Capital Food Fight is Back!

Chefs from Cranes, Leni, Oohh’s and Aahh’s, and The Point DC Face Off During DC Central Kitchen’s Baddest Night of Doing Good on April 7th, Presented by craigstable

After going virtual in 2020, DC Central Kitchen’s iconic Capital Food Fight returns live and in person for a raucous night of fighting hunger on April 7th at The Anthem, presented by craigstable. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 18th at www.capitalfoodfight.org.

We are thrilled to be finally returning to The Anthem and celebrating the 18th Capital Food Fight with our family of supporters this April. Our city’s people and restaurants have been through so much, and this year’s event will celebrate what we have accomplished and overcome together while looking toward a brighter future” says DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin. “We are so grateful for this year’s presenting sponsor, craigstable, the hunger-fighting coalition formed by legendary philanthropist Craig Newmark. craigstable’s support was instrumental to our record-setting delivery of 6 million emergency meals during the pandemic.” Newmark is also a leading supporter of DCCK’s transformational new 38,000 square foot headquarters, the Klein Center for Jobs and Justice, which is set to open on Buzzard Point later this year and more than double DCCK’s training and meal production capacity.

First hosted in 2004 by DC Central Kitchen Board Chair Emeritus José Andrés, Capital Food Fight has long been a favorite event of food lovers, TV stars, and philanthropists alike. Some of the District’s biggest culinary names have battled on the Capital Food Fight stage over the years, and 2022 will be no different! Cranes Chef/Partner Pepe Moncayo, Chef Brittanny Anderson from Leni, Oohh’s & Aahh’s Chef Oji Abbott, and The Point DC’s Executive Chef Benjamin Lambert will face off in head-to-head cook-offs on the main stage featuring secret ingredients. Each dish will be judged by a panel of culinary icons, including Top Chef’s lead judge, restaurateur, and James Beard award-winning chef Tom Colicchio, Food Network star and renowned chef Maneet Chauhan, Top Chef season 10 winner and star of truTV’s Fast Foodies Kristen Kish, and James Beard award-winning chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern.

Celebrity chef and DC-based restaurateur, Spike Mendelsohn, and local media personalities Tommy McFly and Kelly Collis return as the evening’s host and MC’s, respectively, to keep things entertaining from the main stage with one of DC’s most in-demand performers, DJ Neekola, on the decks all night long as attendees feast on delicious bites from more than 50 of the DMV’s best restaurants.

Tickets are available for purchase at www.capitalfoodfight.org starting on Friday, February 18th at 9 am. General admission tickets are $325, with VIP access going for $550. VIP ticket holders will have exclusive access to the second floor with balcony seating and full open bar. All proceeds from the event, including donations and silent auction, go to support DC Central Kitchen’s ongoing mission to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities.

Special thanks to the 2022 Capital Food Fight presenting sponsor craigstable (Craig Newmark Philanthropies), along with showcase sponsors CoBank, DoorDash, and Occasions Caterers. This year’s pantry is sponsored by Whole Food Market with additional secret ingredients provided by Bowery Farms, Keany Produce, and Land O’ Lakes. Further appreciation goes to our executive chef sponsors, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Clark Construction, CPR Multimedia Solutions, Raytheon Technologies, Wells Fargo, and Appliances A Better Way (ABW), and sous chef sponsors, Bank of America, AARP Foundation, PNC, and Aramark. For a full list of 2022 sponsors and information on remaining availability, please visit capitalfoodfight.org/sponsors.

Capital Food Fight is a 100% vaccinated event. All attendees and staff must present proof of vaccination at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.capitalfoodfight.org.

ABOUT craigstable/Craig Newmark Philanthropies

After his success with craigslist, Craig Newmark felt that those who do well should take less and give more. To that end, he established Craig Newmark Philanthropies & craigstable to share in ways that are meaningful and contribute to the common good, supporting groups that are doing good work defending the values this country aspires to, like fairness, opportunity, and respect. Find out more at craignewmarkphilanthropies.org.

ABOUT DC CENTRAL KITCHEN

DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) is an iconic nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. Our approach provides hands-on culinary job training while creating living-wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed in our city. We serve scratch-cooked farm-to-school meals in DC schools; deliver fresh, affordable produce to corner stores in neighborhoods without supermarkets; provide delicious catering; and operate fast-casual cafes that also provide on-the-job training. DCCK has been featured in national media including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, National Geographic, PBS NewsHour, and more. To learn more, visit dccentralkitchen.org or follow @dccentralkitchen on Instagram and @dcck on Twitter.

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EDITORIAL NOTE:

There will be a limited number of media passes available to this year’s event. To request passes or discuss promotional opportunities, please contact Director of Communications Mel Gold at mgold@dccentralkitchen.org.

Photos from past Capital Food Fights are available upon request.

Donate By Check

Please mail your check donation to DC Central Kitchen’s deposit box at:

Mail this form with your donation to ensure we have all the information needed to provide a tax receipt for your gift.

