Ryan Update & Exciting Developments

The treatment is exhausting, and doesn't come without complications, but we are thrilled over all.  You have heard that the tumor markers in the blood continue to drop, and while these are small victories, they are good indicators of the activity of the tumors. This is a war, not a battle andwe remain focused on each step, knowing that we have most of the fighting still to come.  The next PET scan will be in three weeks, this is the true test of our success thus far and tend to be slightly stressful days anticipating the results.  We are positive minded, strongly focused and full of determination and love!

Next up, Staplehouse and The Giving Kitchen!  Last week we started to leak out that we are moving forward with the restaurant...we are now happy to relay to all of you that you have heard correctly.  Monday evening the 15th, we gathered a group of 100 Staplehouse friends and family to share the news, show a documentary that we have been working on since diagnosis and explain the new direction of Staplehouse as it relates to our foundation.  Staplehouse is the flagship to The GivingKitchen whereafter year end distributions have been made, the remaining profits will roll into the foundation.  The Giving Kitchen is a 501c3 status pending entity that exists to help provide Atlanta's restaurant and hospitality employees financial relief from medical or other unanticipated hardships.

After experiencing the amazing love and support the city of Atlanta has shown for Ryan, it is now our mission to give back.  Since the Team Hidi event put on for Ryan we have attended and spoken at several functions put on for members of our restaurant and hospitality family and made donations to ease their burden. We hope to evolve the program over time and dive into other ways that the restaurant community can improve the overall quality of life for Atlantans.

There are so many events and Industry nights happening all over the city that are donating partial proceeds for The Giving Kitchen.  We hope that you continue to check out our Team Hidi events page to partake!

Event - April 26th - May 5th

Industry Night - Monday, April 29th

Industry Night - Every Monday in May & June

BBQ for TGK - Saturday, May 11th

Event - Sunday, May 19th

We are also thrilled to announce the rest of the team!  Ryan Smith (Executive chef of Empire State South) and Kara Hidinger (GM of Abattoir) will round out our daily operations while Ryan Turner, Chris Hall and Todd Mussman of Muss & Turner’s/Local Three will act as consulting partners.  We couldn't be more excited about the potential of both the restaurant and the foundation under the guidance of this team.

Fundraising to build Staplehouse is currently underway.  We have put organized an Indiegogo campaign to help us raise the money we will need to make this dream come true.  Donations can be made in any increment, including $100 for a limited edition founder T-shirt and bumper sticker, all the way up to $15,000 for your name engraved on a plaque and mounted on the best seat in the house – The Chef’s Table!  We are heading into a lease on a space that will house both the restaurant and the foundation.  Ironically it happens to be the very first space we looked at almost 4 years ago. A cozy two story brick building in the Old 4th Ward with a private courtyard and an open floor plan that invites friends to feel a part of the experience. The spirit of this neighborhood and its development into an entertainment and multicultural hub only strengthens our joy to be a part of it.

The food and drink menu will be ever changing based on the bounty of our dear friends (the hardest working people we know), farmers, ranchers, cheese mongers and fishers. We will be sourcing and working closely with them to develop a menu that is innovative, comforting and always true to the season.  A menu designed for sharing, allowing you to enjoy several different completions of how the kitchen and bar are feeling that day.

We will be back with more as things develop and as always, thank you all for your amazing support!

Eater Atlanta

Ryan Hidinger shares details on Staplehouse!  Thank you Eater!  For the whole article click here.

Atlanta Magazine - Covered Dish

Thank you Covered Dish for the write up today.  Thrilled to making this announcement that our Team is growing.  Click here for the full article.

Ryan Update - Small Victories

We must all celebrate small victories...

There is no doubt in our minds the noon good vibes and prayers, along with the new treatment regiment Ryan is on, have started to work.  You heard me right, WORK!  Ryan's tumor markers have started to lower.  This is a huge victory for us, one that followed with tears of joy and intense thankfulness.  Our CTCA Doctors and Nurses celebrated with us with hugs and handshakes all around.  

We needed to celebrate this with all of you, you deserve to share in the good news too!

Round One CA19-9 Markers: 3600
Round Two CA19-9 Markers: 5600
Round Three CA19-9 Markers: 17,000
Round Four CA19-9 Markers: 21,800
Round Five CA19-9 Markers: 9610

We continue to need your help in passing on the energy, we truly believe that it not only helps us, but works.  Ryan has felt great fatigue and has been reacting to one of the chemo drugs in the form of a rash, but other than those two things, we continue to do well!

