The TODAY Show

Thank you to TODAY.  A recent segment aired highlighting Staplehouse and The Giving Kitchen.  For the full segment, click here.

 

A humbling thank you to John Kessler for an inspirational write up for June's Food Arts issue.  For the full article, click here.

 

Atalnta Homes & Lifestyles

Meet the next wave of tastemakers who are shaping the future of Atlanta’s arts and design culture.

Photographer: Angela Morris

 

For full article, click here.

 

JEN HIDINGER

Staplehouse & The Giving Kitchen  

The Atlanta food community’s love affair with Jen Hidinger and her late husband, Ryan, began when the pair held some of the city’s first and most successful “underground supper clubs” from 2009 through 2012. Called “Prelude to Staplehouse,” it was named for their future dream restaurant. In January 2013, the pair announced that Ryan had been diagnosed with late-stage cancer, and the industry (chefs, owners, staff, patrons) rallied, helping raise nearly $300,000 for medical treatments and expenses. Inspired, the Hidingers determined their future restaurant would be a nonprofit, with every cent made going to a charitable organization helping restaurant-industry employees with unforeseen crises. Called The Giving Kitchen, the nonprofit is already thriving with a strong board and solid donor base, and will operate on the second floor of Staplehouse, scheduled to open this fall on Edgewood Avenue. –Tucker Berta

 

PRE-Demo

Hey Atlanta,

Last week was the gigantic (pun intended) check presentation of SweetWater's Second Helping IPA to The Giving Kitchen.   Take a look at all the photos from the day here!

Celebration of Ryan Hidinger

In loving memory of Ryan Hidinger
August 14 1977 - January 9 2014

Celebration of Ryan's Life - Open to the Public
Sunday January 19
11am - 2pm
Eulogy at Noon
Georgia Railroad Freight Depot
65 Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive, SE, Atlanta GA 30334

*Please be mindful as you will have to park in a detached parking garage.  Look for the green balloons as you approach the entrance*

Ryan Update 1/7/14

Just one year ago, we sent an update that introduced Atlanta to Ryan’s cancer diagnosis.  We felt strongly about being transparent throughout our journey.  Like we said last January, some of you have become dear friends over the years, some of you we’re just getting to know and the rest of you are friends we have not met yet.

Over the last 12 months, our updates shifted from Ryan’s cancer progress to the news that Staplehouse was still alive, to the development of The Giving Kitchen, a non-profit born out of selflessness, and a legacy that will live on much after we are all gone.

It is now my duty to keep our promise of transparency open to you all – our friends.  After a long fought battle, this is where we stand in our war.

Three weeks ago, we left our cancer treatment center for the last time and actively made the decision to start home hospice care.  Nothing more medically could be done to keep Ryan here.  After one full year of fighting… winning only a couple small (medical) battles, our war was coming to an end.  The cancer retreated in a major way back in June, but since then, bullied its way back through Ryan’s body until (early December) it had engulfed his entire liver and spread all over his lungs, thus making it impossible to treat.

This is what is important to understand today.

1. Ryan's liver is failing. 
2. He is struggling physically but in a good place mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 
3. No one knows how much time his body will hang on. 
4. We have surrounded ourselves with close family in the comfort of our home. 
5. Ryan chooses Starbursts over apples these days, and they bring him tremendous joy. 
6. "Mt. Everest" for him was one last dash to Taco Mac and a bite of a chicken wing. 
7. Ryan has no resentment -- only appreciation and deep gratitude for the army of people who have stepped up to help us this past year. 
8. Ryan wants and will want everyone to celebrate him. Celebrate your own life. Celebrate your loved ones. Live your life. Truly live it. He would be devastated if you allowed his death to bring you down and into a place not full of light and love. I mean this.
9. If given a time machine, he would not go back.
10. The past year was the hardest yet most remarkable of our lifetime. 
11. "This is just part of my journey" is what came out of his mouth just recently.
12. We want and need our space right now. 
13. We truly love all you so much but Ryan is not physically capable to say goodbye to everyone in person therefore, no visitors please.

With spirit and determination, we move forward excited about the future of what Staplehouse will bring… with our partnership with The Giving Kitchen... the mission continues.

Please join in celebrating the legacy that Ryan created at Team Hidi 2.0 benefiting The Giving Kitchen.

 BUY TICKETS

Staplehouse at Woodford Reserve

Steak Shapiro and members of The Giving Kitchen (TGK) go deep into the oak cask barrels and history of Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, KY.  Staplehouse is there to sample a bit of the legendary bourbon, raise a few glasses, and be a part of the action as the team learns all about the art of the distilling process.  Proceeds from the event benefit TGK and its commitment to the Atlanta restaurant scene.  Learn more at thegivingkitchen.org.

