Guy Fieri helps a friend in need.
The celebrity chef, 56, is organizing a fundraiser for A top chef alum Shirley Chung, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer, posted on Instagram on Monday, August 19.
With the “Chefs for Shirley” fundraiser on September 14, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives the host explained why he decided to organize it with the Guy Fieri Foundation.
“My dear friend and excellent cook @chfshirleychung needs our help,” he wrote in the caption. “She closed her restaurant and is fighting for her life.”
He continued: “Great chefs and friends will gather in wine country to create an evening that no one will forget. Find tickets at the link in my bio! Hope to see you there!!”
A top chef Alum Shirley Chung says she needs to gain 10 pounds. Before radiation for stage 4 tongue cancer
The line-up of chefs for the Santa Rosa, California fundraiser — billed as a “once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience” — includes A top chef winner Buddha Lo, Antonia Lofaso, Stephanie Izard, Mei Lin, Lee Anne Wong and others. Fieri’s son, Hunter, is also scheduled to attend.
Fieri also hinted that there will be even more culinary stars at the event than the lineup suggests, writing, “PS: The amount of surprise chefs that will be appearing should be pretty epic! Oh!!”
According to Fieri’s flier, the fundraiser will take place “in an intimate setting in Northern California wine country” and will be “filled with culinary demonstrations, mixology, incredible food, fine wines, with silent and live auctions.”
“Talk to all the chefs and a few other surprises during this intimate culinary experience,” the fundraising website says. “All this to help raise money for Chef Shirley Chung’s treatment and medical bills in her Battle to BREAK CANCER A–!”
Reacting to news of the fundraiser on her Instagram Stories, Chung, 47, wrote: “🫶🫶🫶Thank you ❤️❤️❤️ @guyfieri, my amazing community of chefs 🥲🥲🥲.”
“Thankful 🙏🙏🙏🥲🥲🥲,” she added in another post.
Chung — who was a Season 11 finalist A top chef and competed again in Season 14 — first announced her cancer diagnosis on Instagram on July 26, writing that it came after “a series of dental issues” that were originally attributed to teeth grinding.
“At the end of May, I developed mouth ulcers and my oral surgeon discovered a hidden tumor under my tongue,” she wrote. “A few days later I was diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer, as the cancer cells had spread to my lymph nodes. I was very calm when the doctors told me the news. As a chef, I’ve always thrived under pressure. I was extremely focused on getting all the tests and scans done as quickly as possible so I could start the treatment plans.”
The chef also revealed she had just finished six weeks of chemotherapy – with “a lot more to come” – and included snaps and photos of her shaving her head.
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In order to focus on her cancer treatment and recovery, Chung also decided to close her restaurant, Ms Chi Cafe. She announced the news in a joint Instagram post with the Culver City music video on July 26.
“In light of Chef Shirley’s diagnosis, we have made the difficult decision to close Ms. Chi so she can focus on her recovery,” the post said. “Ms Chi’s last day of surgery will be Sunday, August 4. We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of you — our staff, supporters and fans. We’ve really enjoyed spreading the dumpling love over the past few years and calling Culver City home!”
Tickets to Fieri’s “Chefs for Shirley” fundraising event can be purchased here. Platinum tickets cost $4,500 and gold tickets cost $2,500.
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Source: HIS Education