One Chef Can 86 Hunger

By Wendoly Pantaleon

As a child Max Hardy wanted to be an NBA player. Today he is well-known as a celebrity chef for Amar’e Stoudemire and other basketball stars.

In 2011, he created the foundation “One Chef Can 86 Hunger” in order to use his culinary savvy to combat the hunger crisis. The term “86” is often used in restaurants to mean “the end” or “an item no longer available.” Chefs can do their part to fight the epidemic of hunger, says Hardy, because they have “an understanding of nutrition and dietary needs.”

During the month of October, Hardy visited the five boroughs, cooking food and offering exercise tips. On the 12th, Hardy joined the New York Boys and Girls Club at the Police Athletic League in the Longwood/Hunts Point neighborhood.

The event was focused on preventing childhood obesity. While Chef Hardy and his team cooked up pasta with chicken, the New York Boys and Girls Club showed kids workout routines.

Chef Hardy also prepared packaged meals for residents in the community. .

“It’s important to me to give back,” said Hardy, “because growing up in inner city Detroit I had some great organizations help me and so I wanted to do the same thing.”

The event turned out a solid crowd and Hardy says he was able to feed about 350 people.