Shop like a Chef...

Shop like a Chef - 8 Atlanta pros share where they shop for groceries.  

View full Creative Loafing article here.

Lowcountry Field Feast 2013

We had the opportunity to cook with our good friends, Two Boroughs Larder, out at John's Island (just outside of Charleston, SC) at an farm called Walnut Hill for Lowcountry Field Feast 2013. We hope our guests had as much fun as we did!  Proceeds went to support Lowcountry Local First.  Buy local.  Eat local.

Dirt Works Incubator Farm video by Tom Laffay can be viewed here.
Photos by Brennen Wesley and can be viewed in total here.

Hey, LAWeekly! Thanks!

Hey LAWeekly!  Thanks for the mention! 

Can Chefs Change the World?  Roy Choi on Social Responsibility.  Read article here.

Ryan Update 9/24/13

Dearest Staplehouse Friends!

Some time has past since our last update and we have much to share with you... stories from the winding road of life if you will.  Let's start with a bit of introspection. 

You hear the term "roller coaster" as it relates to emotions quite frequently.  We're not sure we've ever really understood what that meant, or at least we couldn't identify with the term up until these last 9 months.  It's a challenge and a privilege to be able to take this walk, and we owe all of you a debt of gratitude for pushing us uphill when we needed it, carrying us when we could not take another step and simply offering a smile and a hand on our back so that we never feel alone.  Imagine the worst and imagine the best that life can be, then mash them into a 9 month span of time.

Take a deep breath.  Now open your eyes.  Thank you all for taking this journey with us.

Since the last update on Ryan's health, treatment has been up and down.  His spirit and positivity haven't changed, although hindered at times, but the realization of how precious this life is is ever present.  The last major public update (in July) provided news of a bumpier road and increased tumor markers every week.  Since then, we traveled through weeks of uncertainty when we realized the chemo drugs were no longer working in the same capacity as they had in the past. The road did indeed get bumpier.

We tried several different types of IV and oral drugs to seize growth and after a total of 10 weeks, knew that we had to make a radical chemo change.   After a tremendous amount of follow up with numerous doctors and research from other gallbladder patients across the country, we embark now on a new chemo path and feel confident in it.  We will know more mid-October and gauge progress then.

Onto more exciting things...

Most of you have come to know us through our supper club series, Prelude to Staplehouse.  For the last five years we have been hard at work cooking, marketing, organizing and planning our dream restaurant.  Cancer was a roadblock that at first seemed insurmountable.  Through the efforts of so many of you, we are thrilled to say that we are back on track.   

Staplehouse is due to open early 2014!

We couldn't be more proud of this project and the new purpose that drives it.  We will miss our quaint dinners out of our home, but you can expect the same forward-thinking honest fare and genuine hospitality that has always been at our core.  By simply dining at our O4W restaurant, guests are creating a sustainable source of funding for The Giving Kitchen (TGK), a 501c(3) that strives to provide charitable contributions to members of the Atlanta's restaurant community facing unanticipated hardships of their own.

Here's a couple fun ways to hang out and support TGK and Staplehouse in October...

First up is Atlanta Eats Live! on October 6th.  Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, a venue that houses the likes of musical acts from the Rolling Stones to Tony Bennett, will play host to this event.  Attendees will eat and drink from over 30 handpicked restaurants that have been featured in Atlanta Eats’ first two seasons, enjoy great live & local music, and take part in honoring two of Atlanta’s culinary legends as well as debuting a short film of TGK's trip to Woodford Reserve in bourbon country of Kentucky.  We made a trip up to the mother land to do a barrel tasting and blend a special one-of-a-kind batch of Woodford to be sold in select Atlanta restaurants.  A portion of proceeds from Atlanta Eats Live! benefit TGK!  Get your tickets here.

Second up is the Atlanta Cheese Festival on October 11th!  Held at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park from 5PM-11PM, the festival will feature over 50 of the most recognized cheese & artisan food producers from all over the world.  All of the producers will be sampling their famous cheeses & products.  For those guests that find cheese euphoria, cheese & additional product will be available for purchase.  By attending the Atlanta Cheese Festival, you will support TGK as a portion of proceeds go to support the cause!  For tickets, click here.

Thanking you, our biggest supporters.
Ryan + Jen

Creative Loafing Best Of

Thank you to Creative Loafing for honoring TGK with Best Of - Show of Support for the Restaurant Community!  For the full piece, click here.

