Rest for Restaurants

Rest for Restaurants offers diners a rest from the kitchen

Third annual chef-made meal fundraiser supports
Carizon’s Hospitality Mental Health and Wellbeing Program.

Kitchener, ON November 3, 2021 – On Sunday, November 21, Rest for Restaurants (previously known as Youer Than You) will host their third annual fundraiser at Wooden Boat Food Company (20 Hurst Avenue, Kitchener) from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Proceeds from this year’s takeout meal event will benefit Carizon’s Hospitality Mental Health and Wellbeing Program.

“We have been encouraged year over year by the enthusiastic involvement of both the local hospitality community as well as the dining public at large. Our menu features fantastic dishes by returning chefs Teneile Warren and Thompson Tran, and we are happy chefs Zerka and Shahgul Mya will join us this year,” says Jon Rennie, Rest for Restaurants co-founder and contributing chef for this year’s event.

This year’s event features the talents of four local chefs, who will prepare pre-ordered freshly crafted takeout meals. The selections, priced at $35 each, offer a glimpse of the Region’s vibrant food culture while offering a range of dietary options. Attendees can begin pre-ordering meals now. A maximum of 50 meals will be available from each chef:
Guinea fowl confit with Wolof peanut sauce by Chef Teneile Warren of Nyam, Revival Kitchen
Organic local heirloom squash prepared several ways by Chef Jon Rennie of BOX, Wine and Provisions (coming soon)
Hainanese-style chicken by Chef Thompson Tran of Wooden Boat Food Company
Sheerwa-brined braised lamb shank with pomegranate harissa by Chefs Zerka and Shahgul Mya of The Pulao Gals

Co-founded in 2019 by Rennie and Wes Klassen, Rest for Restaurants has raised more than $20,000 for mental health and wellness initiatives tailored to Waterloo Region’s hospitality industry. These funds have helped fund research initiatives and launched mental wellness and communications projects within local hospitality organizations.

“Open discussion and establishing resources are key to the recovery of the local hospitality industry,” says Rennie. “Hospitality has always been a high-stress environment. COVID-19 has exacerbated things like job and income security, workplace safety, and substance use. We want to normalize conversations surrounding mental health and well-being in our industry.”

Donations will also be accepted through the website. Carizon will issue charitable receipts for gifts of $20 or more. Rest for Restaurants is grateful to the Cloverleaf Foundation for providing up to $3000 in matching donations for this year’s event.

Additional information about the event, the chefs, and their menus can be found at rest-for-restaurants.constantcontactsites.com.

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Media contact:

Jon Rennie
rest4restaurants@gmail.com