Table to Table, New Jersey’s first and largest food rescue organization, celebrated a milestone night at its 2026 Chefs Gala presented by American Express, raising more than $600,000 to fuel its hunger-relief mission and expansion.
The gourmet event, held last week, drew over 300 guests and featured James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and author Kwame Onwuachi as the Chef Honoree. Onwuachi joined forces with more than 30 of the region’s top chefs, craft brewers, winemakers, mixologists, and distillers—alongside Chef Co-Chairs Jamie Knott and Ryan DePersio—to deliver an unforgettable culinary experience in support of food rescue.
During the gala’s program, Executive Director Heather Thompson delivered major news to supporters: after 27 years of operation, the nonprofit will officially relocate its headquarters to a new facility in Englewood within the coming months.
The new headquarters features a dedicated warehouse equipped with two full-sized loading docks, space for volunteer food packing events, and a massive expansion in cold storage capabilities. The upgraded infrastructure will allow Table to Table to store up to 150 pallets of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and dairy at any given time.
“We are deeply grateful to Chef Honoree Kwame Onwuachi, our Chef Co-Chairs… and every supporter who believes that good food should never go to waste while our neighbors go hungry,” Thompson said. “Their support is helping us take a bold leap forward with our new headquarters, which will increase our capacity and enable us to rescue and deliver enough fresh, healthy food for an additional 1.5 million meals or more in our first year alone.”
Want to help?
Interested in supporting Table to Table’s mission to reduce food waste and feed our New Jersey neighbors in need?
- Make a gift: Click here
- Donate Surplus Food: Click here
- Volunteer: Click here
With nearly 3 billion pounds of surplus food produced annually in New Jersey—much of which ends up in landfills—the expanded Englewood facility positions the organization to rescue significantly more nourishing food and direct it to struggling families, children, veterans, and older adults.
Honors and Community Support
The evening also celebrated key partners and contributors driving Table to Table’s mission forward:
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Mission Impact Award: Presented to Crossroads Companies, who is serving as the general contractor for the upcoming Englewood relocation project.
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Founder’s Table Inductions: New members recognized for extraordinary long-term support included Elisabeth Durbetaki (in memoriam), Debbie and Emil Iannone, and Ilene Isaacs. The honorary group was established in 2023 by founder Claire Insalata Poulos.
The event was made possible through backing from corporate and community sponsors, led by American Express as the Presenting Sponsor, Crestron as the Grand Sponsor, alongside numerous Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze supporters.
Since its inception in 1999, Table to Table has rescued more than 133,271 tons of nutritious food—equating to over 266 million meals—while keeping food waste out of landfills and cutting down on harmful methane emissions. The organization collects surplus food from hundreds of supermarkets, farms, distributors, and schools, delivering it entirely free of charge to more than 250 partner pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters across New Jersey.
Community members interested in supporting Table to Table’s growth and upcoming transition to Englewood can learn more or make a donation by visiting www.tabletotable.org.
