Empty Bowl to fill a need among the hungry
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'EMPTY BOWL'
Oahu potters will fight hunger one bowl at a time during a fundraiser on March 18 in Honolulu's Chinatown Arts District. EMPTY BOWL HAWAII will feature 3,000 handmade ceramic bowls, which will be filled with gourmet soups prepared by 20 of Honolulu's top chefs.
"The first year we did this in 2009 we sold more than 700 bowls in an hour and 42 minutes," said event spokeswoman Beryl Ono. "We had only one cashier and we didn't know what to expect. The line was so long but people were willing to wait for their bowl of soup."
Founded in 1991 by Imagine/RENDER, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization, the "Empty Bowl" is a national and international grassroots effort to fight hunger throughout local communities. Here on Oahu, the Hawaii Potters' Guild has designated Hawai'i Meals on Wheels and the River of Life Mission as the event's beneficiaries.
"Do you know that the River of Life Mission serves 15,000 meals on Oahu per month?" Ono rhetorically asked. "And Hawaii Meals on Wheels delivers 400 meals a day to those who wouldn't have a meal otherwise."
The concept is simple: Potters and other craftspeople work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are then invited to a simple meal of soup and bread in exchange for a cash donation of $20. "And no one bowl is alike; each one has its own color and design," Ono said. "We couldn't put on the Empty Bowl last year because we couldn't produce 3,000 bowls in time for the event; I don't know who came up with that number but it's crazy."
The event will take place, from 6:30 to 8:40 p.m., at The ARTS at Marks Garage, which will also play host to a month-long exhibition art sale and Ceramics Bazaar showcasing the works of participating artists and potters through March 26.
The A-list of restaurants will include Alan Wong's, Big City Diner, Brasserie Du Vin, Cafe Laufer, Great Life Cuisine, Indigo, JJ Bistro & French Pastry, Le Bistro, Mariposa at Neiman Marcus, Murphy's Bar & Grill, Phuket Thai, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Side Street Inn, Stage, Tango Contemporary Cafe, Tiki's Grill & Bar, 3660 on the Rise, Town, 12th Ave Grill and Whole Foods.
Also organized by the Guild is a Silent Auction of Signature Bowl Artwork, which will be on display, March 3-14, at Neiman Marcus (Third Floor Gift Galleries). To bid, call 227-3588 or email: auction@emptybowlhawaii.org. Bids are updated daily at http://www.emptybowlhawaii.org, with bidding to close at 5 p.m. on March 14.
"We're hoping to generate $60,000," Ono said. "And everybody keeps their bowl. It's a reminder that after they finish their soup, there's always someone out there who's hungry."
Tiki's is proud to be participating in the Empty Bowl Project again!