Our deposit box is the most direct and safest way to send your donation to DC Central Kitchen. Donations received at this PO box are immediately deposited into our bank account, allowing us to put your donation to work right away.

Donate Food

Thank you for considering DC Central Kitchen for your food donation! We greatly appreciate your generosity. We accept food donations with an emphasis on produce and proteins. These ingredients give our chefs the most flexibility to create healthy, complete meals to prepare for our community partners. Please contact us before dropping off any donation to ensure we can accept and utilize the items. See below for more information on how to donate

Please contactfoodrecovery@dccentralkitchen.org to schedule a food donation delivery or pick-up. In your email, please include: 

First Name: 

Last Name: 

Company/ Organization (if applicable): 

Email: 

Phone Number: 

Description of food: 

Quantity or pounds of food:  

Pick up or drop off: 

Pick up address: 

Date and time food is available: 

Pictures

Please contact us BEFORE dropping off any donation.

Other Ways To Donate

Monthly donations provide a steady stream of support for our year-round programs. Set up a hassle-free, automated monthly or quarterly donation to DC Central Kitchen using our online donation form.

Recurring donations are automatically charged each month on the day you made your first gift (so if you made your first gift on November 12, your next gift will be charged on December 12). We will send you an annual giving statement for your tax purposes in January of each year. Easily change your gift amount, payment date, or frequency via email at giving@dccentralkitchen.org or phone at 202-847-0222.

Please direct your Donor Advised Fund (DAF) grant to be mailed to DC Central Kitchen’s deposit box. Funds sent to this PO box are deposited immediately, so we can put your donation to work right away. DC Central Kitchen’s Tax Identification Number (TIN) is 52-1584936.

DC Central Kitchen
PO Box 417406
Boston, MA 02241-7406

Donors using Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable or BNY Mellon: please use the convenient DAF Direct link to designate a gift to DC Central Kitchen.

DC Central Kitchen accepts gifts of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. Donating securities is easy and you receive a two-part benefit of receiving an immediate tax deduction and avoiding capital gains tax. The amount of your gift will be determined by the value on the day it is transferred into DC Central Kitchen’s account.

To make a gift of stock, please contact us for the necessary information to arrange for a transfer of securities into DC Central Kitchen’s brokerage account. Please email giving@dccentralkitchen.org or call 202-847-0222.

Make fighting hunger differently part of your lasting legacy by including DC Central Kitchen in your estate plans. There are many ways to include DC Central Kitchen in your estate plans, including through your will, revocable trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy. Planned gifts can accommodate your lifestyle now while securing a stronger future for DC Central Kitchen. Read more about ways to include DC Central Kitchen in your estate plans.

If you have included DC Central Kitchen in your estate plans, please let us know! We’re eager to recognize your commitment in the Legacy of Change Society. Please email giving@dccentralkitchen.org or call 202-847-0221.

DESIGNATE DC CENTRAL KITCHEN

Support DC Central Kitchen through your workplace giving campaign.
United Way #8233
Combined Federal Campaign #67538

REQUEST A MATCHING GIFT

Many workplaces will match donations made by employees. Contact your HR department to see if your donation to DC Central Kitchen is eligible for a matching grant.

Note: DC Central Kitchen is not able to accept donations through PayPal or the PayPal Giving Fund. Any donations designated to DC Central Kitchen made through PayPal or the PayPal Giving Fund will be redirected to another nonprofit (see the PayPal Giving Fund’s Donation Delivery Policy).

Volunteer Bill of Rights

All volunteers have the right to:

  • Work in a safe environment
  • Be treated with respect by all staff members
  • Be engaged in meaningful work and be actively included regardless of any physical limitations
  • Be told what impact your work made in the community
  • Ask any staff member questions about our work
  • Provide feedback about your experience
  • Receive a copy of our financial information or annual report upon request.

Community Service

DC Central Kitchen provides opportunities for volunteers to complete service hours related to a legal matter during our regularly scheduled volunteer shifts. Candidates participating in this service for DCCK are prohibited from enrolling in our community service program if they have the following charges or convictions: assault, sexual assault, weapons charge, unlawful entry, destruction of property or disorderly conduct.
Community Service volunteers must contact Director of Guest Experience (202) 851-4207 or jmcintyre@dccentralkitchen.org or the Guest Experience Manager ( to confirm your service dates and times. A volunteer account can be created online for community service volunteers, and hours will be reported based on the shifts you are checked in for within the Volunteer Portal.
Community Service volunteers can only work at the Klein Center for Jobs and Justice (2121 First St, SW). We can accept no more than 10 court-ordered volunteers at a time. All community service volunteers are required to inform the Reception desk that you are volunteering for service hours upon check-in and should sign the Community Service Log for each visit.
Once you complete your required hours, you will receive a letter of completion and a confirmation of the number of hours completed. Your service opportunity can be terminated at any time for failure to abide by DC Central Kitchen’s regulations. Grounds for discontinuation of service include but are not limited to displaying a disruptive behavior or attitude; failing to adhere to DCCK’s dress code; or failing to show up for assigned shifts on time.