ABC/Rick Rowell(LOS ANGELES) — With doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff working around the clock during the COVID-19 pandemic, many are struggling to find the time to eat a nutritious and filling meal.
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger and husband, chef Noah Galuten teamed up with Dine11 — a play on 9-1-1 — on Saturday to prepare 100 meals for healthcare workers in the Los Angeles area. A commercial kitchen, Cofax Coffee, even donated their space for the day so the two had ample room to cook.
The Confirmed Kills comic, who wore a mask and gloves for the charity work, streamed the meal preparation as part of her ongoing web series Don’t Panic Pantry, which she launched to not only teach fans how to create simple but interesting meals, but to bring a touch of comedy during COVID-19.
She and Galuten prepared 100 smoked potato taco bowls and, thanks to a donation of baby bok choy, also created a vinaigrette.
Overall, the two spent several hours in the kitchen before Dine11 picked up the 100 meals.
During the Facebook Live segment, the Spenser Confidential actress noted that healthcare workers are “passing out on their feet because they are so hungry and so tired,” using that to encourage others to be understanding and help out any way they can.
Shlesinger, 37, also explained the importance of charities like Dine11 and that they rely on donations to operate in order to feed overworked hospital staff. Such charities also support local restaurants that have been crippled financially by the pandemic.
With COVID-19 forcing restaurants to modify their businesses to adhere to the new social distancing rules, or shuttering all together during the pandemic, Dine11 reaches out to area restaurants and commissions them to prepare meals for those working at local hospitals.
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