Westfield Goes to Hell's Kitchen

Scenes from the hit television series, “Hell’s Kitchen,” took center stage in downtown Westfield Wednesday afternoon and evening, as a veteran of the show came to town to cook for charity.

Chef Vinny Accardi performed two cooking demos at the Savory Spice Shop to benefit the Nana J’s Kitchen, a fledging food pantry in Plainfield. Accardi came to the event after being asked by soup-kitchen founder Pastor Shannon Wright, who said she had found him on Facebook.

“She asked me, saying that she liked me on the show,” Accardi said.

Accardi made six dishes, which incorporated spices sold at the shop. He noted that the recipes were designed to be quick and easy, spanning appetizers, entrées and desserts. Using Acquaviva delle Fonte on Elm Street as a prep kitchen, Accardi assembled his final dishes for crowds in the shop.

Accardi said he had planned the menu after consulting the spice list from the shop, noting he sampled the dishes for friends at his home in Queens, N.Y., prior to coming to Westfield.

Wright, the pastor of Faith, Grace and Mercy in Plainfield and a Republican candidate for the State Senate in the 22nd district, said the idea for the event and the food pantry came out of her work with her late mother, Janeice Lawrence.

“Every year, my mom would help us organize gift baskets for those who needed help at the holidays,” Wright said. “Mom wanted to start a food pantry this year.”

Lawrence had been ill for years, Wright said. She underwent a kidney transplant in 2007, was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Before her death in 2010, Lawrence worked for the food pantry to help keep her mind occupied. The project for the new pantry is named Nana J, Lawrence's lifelong nickname.

The food pantry will deliver gift baskets to families in the Plainfield area, Wright said, typically during the holidays. As the group raises money, it will explore options to expand, such as moving into a full-fledged building, or operating a seven-day soup kitchen. 

Wednesday’s event was held on what would have been Lawrence’s 64th birthday. Looking for something to do to distract her from the memories, Wright said she wanted to help promote a project that had been so important to her mother. Wright stumbled upon the Westfield location while Lawrence was undergoing cancer treatments.

“During last year when my mom was in the hospital, my sister and I needed something constructive to do, so we shopped,” she said. “We were in Cold Stone and saw Savory Spice Shop. We’ve been regular customers since.”

As part of the fundraiser, Wright worked with Accardi to publish a cookbook, which is expected to hit shelves this fall. The book will feature Accardi's recipes, plus those from other "Hell’s Kitchen" alumni.

Wright, who is seeking the GOP nomination to challenge Sen. Nick Scutari (D-Linden) in a district that includes Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Clark, Linden and Plainfield, said the food pantry is part of the plans she is promoting as part of her Senate campaign.

“I’m trying to encourage other folks to do things like this,” she said. “If you want to lower taxes you need non-profits to step in.” 

Menu Served by Accardi

• Curried Chicken Salad with Grilled Pita
• “Cherry Creek” Dusted Shrimp with a Mango Cilantro
• “Barrier Reef” Caribbean Pork served over Jasmine Rice with charred onion and grilled pineapple
• “Homestead” Beef Skewers served with a trip of Benny’s Homemade Barbeque Sauces
• Sweet Spiced Melon Soup
• Toasted Spiced Pound Cake with warm spiced apricots with vanilla cardamom whipped cream