#CreativeMornigs

Creative Mornings Talks to Watch
June 2013

Video by Lux Eve Media
Photo Gallery by August & Jean

Ryan Update July 2013

Today is a reminder, that everyday we need to take a second to remember how special this life is. It's easy to get sidetracked and there are many obstructions that can cloud the path.  Stop.  Take a deep breath and look around!  What an amazing opportunity we have… to be alive right now and be human.  It's really pretty cool!

The last 8 weeks have been hectic between Staplehouse & The Giving Kitchen planning, a family vacation and a big PET scan to see where we stand with the battle.  We have been doing well and are constantly reminded that this journey can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. You just have to trust that when the ride is over, everything will be as it should.

Our PET scan results are in and it appears as though the road is about to get a little bumpier.  We enter this next stage calm and mentally prepared for whatever is thrown at us.  The cancer has shown no signs of growth, but is also not decreasing any further.  Tumor markers did rise, but we will test again next week to know for sure where we stand.  Our team at CTCA and consulting oncology team at MDAnderson said that this is pretty common that the cancer would eventually "stable" out, and then we would need to adjust the path.  It appears we may be reaching that point.  At this time we are going to reevaluate any and all options out there and move forward in the coming weeks.

You will never know how much we appreciate all the well wishes, emails and little gifts we have received over the last 6 months, it's truly changed our lives in a profound way.  We have a favor to ask, for those who have set an alarm on your phone at noon to send strength our way, we'd like to redirect that energy a little…

Please take a moment each day to think about yourselves, your families, friends and loved ones that might be going through something.  Reach out to an old friend you have been thinking about or simply take a deep breath and look around for a few minutes. You might be surprised what you see and how it changes you.

You all are amazing people and I hope this note finds you well. We will be back in touch with an update soon and thank you again for all the support!

Creative Mornings - Photos & Video
If you missed Ryan at Creative Mornings on June 28th, not to worry, you can see it all here!

Video by Lux Eve Media
Photo Gallery by August & Jean

Dinner & A Cause Card
20% off at your favorite restaurants from July 1 to August 31.

20% off at Atlanta's favorite restaurants for the entire month of July and August.  Discount applies to entire table, every time you visit any participating restaurant.

Card cost: $40

Participating restaurants include: Abattoir, Agave, Antica Posta, Chicken & the Egg, Dark Horse Tavern, Double Zero, Fritti, JCT Kitchen, King + Duke, Local Three, Muss & Turner's, No Mas! Cantina, No. 246, Publik Draft House, Seven Lamps, The Iberian Pig, The Optimist and over 80 more!
For full list, click here.

100% of proceeds benefit The Giving Kitchen Initiative (a 501c3 helping members of the local restaurant industry with unanticipated hardship) and Children of Conservation (a 501c3 helping African children of wildlife sanctuary workers to school).

PURCHASE HERE

The Giving Kitchen is now accepting donations!  Please visit thegivingkitchen.org for more details.

Brother.

For the full story, click here!

http://www.brotherjournal.com/

DailyCandy's The Weekend Guide

CNN's Eatocracy 2013

 

A Restaurant Designed to Support an Industry

CONTRIBUTE NOW!

CONTRIBUTE NOW

Ryan Update 5/8/13

photo courtesy of gregory miller photography

Ryan had his third PET scan on Monday 5/6/13 and results were yesterday 5/7/13. We got into our room and waited patiently to meet with our Oncologist.  A few minutes later, one by one, each member of our Oncology team came into the room.  Usually only one team member is in at a time, so to see 10 people huddle up tight in one tiny room was pushing us over the edge of cliff with excitement.  

We've known for the past few weeks (with the obvious drop in tumor marker counts and good blood tests) that we could expect some good news today, but what landed in our laps was OUTSTANDING and nothing short of a MIRACLE.  

Our Oncologist sat down and with a smile said, "we have very good news" and the entire room burst into cheers, laughter and screams. He showed us the scan and we compared that side-by-side to the scan we did 8 weeks ago.

NOT ONLY HAVE THE TUMORS STOP GROWING - THEY HAVE DECREASED IN SIZE BY 90%.

Liver: A decrease in (all) tumors by 90%.

Lung: A decrease in tumor by more than half. 

Tumor Markers: From 21,800 on 3/12/13 to 1400 on 5/6/13.   
Blood Counts: All good.  Every count in good to green flag range.

We are duplicating the treatment we just ended and are now headed into another 8 weeks of chemo. 

We still have a long road ahead as any of this could change at any point.  We maitian focus and positivity!  This is definitely a BATTLE WON!