Boston celebrity chef providing meals for restaurant workers during coronavirus pandemic Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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YOU CAN CONTINUE THIS MISSION. FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT COMING TOGETHER EVEN WHEN A CRISIS FORCES US TO STAY APART. EMILY RIEMER WILL TELL US HOW HE’S NOW TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIM WHO ARE NOW IN NEED. >> THAT’S WHY I’M A CHEF. I WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY THROUGH FOOD. EMILY: THE DISHES THAT MING TSAI SERVES HAVE CHARMED DINERS FOR YEARS. FIRST AT BLUE GINGER IN WELLESLEY, AND NOW AT BLUE DRAGON IN BOSTON’S FORT POINT NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT HE SAYS, HIS DECISION TO STOP FOR PUBLIC HEALTH WAS EASY. I ACTUALLY SAW SOME OF THESE MILLENNIALS TOASTING CORONAVIRUS. AND I’M LIKE OK, THAT’S IT. I’M SHUTTING THIS DOWN. EMILY: TSAI IS STILL OFFERING A TO-GO MENU ONLINE. BUT LIKE MANY OTHER RESTAURANTS, HE HAS SEEN REVENUE DROP DRAMATICALLY, DOWN 90%. >> WHAT REALLY HIT HOME IS, I HAD TO LAY OFF 25 OF MY 28 EMPLOYEES. EMILY: TODAY, THOSE COOKS AND DISHWASHERS ARE HIS MOST IMPORTANT CUSTOMERS. EVERY MORNING FOR THE PAST MONTH, VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS WHAT’S LEFT OF THE BLUE DRAGON STAFF, PACK MEALS INTO THI JAMAICA MI HUNGRY TRUCK FOR THE TRIP TO EAST BOSTON. >> AND THAT’S WHERE WE’RE GOING EVERY DAY, 1:00, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. I KNOW THAT THOSE PEOPLE NEED THIS FOOD AND IT’S A RAY OF HOPE. SO THAT THAT KEEPS US GOING. EMILY: USING DONATIONS FROM THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK AND MONEY FROM THE LEE INITIATIVE, TSAI HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND, AND NOW FEEDS 200 TO 300 OUT OF WORK RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES EVERY DAY. NOTHING’S BETTER THAN, THAN -- >> NOTHING’S BETTER THAN, THAN SOMEONE BEING GRATEFUL TO GET A BAG OF FOOD. EMILY: THE RELIEF PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS OTHER SUPPLIES -- DIAPERS, ASPIRIN EVEN TOILET , PAPER WHEN THEY CAN GET IT. >> THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT LITERALLY DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY’RE GOING TO SURVIVE. EMILY: MORE FINANCIAL DONATIONS TO THE FOOD BANK WOULD HELP. I AM CRIED OUT. >> -- I AM CRIED OUT. I MEAN I JUST. SO I WAS WRONG, I THOUGHT I WAS CRIED OUT. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE IN WORSE CONDITIONS THAN YOURSELF. EMILY: TSAI SAYS HE HAS TROUBLE SLEEPING. HIS MIND, CONSTANTLY THINKING OF NEW WAYS TO BRING MORE PEOPLE TO THE TABLE, AND BACK TO WORK. >> WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH THIS. THIS IS NOT GOING TO WIPE US OUT. IF THE KINDESS CONTINUES TO GO FASTER THAN THE COVID GRAPH, WE’RE GOING TO BE FINE. BUT WE HAVE TO BE KIND FIRST. EMILY: YES, KINDNESS MATTERS. RIGHT NOW, THE RESTAURANT WORKERS RELIEF PROGRAM IS UP AND RUNNING IN 19 CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT HERE IN BOSTON, PLEASE DONATE TO THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK. ED: THAT WAS POWERFUL, EMILY. THANK YOU. KINDNESS GOES FASTER THAN THE COVID GRAPH. HERE’S HOW TO DO IT. EMILY WAS MENTIONING IT. WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING IT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN. JUST GO ONLINE TO WCVB.COM/GBFB -- THIS CAN SPUR GREATER MAKE BOSTON FOOD BANK -- YOU CAN MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION. YOU CAN ALSO DONATE 20 BUCKS BY TEXTING GBFB TO 20222. OR YOU CAN CALL 866 FOOD NOW. THAT’S 866 366

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