Chef Adam Pawlak, who owns Egg & Flour and was a contestant on Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” was inspired to cook when he was a kid.
“By my mom and great aunts and uncles and grandparents,” says Pawlak, who recently competed with Bobby Flay on Food Network. “It’s 75 percent Sicilian family – always cooking and eating.”
Now, Pawlak wants to inspire kids today to hit the kitchen – and raise money for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin at the same time – via his new Cooking For Kids.
The nonprofit organization launches at an event Tuesday, May 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at The Box, 311 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Guests can RSVP at cookingforkidswi.org.
Founded by Pawlak and Saravanan Shanmugabaskaran, Cooking For Kids aims to “bring together a community of passionate individuals who believe in cooking with purpose. (It) is a nonprofit organization that turns the power of food, community and generosity into real change.
“Through premier culinary experiences and fundraising events, we support Children’s Wisconsin, ensuring that every child has access to the world-class care they deserve.”
Its mission is to use food as a platform to bring people together and inspire generosity; organize premier chef-driven events to support children’s healthcare; and make an impact by ensuring funds go directly to Children’s Wisconsin.
Among the events Pawlak and Shanmugabaskaran are planning are a Solly's burger collaboration day, a parking lot grill-out at Ray's Butcher Shop parking lot grill out and a Milwaukee chefs collaboration dinner.
“I want kids to be involved in food, cooking, seasonal ingredients and have them make an impact doing it,” Pawlak says. “Children's Wisconsin helps thousands of kids a year and I want to do my part in raising money so they can continue their incredible work.
"We want to bring the community together with events that involve food and kids that make it great.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
