Tickets on Sale Friday, Aug. 5 and Subject to Sell Out!
Grass Valley, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2022) – Local artists and restaurants have come together to offer the 16th annual Empty Bowl fundraiser for Hospitality House—this year as a double benefit beginning Sept. 9 – 24. The event’s primary objective is to raise awareness and support for individuals and families struggling with homelessness. Every dollar received from Empty Bowl is a donation toward Hospitality House’s emergency operations and every dollar makes a difference in someone’s livelihood.
The first 100 bowls donated came from artist Mindy Oberne. Photo by Jessica Solis-Hernandez of Hospitality House
The event this year takes place in two parts: first, ticketholders will dine at one or more featured restaurants between Sept. 9-23 where they will receive a beautifully donated artisan bowl that is then filled with a donated meal by each restaurant; second, on Sept. 24, patrons will be invited to an Empty Bowl Art Extravaganza, which is an exclusive opportunity for ticketholders to come together to shop bowls, participate in an auction and raffle, listen to live music by Mark Vieaux and enjoy a no-host happy hour from 4-6 p.m. at Peace Lutheran Church.
“Pre-pandemic, Empty Bowl was always hosted as a large, single-day gathering,” explained Ashley Quadros, development director at Hospitality House. “We shifted into restaurants last year due to COVID-19 and feedback received from ticketholders last year dedicated direction for this year, which includes not only delicious dining experiences but a fun evening of art, auction and extra bowls, plus a one-night only opportunity at Alexander’s Station to enjoy a multi-course meal offering.”
In total, eight restaurants stepped forward as Empty Bowl hosts this year.
FEATURED RESTAURANTS:
- Heartwood Eatery
- Sopa Thai Cuisine
- Friar Tuck’s Restaurant & Bar
- Golden Gate Saloon @ The Holbrooke
- Lola @ The National Exchange Hotel
- Three Forks Bakery and Brewing Co.
- Tofanelli’s Gold Country Bistro
- Alexander’s Station Steakhouse (Prex fixe: 1 night, Sept. 23)
Tofanelli’s crab cake salad on a bed of greens is just featured dish at this year’s Empty Bowl.
FEATURED FOOD
- Heartwood Eatery: Rainbow Salad made with greens and veggies, half an avocado, a sesame tamari dressing.
- Sopa Thai Cuisine: Dish to be announced soon!
- Friar Tuck’s Restaurant & Bar: Grilled avocado and shrimp salad with mixed greens, roasted corn, cherry tomatoes, chipotle cilantro lime buttermilk dressing.
- Golden Gate Saloon @ The Holbrooke Hotel: Brisket Bowl made with achiote rice, kimchi, smoked brisket, avocado, crema, cilantro.
- Lola @ The National Exchange Hotel: French Onion Soup made with caramelized onions, beef broth, sourdough croutons, gruyere cheese.
- Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co: Surprise dish! Menu varies per week.
- Tofanelli’s Gold Country Bistro: Crab cake on a bed of mixed greens with mango salsa and red pepper aioli (pictured)
- Alexander’s Station Steakhouse and Event Center: Sparkling Wine Reception to start the evening, followed by a multi-course dining experience with several wine pairings, featuring: House Smoked Sturgeon served with a tender green bean salad grapefruit dressing and caviar; wild mushroom sauté served over truffle risotto; Rancho Llano Seco pork tenderloin wrapped in applewood smoked bacon and served over chard with a blueberry port sauce; and baked apple tart with pecan cream and caramel sauce.
All restaurants, except Alexander’s, are hosting Empty Bowl between Friday, Sept. 9 and Thursday, Sept. 22 with varying hours and days of participation. Because restaurants are donating their own signature dish and staff time to host Empty Bowl, ticketholders are encouraged to patronize these restaurants by purchasing tasty add-ons to support them, such as appetizers, drinks and desserts.
Last year, Hospitality House received some requests to offer an all-inclusive dining experience, which will happen for one-night only at Alexander’s Station on Sept. 23. For Alexander’s only, ticket sale proceeds will be split equally between the restaurant and Hospitality House to make such an experience possible.
“Empty Bowl has looked and felt a little different in recent years due to COVID-19, but it has and will always remain an event about helping people receive vital sustenance and support to move forward and regain their independence,” said Nancy Baglietto, executive director of Hospitality House. “A simple bowl of food means so much to a person who is hungry and houseless—it represents not only nourishment but hope and opportunity for a better tomorrow.”
In their last fiscal year, Hospitality House served 718 unique locals, an increase of 15 percent over the previous year, and provided nearly 78,000 meals. With the number of people needing help increasing by the year, Empty Bowl is a way to further Hospitality House’s efforts in 2022. Additional donations are always welcome.
GET TICKETS
Tickets go on sale Friday, Aug. 5 at 9 a.m. and start at $40 each. Tickets are available online at hhshelter.org and online at emptybowl2022.rsvpify.com. A limited number of tickets are available for each participating restaurant. Tickets must be purchased in advance in order to be redeemed at participating restaurants. Each restaurant has restrictions in place regarding when tickets can be utilized. Each ticket includes one artisan bowl, one delicious meal (except Alexander’s which is prix fixe menu) and a pamphlet on Empty Bowl’s significance, which includes a featured story on a local individual overcoming homelessness. Ninety-six percent of ticketholders surveyed last year indicated they would be back this year, so those interested should buy tickets early to avoid sell out. Tickets are being sold on a first come, first served basis. Days/times/locations vary by each participating restaurant. Exclusions apply. For assistance or questions about tickets, please call (530) 615-0852.
Dozens of artists, including Chic Lotz, Dik Hotchkiss, Mindy Oberne, Yvon Dockter, Penny St. Clair, Paul Steege, Bob Davis, Carlos Angulo, Karl Miller, Randy Panos, Bill Juhl, Edson Holmes, David Nelson, Carlos Angulo, Karin Paustell, Kenny Frerichs, Patrick Speer, Candace Ekstrom, Liz Conley, Karen Tanaka, Alika White, George Schroder, Rene Sprattling, Pickle Pottery, Steve Danner, Amy Conley, Margaret Arroyo and many more, have come together to make the event possible by creating and donating hundreds of handcrafted ceramic and wooden bowls.
A big thank you to this year’s sponsors: AJA Video Systems, Pawnie’s Home Care, Chapa-De Indian Health, BriarPatch Food Co-op, Telestream, LLC, SPD Markets, Caseywood, County of Nevada (Better Together), Nevada County Association of Realtors, Whitewater, Naturopathic Medicine, Yubanet.com and The Union.
Learn more about Empty Bowl at hhshelter.org/empty-bowl.
