Real Men Cook
People ask me why I’ve participated in Real Men Cook so many times – 19 out 22. My answer is that it’s the one day of the year that it’s guaranteed that I’ll be called a real man. That’s one answer. The other one is that this annual benefit for the Women’s Alliance for Recovery Services could help a lot of women who need assistance.The organization’s mission statement is: “To help women whose lives have been affected/devastated by alcohol and other drug abuse, find treatment as well as other resources that meet their needs for recovery. To educate substance-abusing women and their significant others about a healthier way to deal with life’s difficulties. To advocate for women and women’s issues related to substance abuse, by increasing the understanding of trauma, and by reducing barriers to access treatment such as stigma.”
And all I have to do to help them in their mission is to cook some food. Well, and it has to be good. And enough for 200 servings. But they’re small servings.
Real Men Cook is an all-you-can-eat lunch feast, prepared by about 100 “chefs” – men who represent a wide variety of occupations, ages, races and nationalities in the Cleveland area. Some are actual chefs. Most of the rest are just good cooks. A small percentage gets some kitchen help from females. (And one guy stops at a bakery on the way and buys a few dozen donuts, or whatever, to pass off as his own … but it’s the thought that counts.)
The event takes place this Friday, May 14, from 11:30 to 1:30, at the Doubletree Hotel, 1111 Lakeside Avenue in downtown Cleveland (formerly the Holiday Inn Lakeside). When the doors open at 11:30, people will pour in. The plates they hold will soon be piled high. The chefs stand on the other side of the long tables, ready to serve (and/or defend) their dishes.
Among them will be Mark “Munch” Bishop with his “Copper Pennies,” Channel 19 news guy Paul Joncich with his chicken avocado quesadillas, and former WEWS news reporter, now lawyer, Tom Merriman and his son with their oatmeal-apricot bars. Steve Traina, the host of WCSB’s Saturday morning folk music show “Steve’s Folk” is bringing a shrimp appetizer, and he’s bringing his son, Justin Colon, who’s an actual chef, and whatever dish he decides to prepare. Cleveland cultural icon “Daffy” Dan Gray and journalist and playwright Christopher Johnston will also share their lunch fare.
Cleveland legend, Maury Feren 94-years-old, will, as always, be tossing his “Salade Supreme” on the spot. And when he makes a tossed salad, he really means it – as in: stand back. But it’s good. Reno “Jay” Reda, of WHK’s “Inside the Great Outdoors,” will be on hand with his “Slow Smoked Beef Brisket in Hunter’s Gravy.” I’m sure there’s real beef in the brisket, but I can’t say for certain if there are actually any hunters in the gravy.
But it’ll only cost you $15 ($14 in advance) to find out. And while you’re there, for another dollar or two, you can take a chance on raffle prizes like a 32-inch LCD HD TV w/BluRay, a digital camera, a camcorder, theme baskets worth $400 each, a Pet Cyclonic Vacuum (which, apparently, is strong enough to vacuum up your pet), and other prizes.
Go to http://www.womensalliancerecovery.org or call 216-575-9120 for more information about the event or the organization.
David Budin is a freelance writer and a folk and rock musician, whose folk group, Long Road, performs occasionally. He is a former editor of Northern Ohio Live and Cleveland Magazine.
His writing focuses on the arts, and especially on pop culture and pop music history. He is currently working on two pop-music-related books.