Support Food + Beverage Workers Affected by the Texas Hill Country Floods

Our hearts are with everyone in the Texas Hill Country.

Southern Smoke provides financial relief during the recovery phase of disasters. We’ve committed $150,000 to support affected F+B workers and are prepared to do more. Sysco will match up to $15,000 in donations to amplify our impact.

The Hill Country Relief Fund application will open August 15. For urgent needs like medical or funeral expenses, F+B workers can apply now through our existing relief fund. Our Behind You program also offers no cost counseling to F+B workers.

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Chris
Chef Image
Cosentino
WHERE WILL I BE COOKING:

Chris Cosentino is a passionate chef, author, cyclist, and philanthropist.

After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, Cosentino got his professional start at some of the country’s most beloved restaurants in Washington, D.C. and then the Bay Area. In his first executive chef position at Incanto in San Francisco, he elevated a neighborhood Italian restaurant to the international scene. Cosentino helped raise awareness about sustainability and utilizing the entire animal. He then mastered the art of hand-crafted cured meats in creating Boccalone, a celebrated cured meat company.

In 2014, Cosentino opened Cockscomb, showcasing dishes inspired by San Francisco’s rich culinary and artistic history. As critic Michael Bauer noted: “There’s nothing else like it, and Cosentino has a consistent, unwavering vision.”

In 2017 Cosentino expanded beyond the Bay Area with Jackrabbit in Portland, celebrating the Pacific Northwest’s rich history, ingredients, and artisans. Next, he opened Acacia House in the Napa Valley to rave reviews. “Cosentino strategically blends his bold style with a more refined approach.”

In 2019, Cosentino opened Rosalie Italian Soul in Houston, inspired by his great-grandmother and his Italian American upbringing. In 2023, Cosentino channeled his New England roots to revamp the menu at Nick’s Cove, updating classic dishes to create a delightful blend of East and West Coast fish houses at this West Marin destination.

Cosentino wrote a James Beard Award nominated cookbook, Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts (2017), the seminal cookbook on offal. He also wrote Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal in (2012), collaborated with Marvel to write Wolverine: In the Flesh (2013).

Cosentino won BRAVO’s “Top Chef Masters,” earning over $140,000 for The Michael J. Fox Foundation. An avid cyclist, Cosentino is on the advisory board of Chefs Cycle, an annual cycling event that raises funds for No Kid Hungry.