Baltimore Restaurant Devotes A Week To Feeding The Homeless
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's Restaurant Week in Baltimore City, but one popular restaurant is closed to patrons. This week, they're only serving VIPs---those who need a good meal.
Jessica Kartalija has more.
Downtown at Tabrizi's, the lunch rush is underway---but those dining here during Restaurant Week haven't had a meal like this in quite some time...if ever.
"Wonderful, wonderful. Special. It's not all bad; some good things do still happen," said Brigete Hall.
Owner and chef Michael Tabrizi came up with the idea.
"I got inspired by a homeless person. I invited him to come to my restaurant and eat and then I asked myself, `Why not invite everybody?'" he said.
And so he did.
On Monday's menu: chicken cordon bleu, dessert and networking.
"If you leave your phone number after you leave, if I need you, I will call you," Tabrizi said.
With three seatings per day throughout Restaurant Week, the staff at Tabrizi's say they expect to feed about a thousand of Baltimore's homeless.
"It's like a dream, a dream come true," said one.
"It's not about money," Tabrizi said. "This is to do something very humane that's priceless."
On any given night, some 4,000 people are hungry and homeless in Baltimore but Monday, it's about feeding their soul.
"I don't think they are hungry in the sense to fill the stomach. I think they are hungry for friendship and human contact. I hope this inspires people," Tabrizi said.
In addition to the overwhelming number of volunteers, the staff at Tabrizi's is refusing to get paid this week.