Until next time...
Jen + Ryan

AJC Food and More

Thank you to AJC Food and More for the write up today.  We are honored to be talking publicly about the Giving Kitchen.

Ryan Update 3/19/13

Where we are in the fight.... in war, not every battle is won.

Friday (3/8/13) was the first major scan since diagnosis that determined our next steps.  Ryan has undergone (like a champion I might add) two full cycles of chemotherapy that resulted in a dead end.  The unfortunate circumstances show growth in his tumors and a significant rise in CA19-9 tumor markers.  We have made a change in his chemo treatment plan and have now started a new weekly cycle.  We wait... with determination, poise and humility.

All in all, we are doing great, looking at each day as a new start with fresh perspective.  We owe much of our strength to all of you for the well wishes and constant support you give.  We received a package in the mail a couple weeks ago from an Atlanta based first grade classroom with letters to Ryan on how to "feel better".  If I didn't know better, I'd go out and buy a Nintendo DSI, a giant teddy bear and a bag of gummy bears and call it a day.  We had another little girl write a story about Chef Ryan and his arch-cooking-contest-enemy Harris Cancer Muddball and sold bound copies for $5 each!  She made a killing!  From these letters to your generous donations and bountiful energy, we are fueled and immensely grateful.

Atlanta, you have rallied behind us and in a big, big way and now we are motivated to give back.  As some of you have witnessed at other events around town over the last few weeks (with Charlotte's Web and Bring Back Zach), we have started a foundation called The Giving Kitchen Initiative. You all get a sneak peek into this project and as we are ready to go live, more details will come!  We couldn't be more excited about the opportunity this will bring to help others in situations such as Ryan's. Through the tragedy of cancer we see hope, and with the help of all of you we will build this foundation with pride. Thank you all for the inspiration to push forward when times are hard and the courage to see through the veil of an illness to better days.

The Giving Kitchen Initiative supports the metro Atlanta restaurant community by lending a helping hand to industry members impacted by medical or other unanticipated hardship.  The Giving Kitchen Initiative also supports other charitable, scientific and educational projects to which restaurant industry members are in a unique position to contribute such as nutritional education for community schools or providing food to people in need.

We also have chosen to document our journey.  Along with an amazing production crew, we are capturing every moment we can through video, photography and story telling.  We felt compelled to gather Ryan's treatment, our daily life, meetings for The Giving Kitchen and more and share it with all of you.  We will keep you all updated on when the documentary is ready.  Below are a couple photos from last weekend.

 

 

To finish up, I sent out an update to our family and very close friends about a week ago and asked for a favor, something I do not do very often.  I asked for a "Prayer/Good Vibe" sequence chain to start.  At noon each day, please set your watch, smartphone, computer and brain to Pray for Ryan's Healing.  Whether it's a simple pleasant thought, an in depth prayer or a smile exchanged from you to another, that will supply us the energy we need to continue everyday with grace, fresh perspective and peace.  It doesn't hurt to ask you all, our Staplehouse friends too.

We continue down this path with you all by our side and appreciate every minute of what these days hold.  We will send out another update as things progress.  J+R

Team HIDI Store Live! + Support Charlotte's Web

 

 

Team HIDI Store Now Live!

That’s right!  Get all of your Team HIDI merch right here.  Mens and Ladies t-shirts, koozies, wristbands and bumper stickers are now available.  All proceeds go directly to Team HIDI.  Click on the store link here and start shoppin!

 

At SweetWater Brewery

Cancer touches us all.  Join in on February 26 to support our friend Charlotte.  Friends, Family and Chefs from around the region are coming together on February 26 at SweetWater Brewery. From 6-10 p.m. Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q will host 16 of the South’s top chefs, live music from Moontower, and a silent auction, all to rally in support of fellow Chef and Friend, Charlotte Nelson.  As some of you already know, Charlotte lost her battle early Saturday evening, February 9th. She was only 37.  All proceeds from the event will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  Tickets for this event are $50 and can be purchased here.

Ryan and I have been asked to speak at this event.  We will do so proudly.  Just as you have done for us, come out and show your support for another community member.