Chef Sara Jenkins Swears Off Stupid Benefit Events

Sara Jenkins, chef/owner of Porchetta and the soon to open Porsena, pens an excellent rant/piece for The Atlantic blog today about her frustrations with the copious charity benefits she's asked to participate in. The problems: 1) who know where the money really goes?, 2) there's often waste, 3) it takes her away from her restaurant, 4) she needs to pay helpers, and 5) now that people know her for Porchetta, they only want her to serve pricey pork. She adds:

Some of the so-called "benefits" I have participated in seem to be more about throwing giant, self-congratulatory parties. It seems like every time some terrible event happens, everyone gets busy setting up a benefit for the victims and at the same time making sure they get more press themselves. Before you know it, rather than talking about the awful situation in Haiti or Pakistan we are talking about what delicacies such and such restaurant is serving. I also question whether it is really the best thing for my restaurant and me to be a small line on some press release.