This is the season of giving, but restaurateur Bruno Serato embraces the giving spirit 365 days a year.
In the evening, his Anaheim White House restaurant dazzles the senses with upscale Italian cuisine and sparkling décor. During the day, his crew cooks pasta to feed thousands of hungry children.
Serato’s mission to feed the kids has become well known. It started on April 18, 2005, when he and his mother, Caterina, visited the Boys and Girls Club in Anaheim. They saw a boy eating potato chips, and the club’s director told Serato that the snack was the boy’s dinner. His mother turned to Serato and said, “Why don’t you serve him pasta?”
He did as his mother told him, which eventually spawned a larger movement.
Today, Caterina’s Club provides warm meals, affordable housing assistance and job training to homeless and low-income families throughout Southern California.
“From one city, one kid, one location, look where we are now,” Serato told the Business Journal. “Other people got inspired and now it’s in Oklahoma, Texas, Chicago, New York, Nepal, Philippines, India, Ethiopia, Italy. Those people are doing it on their own—we teach them, or they were inspired, and they contact me, and we help them.”
Caterina’s crew starts at 6 a.m. and finishes their work at 2 p.m., when drivers start their delivery rounds. Serato estimates he cooks 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of pasta every month, plus thousands of pounds of chicken to go with the pasta.
In addition to distributing more than 25,000 meals every week, Serato began a second program called Welcome Home, which provides qualified families living in motels with the necessary resources to move into the safety and stability of an apartment or condo. So far, more than 270 families with children have been relocated out of their cramped motel rooms.
Serato also launched a “pastathon” partnership with KFI radio station to help raise funds and food. The 14th annual Pastathon was held on Dec. 3 and raised more than $1 million, not including donations of boxes of dried pasta.
“We are celebrating 10 million meals served in 19 years, and we are now in 134 locations in 31 cities in Orange County,” said Serato. “I don’t need tanks; I don’t need guns; I don’t need missiles; I just need pasta and tomatoes to win the war against hunger.”
TRELA’S HOT TAKE
I have dined at the Anaheim White House several times; my recent dining table guest was none other than owner Bruno Serato. His favorite dish, which isn’t on the menu, is made nearly every night by his chef: spaghetti with butter and garlic. Lots of garlic.
I began my meal with the most popular appetizer: lobster ravioli with basil and Japanese ginger, served with a vibrant citrus sauce.
The ravioli was tender and like most of the dishes on the menu looked like a work of art almost too pretty to eat.
Next came a tasty pork belly served with a maple balsamic and orange sauce, followed by a sampling of penne carbonara and bucatini gamberi with grilled Pacific shrimp. I love pasta, and those were indeed lovely.
Other dishes I swooned over: artichoke tartare, rabbit so tender it was practically falling off the bone, escargot served in shells and a sensational Atlantic cod baked papillote style (in parchment paper) with seasonal vegetables and a touch of soy. This was my favorite dish—it melted in my mouth and the combination of flavors along with the savory sauce lingered on my palate.
We also shared a pizza—half margherita, half escargot with anchovies and parsley. I gladly enjoyed a slice of each but had to take the rest home.
Thinking I was finished, Serato insisted we order his most popular dessert: Soufflè El Nino—a Grand Marnier soufflé served with chocolate ganache, crème anglaise and chantilly cream. It was a decadent ending to a decadent dinner.
Anaheim White House, 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, (714) 772-1381, anaheimwhitehouse.com.
Farmhouse Serves Swig for Selflessness
NEWPORT BEACH — Rich Mead, executive chef and owner of Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens, has spent his long career supporting local and sustainably focused farms and purveyors.
He volunteers to serve his memorable cuisine at multiple charity food-focused events every year, helping to raise millions of dollars for important causes. The veteran chef also teaches his staff about the importance of giving back.
Every week, his Newport Beach restaurant features a unique cocktail dubbed “Swig for Selflessness,” with half of the proceeds donated to various local charities. His most recent swig was a bourbon-based cocktail with guava-infused Cynar Amari. The charity that week was Make-A-Wish.
“We have been doing that for six or seven years,” Mead told the Business Journal. “Initially it was called Cocktail for a Cause, now it’s Swig for Selflessness. It’s a way to bring awareness. You can teach your staff what you are doing—they are young, and they can learn about giving back. The other part is they can tell the story at the table so it brings awareness to the people that are sitting there and might have no idea about that charity.
It’s an easy way to help—have a cocktail and I donate 50%. We do well and we are lucky so why not share a little bit.”
As for the culinary-focused charity events, Mead has been involved with those for many years. It’s a way for him to meet and work with chefs he doesn’t get to see at other times of the year, and while he admits there is often a marketing aspect for the participating restaurants, altruistic qualities are the main dish.
“It’s my time, but I can also get things donated,” he said. “Others are willing to help if you spend the time. When you are volunteering, you’re so much happier, and I get to share and watch what other chefs are doing. It’s a competition. We try and pretend it’s not, but it is.”
“If you reach a point where you can share, it’s nice,” added Mead.
“As you get older you see it in a different light. It’s also the ability to help people, especially when the world can be so fractured.”
TRELA’S HOT TAKE
For my dinner at Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens, I began with the Swig for Selflessness, which was truly delicious. My culinary journey started with a delightful and light pomegranate and balsamic glazed salad with Pink Lady apples, followed by a roast spaghetti squash and three cheese gratin with cavalo nero kale, caramelized onions, shiitake mushrooms, cauliflower and parmesan “bechamel” plus mozzarella and fontina cheeses. Think mac and cheese with all the decadent flavor but lighter.
Rich Mead also had me try the grilled soy Dijon rubbed pork tenderloin with braised red cabbage, apple raisin compote, parmesan potato cakes and apple jack brandy sauce. This is comfort food served the Farmhouse way and packed with flavor. I savored every bite.
To conclude my meal, Mead brought a sampling of desserts, each one created with care. The peach crisp with a brown sugar oat topping, vanilla bean ice cream and berry sauce captured my palate’s attention.
Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd., Corona del Mar, (949) 640-1415, farmhouse.rogersgardens.com.
