Where Food Bridges the Gap: The Perfect Thanksgiving Delivers Hope and Hospitality
Chefs Tim Witcher, Jerzy Gonzalez and Lucmann Pierre at The Perfect Thanksgiving event. Photo by Monique Howard
BY MONIQUE HOWARD | AC JosepH Media
SICKLERVILLE — On Saturday, Nov. 22, The Perfecting Church affiliate Loving Our Cities partnered with culinary instructor and Food Network Chopped winner Chef Tim Witcher to host its 15th annual “The Perfect Thanksgiving,” a unique dining experience for the local community at Camden County Technical School.
“The Perfect Thanksgiving” fostered a festive, party-like atmosphere, including a raffle and cooking demonstrations by Chef Lucmann Pierre — cookbook author and owner of LePierre Caterers — and Chef Jerzy Gonzalez, who owns a private chef service called I Cook 4 U with a celebrity client list.
Lifestyle creator and Perfecting Church member Natasha Greene joined Chefs Pierre and Gonzalez on stage, offering commentary as they impressed onlookers with their expertise during the cooking demonstrations.
After the demonstrations, Chefs Witcher, Pierre, and Gonzalez were presented with personalized aprons as tokens of appreciation for giving back to the community.
In addition to enjoying a meal and live music in the festively decorated school cafeteria, residents in need received “to-go” bags filled with recipes and groceries to prepare their own Thanksgiving dinner.
The evening was made possible with the help of volunteers, local culinary students, and event sponsors — Untitled Secret, Spectrum Wealth Partners, Charles Crumbley, Stephen Jackson, and Camden County Technical School.
The food provided for “The Perfect Thanksgiving” was generously donated by the Food Bank of South Jersey, Total Turf, Holtec International, and the members, friends, and neighbors of The Perfecting Church and Loving Our Cities.
For Angela Brown, executive director of Loving Our Cities, the community gathering together is what “The Perfect Thanksgiving” is truly about.
“‘The Perfect Thanksgiving’ was envisioned to serve up a five-star dining experience for our neighbors who were at risk of dining alone or not at all,” Brown explained.
“I think this is the biggest event we’ve ever had—some of us even had to give up our seats. It was well worth it, because that’s what really epitomizes what community is about. Sometimes it means giving up your seat to make sure no one goes without. Everybody deserves a seat at the table.”
Witcher has partnered with Loving Our Cities for 12 years and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to give back to the community.
“I’ve been so blessed, and I’ve been in bad places in my life. There was a time when I was homeless and staying in my father-in-law’s house, and the church has always been there for me—always giving to me when I needed something,” Witcher said.
“And I was such a proud dude. I always thought I would never ask anybody for help, and then I got humbled, and I had to ask for help.”
He added, “So how can I not give back to the community I love? I’m a teacher, so many of my students and their families come to this event, and we always try to serve the community.”
As a chef, Witcher has a unique understanding of the role food plays in people’s lives, noting that every major life event revolves around food—whether it’s a wedding, birthday, or even a funeral.
“So, if you’re on the lower level of society, high level of society, any ethnic background—whatever it is—food bridges the gap for everybody,” Witcher stated.
This was Natasha Greene’s first time participating in a cooking demonstration with chefs, and she wanted to lend her talents as a content creator and influencer to support a worthy cause.
“When I heard Mrs. Brown mention ‘The Perfect Thanksgiving,’ it immediately tugged at my heart,” Greene said.
“I’m a full-time content creator and influencer, and I have my own business. Not only did I want to help fund and support the event—my agency actually sponsored a table—but I also wanted to do something hands-on, like volunteering in the kitchen and offering any service I could.”
If you or someone you know is in need of food assistance, please visit the websites below:
* NJ Rise
* Community Food Bank of New Jersey
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