The summer months bring a full round of fundraisers to the East End. If there is one to sink your wallet and teeth into it’s the Wellness Foundation of East Hampton summer benefit on June 18 at Mulford Farm in East Hampton.
Founded in 2005, the foundation’s mission is to give our community the power to live well through optimal nutrition, physical activity, stress management and social connection. At the onset, WFEH was focused on supporting a vegan lifestyle but in the past two years has evolved to appreciate and support everyone with a different starting point. Still, a plant based diet is central to their educational model. I am good with that!
In a recent conversation with foundation president and CEO, Michele Sacconaghi, I asked two important questions, given how saturated the Hamptons are with benefits and galas: 1) How will this year’s event differ from years past, and 2) How will it inform the future work of WFEH?
According to Sacconaghi, past benefits have honored individuals outside our community, “But this year will celebrate the partners in our own backyard.” Brava! “If we don’t celebrate our community partners and how important it is to collaborate on this shared mission, then what kind of message are we sending,” she adds. As I always say, be the change you want to be and see.
How will this event inform the work of its beneficiary? All money stays in our community. One third of the organization’s total budget is raised through this benefit and 100 percent of it is allocated to free programs in East End schools that serve 1,000 children each year. To note, WFEH is part of Give Where You Live, a campaign to support charitable organizations on the East End. So let’s be sure to give where we live!
Given my culinary prowess, I had to ask Sacconaghi about the menu. As it turns out, fellow Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts graduate Jay Astafa, a young chef who describes his food as vegetable forward cuisine and comfort food re-imagined, will ignite your tastebuds and have you begging for more greens and beans! But don’t worry, he won’t preach about eating more plants, he will just show you how. My kinda guy.
Moving forward, the Wellness Foundation aims to do everything it can to create a year round community, where a truly healthy lifestyle is supported, socioeconomics aside. They want to create inspiration, a support system and sustainable tools so everyone can be successful at health. Well, count me in!
Perhaps our collective vision can be realized. Hope you can be at Mulford Farm, 10 James Lane, East Hampton on June 18 at 6 p.m. I will be—with bells on!
Passed Bites
Fresh cashew mozzarella caprese pops
Barbecue jackfruit tacos and lime crema and purple cabbage
Artichoke leaf and oyster mushroom ceviche and crème fraîche and seaweed caviar
Mini seitan-beet burger
Crostini and mint sorrel pesto and green peas
Raw mini pizza bites
Melon gazpacho shooters and eggplant bacon and borage
Stations
Superfood martini salad
Vegetable Garden: Crudités planted in edible dirt, served with watering containers of green goddess and ranch dressing.
Plant Based Sushi Station: spicy tomato “tuna” roll: shiitake and kale roll; lobster mushroom roll” watermelon “tuna” nigiri; yellow pepper nigiri, eggplant nigiri
Passed sweets
Strawberry rhubarb pie pops
Coconut panna cotta and blueberries
Mocha chocolate ice cream cones
The post Be the Change You Want to Be and See at WFEH appeared first on Edible East End.