Like many, I was let go when COVID-19 hit. The concept is simple: offer delicious meals at an affordable rate through delivery or pickup. The meals are $14.99 and delivery is included. Grandparents get a free meal. The main vision was to put out of work chefs back to work."

Ryder told Patch that Carroll's Kitchen was able to rehire the entire staff at Chachama Grill, laid off after the restaurant was forced to close.

Each night's dinner features a main dish and sides, and lunch is being added this week, according to Ryder. Thursday's meal is St. Louis-style BBQ ribs with corn bread, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese. Between financial donations and the proceeds of the meals, Carroll's Kitchen, which will become a registered nonprofit soon, has also been able to donate meals to Stony Brook Hospital, Southside Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and sober homes and homeless shelters.

Yesterday, the first day of cooking at Chachama Grill, the team cooked 365 meals that were delivered to a shelter in Brentwood.

"We’re going to feed thousands of people out of Chachama charity kitchen by the end of the week," Carroll wrote.

Orders can be placed by text at 631-770-5723.