Michael Schwartz And Andrew Zimmern To Host Table For Change Dinner In Miami

James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz is partnering with Rethink Food to host a special dinner gala called Table for Change on January 22, 2025. Taking place in Miami, this dinner will celebrate the extraordinary $1 million milestone raised by Schwartz’s Genuine Hospitality Group in support of small, local restaurants that prepare meals for local communities impacted by food insecurity.

“The Genuine Hospitality Group and Rethink Food came together several years ago to create a new way to crowdsource a solution for the blithe that is food insecurity in America,” says Sunil Bhatt, CEO of The Genuine Hospitality Group and Schwartz’s business partner. “The terrible truth is that almost 40 million people in America and 10% of the citizens of Miami Dade County will be worried about where their next meal will come from at one point or another during a given year.”

ReThink Food is a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating food insecurity. They partner with restaurants to deliver 40,000+ nutritious, culturally celebrated meals per week across NYC and Miami—at no cost to communities. Eleven Madison Park’s very own Daniel Humm was one of ReThink Food’s first donors and a co-founder of ReThink Food Group.

Rethink Food has provided over 29 million meals to local communities facing food insecurity, directed over $132 million to small local restaurants and businesses, and repurposed over 2.6 million pounds of excess food across its programs since its founding in 2017.

Bhatt says being part of this movement was a no brainer. “The Genuine Hospitality Group began charging 2% to every customer that visits our restaurants in Miami. We disclose transparently what we are doing and give everyone the chance to opt out,” explains Bhatt. “The fact that almost no one does is because everyone can agree that having enough to eat is a basic human right, and regardless of political persuasion or personal opinion, we all want this right to be enforced.”

Over $1 million has been raised and 200,000 meals funded from just The Genuine Hospitality Group’s two restaurants alone proving something small can make a huge difference. “Table for Change is about exposing restaurateurs and officials to what we’ve done and encouraging others to follow suit,” says Bhatt.

The celebratory event will take place at Amara at Paraiso, Schwartz’s acclaimed waterfront restaurant with stunning views of Biscayne Bay. Culinary icon Andrew Zimmern, as well as acclaimed chef Marc Vetri, will join Schwartz in the kitchen for this very special cause.

With countless accolades, including 7 James Beard awards between them, these three friends plan to curate an unforgettable evening. The seated 80-person dinner will feature a menu filled with collaborative courses paired with delicious wine pairings.

Additionally, each chef will be paired with one of Rethink Food’s local restaurant partners to prepare canapés that include griot baby back ribs, goat loin tartare, and taglio pizza, and seafood chorizo — just to name a few. There will also be live music and an exciting raffle with fun prizes.

Table for Change will not only celebrate the success of the $1 million raised, but will also highlight the ongoing efforts to support and uplift small local restaurants, many of which are integral to Miami’s diverse culinary landscape.

“I’m thrilled to collaborate with my dear friends Andrew and Marc and our talented local chefs to showcase the vibrant food culture of Miami while supporting small businesses that are the heart and soul of our community,” says Schwartz. “This night is about giving back and continuing our mission with Rethink Food to help local restaurants thrive and to provide free culturally appropriate meals to our many neighbors that benefit from them.”

The star-studded event will take place on January 22nd at 6:30pm.

“Table for Change represents the heart of what we do—connecting communities and empowering local restaurants to shine while providing nutritious meals to communities impacted by food insecurity. We’re excited to partner with Chef Schwartz and his team to continue our impact in Miami,” said Matt Jozwiak, founder and CEO of Rethink Food.

All of the proceeds from this Table for Change event will go directly to supporting Miami’s small, local restaurants through the ongoing partnership between Rethink Food and Genuine Hospitality Group, reinforcing the nonprofit’s mission of creating a more equitable and sustainable food system. Tickets for this event can be purchased via Rethink Food’s website.