//Hurricane Laura Relief Update From Chef John Malik in Louisiana
hurricane laura relief

Hurricane Laura Relief Update From Chef John Malik in Louisiana

“Be grateful for what you have because somewhere, someone is wishing for what you already have.”
My mom always had a way of reminding me what was important. Have you ever felt things couldn’t get any worse? Perhaps it was after a big storm, or a family tragedy. Was there a friend or neighbor to comfort you with a hot meal and a warm hug? Someone to remind you of the good inside all of us?

operation BBQ

Right now, Lake Charles, Louisiana is that neighbor. Hurricane Laura has walloped this town of 80,000 and its surrounding area. There’s no power, little fresh water, and yet the town is teeming with visitors, all volunteers. There wasn’t an official call for help, these people just knew to come. Jose Andres World Kitchen, the Red Cross, Rubicon which is all ex -military guys, and many more. Plus there’s linemen from all over the South and National Guard folks.

I’m working with Operation BBQ and today we fed about 8,000. Tomorrow it’ll be 22,000 spread out over two meals. Hot meals and warm hugs. Residents are showing up for lunch or dinner, some seemingly in a state of shock over what they’ve seen in their town, or their home. And we feed them. BBQ for 50, Chicken and rice for 100. We do bulk meals to go, they just have to call a few hours ahead.

Chef Andres’ World Kitchen prepares individual meals so we complement one another. Indeed we share this warm patch of concrete. His folks are mostly kitchen professionals, the guys I’m working with are BBQ enthusiasts, few have any hospitality experience. And that’s not necessary to do this. All you need is a desire to reach out to a neighbor in their time of need. Because as my mom always said, “you never know when you’ll need help from a friend, or stranger. So be that friend.”

I’m going to crawl into the back of my car now and hopefully sleep four hours. I’m not counting on it, though. I am counting on the power of a hot meal and a warm hug from a friend or neighbor.


How You Can Help


This is another in a series essays from our friend John Malik.
Extremely accomplished, John is a James Beard Society nominee for Best Chef in the Southeast, has published a novel Doughnuts for Amy and you can find his essays on Food, Travel, and the culinary scene of the Southeast in the Huffington Post.

We are extremely excited to have John contribute monthly essays for iOnGreenville!