Online Fundraiser Started for Injured Philadelphia Chef

An online fundraising campaign has been created in support of a world-renowned Philadelphia chef severely injured in the May 12 Amtrak derailment and his family.

The Kulp Family Medical Fund on GoFundMe.com has collected more than $15,000 of its $25,000 to help the family of chef Eli Kulp during his recovery from a severe spinal cord injury he sustained while riding in the second car of Amtrak Train 188. According to the fund page creator, Kelly Mawn Silkworth, Kulp was thrown across the train and suffered the injury. He is currently in a rehab facility, “about to embark on a very long road that will continue to facilitate his healing so he can come home soon to his wife and son,” Silkworth writes.

His recovery will be long, but Kulp has shown signs of improvement after receiving surgery at Aria Health-Torresdale, a representative from his restaurant company, High Street Hospitality Group, told the Philadelphia Business Journal. He has since been moved to an undisclosed hospital for his rehabilitation.

Kulp is co-owner of Philadelphia restaurants Fork and High Street on Market. His business partner, Ellen Yin, says in the statement that the restaurants will continue to fully operate. He was named best new chef by Food & Wine magazine last year, and Bon Appétit magazine has named High Street on Market second-best new restaurant in the country.

Cards can be sent to Fork, 306 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The restaurant will also host a fundraiser for Kulp on July 16, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.

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(Photo courtesy Kulp Family Medical Fund page)