Cooks for Carolina Dinner Series in New Orleans and Soulshine Concert in New York City Proceeds Directed to Local Relief Efforts, Including the Always Asheville Fund

CHEFS AND MUSICIANS LEND CONSIDERABLE TALENTS TO ASHEVILLE’S RECOVERY AT NEWLY ANNOUNCED FUNDRAISING EVENT
Cooks for Carolina Dinner Series in New Orleans and Soulshine Concert in New York City Proceeds Directed to Local Relief Efforts, Including the Always Asheville Fund

In response to Hurricane Helene's devastating impact on Asheville's travel and hospitality industry, artists, chefs, and creatives are lending their considerable talents to help the community rebuild and reopen stronger than ever. Cooks for Carolina, a dinner series in New Orleans, and Soulshine, a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden, will take place this month to raise funds for independent travel and hospitality businesses in Asheville and Buncombe County.

More than twenty celebrated chefs and restaurateurs from New Orleans united to launch the Cooks for Carolina, a series of dinners across the Big Easy that aim to provide vital financial support to small, independent restaurants throughout Asheville and Buncombe County to reopen and retain their employees. All dinner proceeds will be directed to the Always Asheville Fund that Explore Asheville, a 501c6 nonprofit, established in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

"We are deeply moved by the outpouring of support from New Orleans and its hospitality community," said Vic Isley, President & CEO of Explore Asheville. "The Always Asheville Fund was set up to help our small independent business owners with emergency grants that will aid in sustaining our deeply rooted hospitality community. Cooks for Carolina will help keep Asheville's restaurants open into the future."

The Cooks for Carolina dinner series features collaborations between New Orleans and Asheville chefs, highlighting a shared Southern hospitality culture and lived experiences, underscored by environmental disasters. Several North Carolina chefs, including Jacob Sessoms, Peyton Barrell, Trevor Payne, and Matt Dawes will be present at New Orleans restaurants. The first dinner in the series takes place on Nov. 6 and continues through the holiday season, with reservations required.

"First and foremost, I want to express our deep gratitude to all of the New Orleans chefs and restaurateurs for their interest in helping us," said Jacob Sessoms, founder and chef-partner at Perfectly Ad Hoc Hospitality Group in Asheville. "We know they understand our situation better than anyone, and it's no surprise how quickly they jumped to our aid; it's part of what makes New Orleans so special."

Soulshine Benefit Concert

The nearly sold-out Soulshine concert will also benefit hurricane relief and recovery in North Carolina and Florida. The concert announced on Oct. 29 replaces the Christmas Jam, a popular annual holiday event canceled this year in Asheville due to the hurricane. North Carolina native Warren Haynes organizes Christmas Jam and has leveraged his star power for this new benefit concert. Fellow headliners include Dave Matthews Band, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, and Goose. Special guests include Trey Anastasio, Mavis Staples, Trombone Shorty, and Susan Tedeschi.

Explore Asheville pledged $250,000 as a Diamond Sponsor of the concert. The entire sponsorship investment will return to Asheville and Buncombe County to support local, independent businesses through the Always Asheville Fund. Additional proceeds from the concert will go to support Arts AVL, Habitat Fall Hurricane Fund, Manna Food Bank, Beloved Asheville, and Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.

Concert for Carolina Recap

Last month, Explore Asheville pledged $1 million as the presenting sponsor of Concert for Carolina, a benefit concert that raised more than $24.5 million in hurricane relief split between nonprofit organizations selected by music stars Luke Combs and Eric Church. Combs’ portion is being distributed between Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, and Eblen Charities. Explore Asheville’s $1 million sponsorship was paid directly to the concert to be split equally between these four charities.

Church’s portion will be directed to his Chief Cares Foundation. Church’s Chief Cares is focused on helping established charities and organizations that are well-managed and organized and capable of swiftly delivering aid directly to the families affected by Hurricane Helene. During the concert, Church committed to building 100 homes in Avery County.

Explore Asheville has committed more than $1.5 million to Hurricane Helene relief efforts, leveraging that to more than $2 million to date.