World of Flavor Fundraiser
May 29 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
$65
HIP is excited to announce its upcoming fundraiser, A World of Flavor! This event will feature five chefs of distinct culinary and cultural backgrounds. Each chef will showcase their skills by serving two small dishes central to their food culture in booths decorated to tell a story of the dishes’ importance. You’ll have time to mix and mingle, enjoy the tasting menu paired with drinks, and get to know the chefs and their stories before sitting down for a short program. Our goal is to raise $10,000 at this event, all proceeds going to HIP’s Summer Meals program this year. See more about the chefs, the cuisines they will be cooking from, and the program we will be raising money for below.
DATE: May 29, 2026
TIME: Doors open at 6 PM, small program at 7 PM, event ends at 8 PM
LOCATION: Hunger Intervention Program
3841 NE 123rd St
Seattle, WA 98125
MEET THE CHEFS
Chef Alicia Guadalupe Melgarejo Medina
Chef Alicia Medina (she/her) was born in Mexico and immigrated to Seattle. Alicia has worked with HIP for a long time, facilitating Summer Meals in her community. She has now led four Community Kitchen Events with HIP, which helped bring delicious, culturally-relevant foods and activities to the Latinx community in North Seattle. For the World of Flavor fundraiser, she plans to make tamales, gazpacho, and agua fresca.
Chef Bibi Baseerah Salim
Chef Bibi Baseerah Salim (she/her) is originally from Afghanistan, but has lived in Seattle since 2003. She is the founder of Asiya Design Art, featuring her beautiful designs in home goods and specialty items, and helping other immigrants and refugees start their own businesses through the Refugee Artisans Initiative (RAI). She also owns a catering business and often has a food stand at the Lake City Farmer’s market. Chef Bibi has been a guest chef at our Senior Meals program before, and we’re excited to invite her back. For the World of Flavor fundraiser, she plans to make Afghan chicken skewers and bolani (a stuffed flat bread).
Chef David Salerno
Chef David (he/him) is the head chef of HIP’s Senior Meals program. Originally from the Northeast, Chef David has been in Seattle since 2016. He studied classic culinary arts at the French Culinary Institute in NYC and most recently worked as a culinary instructor and resident chef at Sur La Table. Chef David is a South Korean adoptee to an Italian-American household, and has spent much of his adult life reconnecting with South Korean culture and language. For the World of Flavor fundraiser, he plans to make two dishes that fuse Italian and South Korean cuisine.
Chef Emebet Mimi Mamo
Chef Emebet (she/her) is the head of HIP’s East African Senior Meals program. She grew up in Ethiopia until the age of 14. She then immigrated to the USA and went to high school in D.C. When she was 20, she moved to Seattle and went to accounting school for two years. She began a small business in Lake City for about 10 years before getting into home care. For the World of Flavor fundraiser, Chef Emebet plans on making agelgil, which is layers of injera with different sauces and vegetables in between, also called “injera lasagna.” She also plans to make Ethiopian coffee.
Chef Riley Namie
Chef Riley (he/him) is the head of HIP’s Shelter Meals program. Chef Riley was born in California, raised in Florida, and has lived in Seattle since 1997. With roots in direct action and mutual aid through informal groups like Food Not Bombs and prior employment with Seattle’s Operation: Sack Lunch, he has spent most of his working life in restaurants and bars, but eagerly returned to the nonprofit world with HIP in January 2026. For the World of Flavor fundraiser, Chef Riley plans to dig into his Syrian roots by making vegan makloubeh (a crispy rice dish) and fattoush (a Levantine salad).
*Menu is subject to change. Items will be listed with allergens.
SUMMER MEALS
For many families with kids and teens who rely on free and reduced lunches during the school year, summer presents a major barrier as they are left without access to this resource for three months. This is where HIP and other summer meal providers step in. HIP’s Summer Meals for Kids provides freshly made, nutritious meals from the HIP kitchen at kid-friendly, accessible locations throughout North Seattle. Recognizing that food insecurity impacts the entire family, parents or other caregivers are invited to share a meal with their child.
Last year, the federal AmeriCorps cuts hit HIP hard, preventing us from serving as many locations as we would have liked. This year, we plan to make it up to our community by providing meals at more sites than ever before. With your help, we can make that plan a reality! Learn more on our program’s webpage here.
This comes after all the events!