Trio of Chicago chefs helping feed Ukrainian refugees in Poland; 'a beautiful thing amongst a very tragic and horrific event'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The war in Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster, with millions in need of food and shelter. Three celebrated Chicago chefs are now in Poland, close to the Ukrainian border, using their culinary talents to feed refugees.
More than 2 million Ukrainians fleeing the bombs and the bullets in their homeland have ended up in Poland, where the World Central Kitchen is feeding an estimated 15,000 refugees a day.
"They need something warm; warm sandwich, warm soup. Water," said Giuseppe Tentori, chef and owner of GT Fish & Oyster, GT Prime Steakhouse, and Boka Catering Group.
Tentori and fellow Chicago chefs Paul Kahan and Tony Priolo are in the middle of the enormous humanitarian mission in Poland.
"Seeing these kids with their moms – because it's mostly older people and moms and a lot of little kids – it's kind of heartbreaking," Priolo said.
The chefs are joined by photographer Eric Kleinberg, who is also working in the kitchen and capturing the heartache with his camera, but hearing gratitude as well.
"I mean, they come up smiling. They say thank you. They try to speak English with us, because they understand that we don't speak Ukrainian," Kleinberg said. "Something that we can't really explain. It's just a beautiful thing amongst a very tragic and horrific event."
The chefs own some of Chicago's most popular and decorated restaurants; including The Publican, Piccolo Sogno, and GT Fish & Oyster. Last month, distraught by the war, Priolo organized a fundraiser called "Chicago Cooks for Ukraine" at Navy Pier. Seventy chefs answered the call, and raised more than a half million dollars.
Now Tentori, Kahan, Priolo, and Kleinberg are now extending their compassion on the ground in Poland, only six miles from the Ukrainian border.
"We have compassion, and, you know, that's what brought us down here," Kleinberg said.
For information on how you can help the chefs feed refugees, visit the World Central Kitchen website, wck.org.
